What play are you directing? What it is about? I'm directing a play called Prom Queen which is a story about a teenager named Jax who experiences rejection and homophobia from his best friend. Despite this, Jax realizes his strength, confidence, and empowerment and celebrates his sexual identity and his ideal of beauty. What does a typical rehearsal look like? At the top of every rehearsal, everyone in the room gathers for a moment of centering and focus. We check in with a statement about the day, and we engage in a 10 minute physical and vocal warm-up. So, if the young playwright and dramaturg are in the room, they participate, as well as our amazing stage manager. This way, we're all truly seeing each other as we begin the work each day. All of us are equal collaborators in this space. After our warm-up, we run through the different parts of the play that require our attention that day. As of right now, we are fine tuning each section to make sure that the story is clear...and beautiful! What it is like to direct a brand new, still-in-progress play? How is it different that working on a more established play? New play development is one of my favorite processes. It's a chance for actors and the director to converse with and really collaborate with a living, breathing playwright. The work is evolving as we rehearse, so it's a really exciting time for every artist involved, because you're part of a new creation. What are you learning about directing (or otherwise) in this process? I'm learning that if we lead with love, we will create beautiful, meaningful theatre. There's a lot of love for each other and for the work in our rehearsal room, but also from PYP and Temple University. When there's that much love, joy, and commitment dedicated to the voices of our young playwrights, we explode the possibilities! Prom Queen by Lily Rivera is included on Bill One of the 2018 New Voices Workshop Productions beginning October 25th. All performances, running through November 5th, are Pay What You Decide. Reservations are required.
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Tell us a little bit about yourself. I grew up in Haddon Township, New Jersey, where a childhood of forcing guests at family parties to watch me sing and dance eventually led to the pursuit of a career as an actor. I ended up enrolling at Temple, excited by the prospect of studying musical theatre in a city rich with exciting theatre, art, and culture… and great food. Now I’m in my senior year as a musical theatre student at Temple. I’m graduating in May 2019! Is this your first time working on New Voices? What got you involved? New Voices was actually the very first project I worked on in the fall of my freshman year at Temple. The play was Curtains by Harrison Freed, directed by Shavon Norris. I remember feeling so empowered by Shavon’s creative energy, and inspired by the care and enthusiasm with which everyone on the Philadelphia Young Playwrights staff treated the entire process. I’m thrilled to be back, three years later. The energy in the room is just as exciting as I remembered, thanks to a gorgeous script by playwright Lily Rivera and the leadership of our fabulous director Bi Jean Ngo. What character are you playing? Tell us about them. Lily’s play is called Prom Queen, and I play a boy named Jax who orders a dress to wear to his senior prom. Jax wants others to see his true self, but he’s not quite sure exactly what that is. Jax is funny and fierce and has a lot of love to give. And he’s handling the awkwardness of adolescence a hell of a lot better than I did. What it is like to work on a brand new, still-in-progress play? What is the biggest challenge? What is most exciting? With no roadmap or precedent from a previous production, it’s easy to start to worry, “Am I doing this right?” That fear can be a hindrance, but I actually find it thrilling, especially since Bi takes such care to create a space where actors can be vulnerable, and Lily has written such a compelling script. Our play uses a lot of direct address to the audience. It will be challenging to honestly connect with audience members – to look them in the eyes, ask them questions, and be vulnerable in front of them – but this challenge is the thing I’m most excited about. What are you learning as an actor (or otherwise) through this process? I’m learning to demand nothing less than a 100% honest performance from myself. I’m learning how important it is to breathe. Oh, and I’m learning how to gracefully slip into a floor-length prom dress in one fluid motion. I mean, that’s a skill you can take to the bank, don’t you think? Catch Matthew in Lily Rivera's Prom Queen (Bill One) beginning October 25th. New Voices Workshop Productions runs through November 3rd. All performances are Pay What You Decide. Reservations are required.
Student Writers + Undergraduate Actors + Professional Directors Get to know the directors behind the six new student-written plays premiering at Temple University as part of the 2018 New Voices Workshop Productions.
On Saturday, October 4th, we brought four short plays of mystery, magic, and mischief written by Philadelphia-area elementary school students to life Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse. FEATURING:
PERFORMED BY: Sol Madariaga, Nick Cruz, Tyler Elliot, Gavin Whitt, Shamus McCarty, Katherine Perry, Bi Jean Ngo, and Cinnamon Stoner DESIGN CONSULTANT: Essie Windham STAGE MANAGEMENT: Emily Moylan PHOTO CREDIT: Chuck Bonfig UP NEXT: New Voices Workshop Productions at Temple Theaters, Oct. 25 - Nov. 3, 2018
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