A Note from Playwright Hayley D. Clark
This experience has been one of the most challenging and rewarding in my life, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to showcase something I hold very close to my heart. I have never written a play before, and as someone who is used to writing novels, it was an interesting process learning how. At first, I struggled without the ability to use the beautiful descriptions I was used to, and having to rely so much on only the dialogue, stage directions, and actors to bring this story to life. So much of it was up to trust—trust that the people reading the script would understand it and bear with me until they saw it on stage, trust that the actors would be able to accurately portray the characters I’d created, and trust that whoever was going to see the show would take away at least one thing I’d laid down. I’ve learned so much throughout the long process of writing, editing, and translating this script onto the stage, and while it has been difficult, I am thankful for all of the support I’ve received from both my teachers and this cast. I’m grateful to Ms. McGinnes, who took a chance on me and let me bring my ideas to life, and who mentored me throughout this entire process. I really value everything I’ve learned during our time together and I thank you for your boldness in bringing this play to the stage. I am also thankful for Mr. Hinojosa, who continued to advise and fight for me in both the joyful and the rough days, along with Ms. Bauman for her helpful feedback, and the countless other English teachers who came before them. I want to also give a shout out to this amazing cast, who has consistently backed me up in advocating for this show and trusted me throughout the development of this show. Finally, I would like to thank my parents, for helping me through this wild journey, whether it be during the late nights writing, the tumultuous editing process, or when battling with technology to make this playbill. I would have never been able to make it this far without the support I’ve received, and I am forever grateful. This show features a cast of many antagonistic characters, but you all are the heroes.
