Note from director Ashley Hovell:
I have to admit I was challenged by this script at first. It didn’t have easy answers to the questions it asked and I am not always good with ambiguity. As we explored and played together in the rehearsal room and talked about the script and this story I realized just how much ambiguity life throws at us. And that is what made this script so special.
There was complexity and nuance hidden in the magic and that was so exciting. The cast played so well together and supported each other so fully that we discovered so much in this story. All of the emotions, all of the magic, all of the memories and all of us. We breathed together. Wrestled together. Took chances together and found hope within the devastation and the power within our truth. This story began to mean so much to us and we are so excited to share it with all of you.
This story is about coming of age in a time when you are both encouraged to speak your truth and discriminated and threatened for doing so. Marginalized bodies never truly know if they are safe. Children go to school not knowing if today is the day the school will be on the news for a deadly shooting spree. Americans start to feel anxious in crowded spaces wondering if there is a shooter planning a mass homicide among them. We live with this ambiguity every day.
As you watch this play I want you to sit with the ambiguousness of the tough questions. The complexity of the issues we face and the openness to find a solution that allows us to live in a safer, more accepting and more progressive world. Let the uncomfortable live in you and drive you to action. Let the magic and whimsy of the show give you hope. Let the humans you see on stage fill you with love and anger and courage and despair. Feel everything…and then let’s do something…together.
Note from director Anthony Neuman:
Being invisible is something I’m pretty familiar with, so when Shannon told me the story he was telling with Line of Sight, I had a strong urge to be involved. Really- I wanted to be a part of telling this important story that as a trans educator- I have a whole lot of feelings about. The element of magic and ability to devise beautiful work with an incredible cast- in which everyone worked so hard and was so amazingly humble, present, and authentic was a built in bonus! I am so grateful to Uprising Theatre for their dedicated work in our world, to this cast and crew for such a great experience, my co-director for super fun banter and smooth collaboration, my amazing wife for her help with choreography, and most importantly to all of the folks that find their authentic voice- and their power to be seen, thank you for your strength; I see you. “Speak your mind even if your voice shakes.” -Maggie Kuhn
Thank you:
To Barb Bloom, our community engagement coordinator, Anne Ulseth for PR, Brian G. Murphy for graphic design, St. Peder's Lutheran Church for rehearsal space, Hillary Olson photography for promotional photos, Haley Sisler-Neuman for work with choreography, The Off Leash Art Box and Jennifer Ilse and Paul Herwig, and Martin Sheeks for being Front of House Manager.
