Photo courtesy of The Dramatists Guild, Illustrations by Mary Peterson

The Commission That Goes Wrong (And Turns Out Right)

Several years back, I was commissioned by an actress to write a one woman show. I didn’t know her very well, so we met and talked about a few ideas she had. I came back to her a few months later with rough outlines of some story ideas, and we met with her husband who would be directing. They loved one of the ideas, and I went off to write. But about halfway into the first draft, I realized that the play would work much better with three actresses. I kept writing, hoping that she’d like the play so much she’d consider adding the two actresses and the commission would be fulfilled. When the first draft was finished, I broke the news to her. We may have even done a reading. The good news was she liked the play. The bad news was she was out. She no longer wanted to act in it, but she still wanted to produce it. We were invited to a summer residency and cast it with three actresses. It didn’t go well. I will never forget, after one of the readings, the artistic director approached me and said, “I don’t get it.”

It was a mess. Unclear. Hard to follow.

But I soon figured out what was wrong. The play was not for three actresses; it was for four. With four actors, the play could breathe a little more. I could add layers to the monologues without worrying about logistics on stage.

Around this time, the actress and director very graciously gave me the reins and we separated. But in my mind, the show was DOA, just as I’d figured out how to make it work. I was crushed. Should I have written a different play? There had been an actress, a director, even a venue in place. Had I squandered my chance at a production? Had I blown my commission?

A few months later, my agents submitted the play to City Theatre in Pittsburgh, which would soon hold their new works festival, MOMENTUM. They gave me a slot for two readings. For the first time, I heard it with four actresses. The play finally worked, and City produced the premiere. STRING OF PEARLS went on to be produced regionally and off-Broadway. The actress who’d commissioned the one woman show and her husband came to opening night.

Were they mensches throughout the whole process? Absolutely.

Was I lucky? You bet.