Let's look back at the first play from our KICK ASS PLAYS BY BAD ASS WOMEN reading series.
Here's an interview with Callie Kimball, playwright and blogger extraordinaire, about her experience writing and developing SOFONISBA:
MB: When did you start writing SOFONISBA? What sparked the writing of it/the idea?
CK: I stumbled across the paintings of Sofonisba Anguissola in college purely by chance. I found her portraits arresting because her subjects seemed to hold so much in reserve. They all had such poise and seemed to carry secrets; their glances were oblique. At the time, I hadn’t yet discovered playwriting. I was writing a lot of poetry that was inspired by paintings, but more than ten years went by before I felt ready to try to write about her work. That’s how intimidated I was by her art.
Her life story, just from what little we know about her, touches on so many fascinating themes—making sacrifices for her art, being transplanted to a new country, navigating court politics, struggling with a new language, protecting her standing as a woman artist, respecting the role of the Catholic church in terms of her work…it just goes on and on. I also juxtaposed her with the young Queen Isabel, whose work was creating heirs, in contrast to Anguissola’s work creating portraits.
In 2007 I applied for a grant from the Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation to write a play based on Anguissola’s work. I received the grant, and that was it—now I HAD to write the play.
MB: Have you had other readings of the play? What surprised you about people's reactions then or THIS time, with PY? What did you learn from any of them?
CK: I’ve had a few readings now. The first one was at the Kennedy Center and it was just the first 40 pages. At that point, I didn’t know if I had anything worth pursuing, but the response was so encouraging that I started to think maybe I had hit upon something that might have wide appeal. I continued working on it, and once I hit about 70 pages, it had a reading at the National Museum of Women in the Arts. That was a very special reading, because the museum featured a portrait by Anguissola in the main hall, so people could see her work.
I also worked on it a bit with the fine people at Electric Pear Productions, who gave me some actors and the time and space to explore the play further. THEN you guys came along and I was so excited that you wanted to do a reading, because of course I’ve been a huge fan of Project Y for what, 10 years now, since we were back in DC together. So I fleshed out the script more and that was really the first time hearing the whole piece strung together in one reading. And yes, I was surprised by the audience reaction, because I hadn’t realized how funny the play is at times.
MB: What's the next step you're going to take in your process with SOFONISBA moving forward?
CK: I’ve begun sending it around to all the places that take unagented submissions. I’ve written a number of plays now, had a few small commissions, and produced a handful of my own plays, but this is the first time I feel ready to try to find a larger stage for one of my plays. I want to hand it over to designers who know how to bring a play like this to life. I’m fascinated by the use of empty space, and I would love to see this three-actor play explored in a large space. There is more work I want to do on the play, but I’m letting it sit for a few months. I’ll know when I’m ready to go back in. I don’t believe in tweaking things just to tweak them—I have to know what I’m doing if I’m going to go back into a script, otherwise it’s a disaster!
MB: What else do you do besides write plays?
CK: I’ve started making movies! I bought two Ultra HD Flip cameras and tiny tripods, and I’m learning how to tell stories in a whole new way. It’s fun and exciting and not at all easy! (My first videos are here: http://www.youtube.com/user/calliekimball) . I also work at NBC—I was very lucky to nab a job there when I moved to NY a little over a year ago. I’m working in Digital Products and Services, and learning about XML and SSL Certificates and metadata files. I love working with the tech guys—they’re nice and funny and always eager to share knowledge. Other than that, I eat a lot of sandwiches. The usual.
MB: What's the last play you've seen?
CK: I saw Circle Mirror Transformation by Annie Baker at Playwrights Horizons. It was delightful and spare and funny. I loved how transparent the characters were. A deceptively simple play that was deeply touching.
MB: What makes you a "BAD ASS WOMAN"?
CK: Ha! Of course I would never describe myself that way, but since you’ve gone ahead and done it… . Sometimes people say that the things I do are brave. I’m not so sure, because it honestly has felt that I haven’t had other choices than those I’ve made in my life. I’ve done a lot of life work to get where I am now—dealing with poverty and struggling with depression are at the top of the list. Those are pretty high-stakes challenges, and now that I’m on the other side, I just want to make up for lost time and do the best work I can. I guess the thing that keeps me most true is not being afraid to fail in my work. I believe wholeheartedly that the only way to play the game when the stakes are high is to go all in. Which means you really have to believe in what you’re doing, roll up your sleeves, and do the dirty work to inch closer to your goals, whatever they are. I guess it’s all in the trying.
For more info on upcoming plays in KICK ASS PLAYS BY BAD ASS WOMEN reading series, click here!
Also, our VIDEO MONOLOGUE CONTEST is still going on. Check out last week's blog to enter!
MB
