The Magic of Open
The Magic of Open
Playwright Chystal Skillman talks about the magic of her play 'Open.' Plus, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed!
Welcome to The Scene, your weekly round-up of theatre news you may have missed. In this week's email,
Playwright Crystal Skillman talks about how her play ‘Open’ can change lives and open minds.
Plus, we keep you informed about the most crucial theatre news and stories from the last week.
So, raise the curtain, shine the spotlight, and dive into another thrilling week in the world of theatre. Welcome to The Scene.
‘The Hills of California’ sets Broadway bow by Michael Abourizk, Broadway News | The new play by Tony Award-winning playwright Jez Butterworth will open at the Broadhurst Theatre in the fall. Read...
Jessica Lange Talks ‘Mother Play’, Bad Moms & How To Mesmerize An Audience With 12 Minutes Of Silence by Greg Evans, Deadline | Towards the end of Paula Vogel’s hit Broadway drama ‘Mother Play,’ all dialogue comes to a halt for 12 long, mesmerizing minutes, and Jessica Lange is on stage, alone, for every second of them. Read...
In 1981, this Sondheim musical flopped. Now 'Merrily We Roll Along' is a hit by Terry Gross, Fresh Air NPR | The Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim’s musical about three friends received seven Tony nominations. Terry talks with director Maria Friedman, who was a friend of Sondheim's, and actor Jonathan Groff. Read...
Why Broadway Never Bounced Back by Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter | Insiders were hopeful that grosses could build year-over-year, but several factors (including fewer office workers) have kept numbers flat. Read...
How 3 Texas Teenagers Grew Up to Be Broadway Stars (and Stayed Friends) by Katherine Rosman, The New York Times | Trey Curtis and J. Quinton Johnson are performing in ‘Hamilton.’ Their friend Vincent Jamal Hooper is Simba in ‘The Lion King.’ Read...
Subscriptions Are Dead, Long Live Subscriptions! by Rosie Brownlow-Calkin, American Theatre |Theatres are taking a hard look at a well-worn patron model and coming to different conclusions about its usefulness. Read...
When The Culture Wars Came For The Theater by Isaac Butler, The Atlantic | A new book argues that the reactionary response to a New Deal–era arts initiative predated today’s cultural divisions. Read...
50 Glitzy Old Photos From Tony Award Ceremonies Past by Vogue | In celebration of the recent Broadway season—and the many that came before it—we’ve gathered 50 delightful old photographs from the first 50-odd years of the Tony Awards. Enjoy! Read...
The Story of ‘How Liza Became Liza’ by Farah Nayeri, The New York Times | The director Bruce David Klein’s documentary, premiering at the Tribeca Festival, includes old footage found in Minnelli’s closet. Read...
Josh Groban to host 2024 Jimmy Awards by Michael Abourizk, Broadway News | The 15th annual National High School Musical Theatre Awards will take place at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre on June 24. Read...
The Big Idea
The Magic of Open
by Crystal Skillman, Guest Writer for The Scene
How does one stage a magic show without magic? That is both the thrilling trick and joy for theater companies tackling my play ‘Open,’ a queer love story, which tells about the love of two women: Kristen and Jenny.
In ‘Open,” a woman called the Magician presents a myriad of tricks for our entertainment, yet her performance seems to be attempting the impossible—to save the life of her partner, Jenny. ‘Open’ strives to do what theater is meant to do: create strong empathy and explore the power of transformation with a strong message, especially for young adults.
Performed in three short acts, the tricks Kristen performs throughout the show are pantomimed. But magic trick after magic trick as Kristen feels the audience believes in this magic show and her partnership with Jenny, the more the magic in this show is heard… appears… and transforms the audience.
To do this, this play needs teamwork with a capital T. ‘Open’ is a terrific bonding experience for theatrical teams to tackle. Despite being a solo show, ‘Open’ requires a team to creatively solve some of these “tricks”. Inventive sound and lighting design, as well as costumes, play a key part.
Most fun of all is that the tricks in the show (which range from explosive card tricks to levitation and tightrope walking) are pantomimed, so this allows any actress to step into the role. For the pantomiming of tricks to feel true, a consultation with a magician can work wonders, and it is a delight for young artists to have that experience. By the time the curtain goes up, that performer feels like a real magician, the creative team part of a magical experience.
As LGBTQIA+ rights continue to be threatened, I wrote Open in response to the intolerant times that have increased in the U.S. (and globally). I have personally experienced how this solo show, through its powerful production in New York, (which earned a rave in the NYTimes), and now in its regional productions, as well as a recent tour in Edinburgh and Italy, is a powerful experience, especially for students.
As a writer and activist, it has been a great act of discovery to find that ‘Open,’ both the text (growing in inclusion in college reading curriculums around the world) and in performance, has become a powerful teaching tool. Included in the University of San Francisco’s new play festival just this past spring, I see how the show's message is impactful and can inspire. ‘Open’ is a play that opens as it goes—it reveals itself in a unique theatrical experience through the love story of these two women. And in Kristen’s acceptance of herself.
People open up after seeing this play. I’ve seen how it can change lives and open minds. This is a play that can lead to a true act of transformation…not unlike a magic trick.
But don’t take my word for it, get to tackling these magic tricks yourself. Oh, and if you’d like a wee magic tip from this author. You got this. You’re ready now… Magician.
____
About the Crystal Skillman: An internationally award-winning playwright, fictional podcast writer, and comic book author, Crystal has written for Stories Podcast (Wondery Kids), Girl Tales, Adventure Time comics, and Marvel comics. New Plays include THE ROCKET MEN and RAIN AND ZOE SAVE THE WORLD. She is the author of the NYTimes Critics’ Pick plays GEEK, CUT, and KING KIRBY which you can listen to on Broadway Podcast Network. Visit CrystalSkillman.com to learn more.
To purchase your own copy of ‘Open’ by Crystal Skillman, click here to visit Dramatists Play Service.
Drama Bookshop Event: If you are in the New York area on June 25, 2024, join playwright Crystal Skillman and the team behind ‘Open’ for a special event at the Drama Bookshop:
Event: Open: A Conversation with Crystal Skillman
Date & Time: June 25th, 2024
Location: Drama Bookshop
About: Celebrate pride with the magical team of OPEN the play by award-winning playwright Crystal Skillman!
Register to Attend: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/open-a-conversation-with-crystal-skillman-tickets-867964474107
Finally, check out a short excerpt of the play on DPS’s Playing on Air! Click on the video below: :
The Devil Wears Prada reveals complete casting for UK premiere by Alex Wood, WhatsOnStage | The much-loved film is making its way to stages in Plymouth and the West End. Read...
Inside Tom Holland’s Teary, Blood-Soaked Romeo That’s Igniting Fan Frenzy on London’s West End — Even if the ‘Spider-Man’ Star Won’t Sign Any Autographs by Ellise Shafer, Variety | Tom Holland is crying. No, it’s not because of the not-so-great reviews he’s been getting for playing the lead in ‘Romeo & Juliet’ on the West End — that’s literally how his Romeo greets the audience when the play opens. Read...
Olivier-Winning Soccer-Themed Play ‘Dear England’ Set for London National Theatre Return by Naman Ramachandran, Variety | James Graham’s Olivier award-winning play, directed by Rupert Goold, tells the story of the England men’s soccer team under Gareth Southgate. Read...
Jodie Whittaker will star in the West End’s ‘The Duchess’ later this year by Andrzej Lukowsji, TimeOut | The ex-Timelord is returning to the London stage at Trafalgar Theatre in October. Read..
Signature Theatre Announces its 2024/25 season by DC Theatre Arts | Signature's 35th season includes five musicals and two plays, four of which are DC premieres. Read...
Lineup Set for Williamstown Theatre Festival's ‘WTF IS NEXT’ Featuring Adam Kantor, Britton & The Sting, and More by Chloe Rabinowitz, Broadway World | Running Thursday, August 1 through Sunday, August 4 throughout the community of Williamstown. Read...
Cast Complete for Muny ‘Les Misérables,’ Starring John Riddle, Jordan Donica, Teal Wicks, & More by Andrew Gans, Playbill |Seth Sklar-Heyn will direct the 2024 summer season opener at the outdoor regional theatre. Read...
RuPaul's Drag Race's Latrice Royale Joins Ogunquit Playhouse ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ by Molly Higgins, Playbill | Royale will lend her voice to the role of Audrey II at the Maine Theatre. Read...
Free Reads of the Week
You can read entire plays for free! Free Reads titles are perfect for your theatre, school, and competition performances. Click on the image or the button below to be taken to the Play’s page; once you are there, click the "READ NOW" button and enjoy!
The Audition by Don Zolidis
The Story: A new theater teacher is bringing a production of ‘A Chorus Line’ to the high school. Though the hopefuls range from shy to outrageous and from diva-like to determined, everyone has a chance to step into the spotlight. A hilarious and heartbreaking look at the madness of auditioning and the actors who brave the process for that perfect part.
Comedy/Drama | 35 - 40 minutes | 10 W, 3 M, 11 Any (13-30 actors possible: 3-25 W, 1-25 M) | Set: Minimal.
June is National Gun Violence Awareness Month. #ENOUGH: Every Fifteen Minutes is available to READ FOR FREE in its entirety.
#ENOUGH: Every Fifteen Minutes
by McKennzie Boyd, Arianna Brumfield, Willa Colleary, Anya Jiménez, Taylor Lafayette, Tain Leonard-Peck, Cameron Thiesin, and Wyn Alyse Thomas
The Story: Welcome to America, where every fifteen minutes, a person is killed with a gun. In eight short plays written by teens for teens, the winners of the 2022 #ENOUGH: Plays to End Gun Violence competition contend with the way this statistic shapes young people’s lives. Taken together, #ENOUGH: Every Fifteen Minutes is a poignant portrait of a uniquely American crisis by the generation it impacts the most.
Drama | 90 - 100 minutes | 3 W, 3 M, 2 Any (8-39 actors possible: 3-28 W, 3-23 M) | Set: Flexible
