A Real Bitch: Developing a New Original Play

The road to completion for an original full-length play is long, hard, and well worth the wild ride. Great plays, both on the page and presented in front of an audience, create a compelling story that encourages reflection, discussion, and even change, all while allowing an audience to collectively experience a group of characters. My first original full-length play follows the story of an unconventional, twenty-something bridal party who have come together to celebrate their friend, the bride, even as she struggles with an increasing illness that threatens her life. In preparation for writing, I looked to contemporary playwright including Donald Margulies, Aziza Barnes, and Sarah DeLappe, as well as masters of form and style such as Anton Chekhov. Furthermore, I researched both native historical aspects and contemporary entertainment representations of Hawaiian culture, as well as interviewed a Native Hawaiian resident, so as to most accurately depict the play’s setting of Oahu. After two years of writing, I worked with a creative team within Baylor University Theatre Department to workshop a staged reading of the play, allowing me to both observe an audience’s reaction to my work and realize how the script could evolve further to wholly reveal the story I wanted to tell.