Alex Goldberg, Playwright

On Thursday, February 10th at 7pm, APAC’s 15/20s Staged Readings of New Works continues with Alex Goldberg’s It Is Done.

Goldberg shares his thoughts on his process, challenges and the benefits of a staged reading. Read on to find out more.

HOW WAS IT IS DONE BORN?

In a hotel room in downtown Miami. I was visiting my fiance’ (and now wife) who was on tour at the time. I had a strange, vivid nightmare and after I woke up, my first thought was that an element of it would make a great play. Couldn’t get it out of my head all day, and when she went off to her show that night, I sat down to write. Four hours without moving from the desk at the hotel, I had written the first third of the script. 27 pages. It is easily the most prolific writing block of my career. The play isn’t a retelling of the nightmare, but actually uses it as a launching point for the story. Although the nightmare does make its way into the story.

WHAT WAS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE WRITING THIS PLAY?

The challenges change as the process continues. The first challenge during that four hour writing binge was not getting in the way of the story and just letting it out. The next challenge was completing the script without any self doubting. Another challenge was making sure the comedy parts didn’t interfere with the scary parts, and vice versa. The latest challenge is picking the right Hank WIlliams songs for the right moments.

WHAT ROLE DOES THE APAC STAGED READING PLAY IN YOUR PROCESS?

There is only so long you can go with hearing the voices in your head, and you need to hear it onstage to see what works and what is embarrassing. The first time a play of mine is read out loud, I can judge the success by how many times I cringe in the back of the theater. If I cringe less than a dozen times, success. APAC always brings a high caliber of talent. The actors are always good. The directing is always good. That puts the pressure back on me to make my script better. When the acting and directing is good, any cringes come from the script itself. This will be the first time this script will be read out loud, and I couldn’t be happier that it is through APAC. There’s that old cliche about how every artistic project is like a baby, and this reading is like the first time a parent leaves the new baby with a sitter. You have to have a lot of trust to do that.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT WORKING WITH APAC?

I’m torn. It’s a tossup between getting to work with Tom Wojtunik (APAC Artistic Director) again, the professionalism of the APAC team in producing the 15/20s Series (last year’s produced reading of my play The Final Jew was a success), or the post reading glass of wine at Vesta. Seriously. I find that the audience and actors involved are far more passionate and honest in their feedback with a glass of wine and some amazing pizza.

WHAT’S YOUR NEXT PROJECT? TELL US ABOUT IT.

I’m proud to have many pots coming to boil right now. I’m a playwright-in-residence at Railroad Playhouse in Newburgh, NY, and they will premiere my play America’s Brightest Star, most likely in the 2011-12 season. I have a short play running in San Pedro, California through February 19th, and another short play running in Columbus, Ohio starting in mid-March. I recently turned my award-winning one act play Lying Naked into a full length play. A book of short plays was recently published called Turn The Page: Two One Act Plays by Alex Goldberg and is available for purchase for the Kindle or in book form. I just collaborated on a TV pilot and finished a screenplay and am shopping both around. And it happens rarely these days, but I’m performing in the very funny musical Grease 3: Threase at The PIT every Friday night in February.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO ADD?

I’m very excited for the creative team for the reading of It Is Done, and it’s a rare privilege to have worked with everyone before. Not only is Tom one of my favorite directors, but he officiated my wedding this past fall. Ean Sheehy is a brilliant actor, and we’re lucky he had a break in his schedule. The very talented Matt Kalman is one of my oldest friends and collaborators, and this will be the first time we’ve been able to work together in six years. Catia Ojeda is not only an amazing actor (APAC fans will remember her from Proof) but my wonderful wife. And if it wasn’t for her being on tour and that nightmare I had while visiting her in Miami, this play may never have existed.

It does exist and you’re invited to see the staged reading of It Is Done

Join on us on Thursday, February 10th at 7pm. Admission is FREE.

Location: Good Shepherd United Methodist Church [Google Map]

Limited Seating - RSVP: [email protected] or call 718-393-7505

Full details for It Is Done.