process

it has been one of evolution which is always my goal. i wrote the first draft of this play sometime in late winter/early spring while running the sound board at Writers' Theatre. after reading an article by Malcolm Gladwell titled "Something Borrowed" which reported on the accusation of plagiarism surrounding Byrony Lavery's play "Frozen". What struck me was the victim's work plagiarized was second to the characterization of her life that seemed to inhabit Lavery's play. I began penning a new drama that started with the line, "I stole a play."

since that first draft, I have been involved with multiple theatre and film projects, which do I like working on better has been the age old question. my current answer is both and neither at the same time. i prefer to think of each being a medium for art just as I consider myself a writer rather than a playwright or screenwriter. A/OTHER LOVER has become an ensemble piece of art.

The play surround the complications which arise when a man passes off his ex-girlfriends screenplay as his own and it becomes a successful film. Ian, the man, our "vilan" is being played by Christopher Dennis. Much in the mind this actor is and much for is mind did we give him. in his eyes we now see the stages of his journey unfold climaxing with thievery then spiraling to his ultimate demise. at the hand of Gina, the ex-girlfriend, our "heroin•", played by Deborah Proud, is a solution to her problem. She has been beaten down by this foolish affair and now must taken action against her oppressor. Deborah, like her character, has a hidden strength which blossoms more than unfolds and it is beautiful to watch her work. Her husband, Glenn Proud, playing Joe, Gina's husband, our "confedense" is like a rock on a roll. It has been a pleasure melding minds with him and using little to make one hell of a role. Joe is cleaning up the mess made by his wife. A murder and an affair. His love is unconditional and he waits to tell the truth until it hurts too much. Someone will listen. Cherry, our "witnes", Ian's current lover, played by Erin Barlow, will listen. She'll take it all in. She'll believe you. She'll believe in you. Erin Barlow has believed in me for quite a while now and I owe much of where I am today as a writer to her. Cherry has just as much passion behind her and her quest for fame will be unrelenting. Whoever's script this is, it is her film and it's gold...

A/OTHER LOVER has become an ensemble piece. Christopher Dennis, Deborah Proud, Glenn Proud and Erin Barlow has inhabited these roles, these characters and will deliver a message about our world to anyone who cares to see.

The talk of ensemble and art is incomplete without the names Rebekah Johnson, David Allen Stoughton, Aleks Zarnitsyn and Sebastian Aguirre. I asked Rebekah long ago if she would take on the role of Stage Manager for this show. After working with her on NIGHT OF INNOCENT GAMES, I knew she had what I needed to keep the show in tact. She agreed and I immediately asked the follow-up questions, will she also assume the role of Assistant Director. She accepted and a giant weight was lifted off my shoulder. As the writer/director, it is imperitive to have someone in a role that can let you know when your focus is on the words and not the stage. Rebekah has kept me on track throughout and I thank her. Dave and I got our MFAs from the University of Arkansas. During drunken whiskey grad school nights we always talked about theatre, but never got to work in a great capacity due to the blasted University system. the seeds of those talks are budding as we work together on shows like these where our collaboration takes center stage. our vision and the vision of those who see with us illuminate brighter than any of the fernels in the air. to talk of just this show and Dave would not do justice, but he does justice to this show above and beyond my wildest expectations. Aleks is a skeptic and brilliant sound composer. We have been working on music recordings for over a year now and without even knowing each other we've been able to create some amazing soundscapes. for A/OTHER LOVER, his "Types of Silence" have added a layer of intensity to the production and sets the mood with honest precision. if he wasn't so skeptical we would probably be lost somewhere listening to Coldplay and wondering why on earth any of us exist. And then there is Sebastian who has taken still images from this moving performance piece and made them dance across the city. If you haven't seen the images, visit our website. Sebastian inhabits the true attitude of artistry which is uninhibited, raw and rare.

A/OTHER LOVER has become an ensemble...

the only member missing is you. we have done this for you and hope you will attened. dates, times and more information are available online at www.livewirechicago.com.