TEST TEST 

>> HELLO, EVERYONE. WELCOME BACK. DID EVERYONE HYDRATE? YES? HAVE SOME TEA, COFFE E? WE HAVE A GREAT SESSION IN FRONT OF US. AND I WILL BEGIN AS PEOPLE START TO SETTLE IN. WELL, HISTORY ABOUNDS. AND IS MADE EVERY MOMENT WE SIT HERE TOGETHER. HISTORIC ELECTIONS HERE AND OVERSEAS. THIS WILL NO DOUBT BE A CONFERENCE THAT WILL GO DOWN IN THE HISTORY BOOKS AS WE EXPERIENCE IT ALL IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL. B -- LET IT BE THAT OUR U.S. CITIZENSHIP TAKES A DEEP BREATH AND TRULY THINK ABOUT WHO THEY VOTE FOR IN NOVEMBER AND THE REPERCUSSIONS OF THAT VOTE FOR ALL OF US. [APPLAUSE] 

>> THE WORLD AS WE SEE IT IS RAPIDLY CHANGING AND WE NEED LEADERSHIP THAT CHANGES WITH IT. MODELS THAT CAN HANDLE THE CHANGE AND THINKING IT TAKES TO GUIDE. IT GIVES ME PAUSE AND MAKES ME LOOK INTERNALLY TO THE SYSTEMS WE IN THE THEATER HAVE IN PLACE. TODAY'S AFTERNOON SESSIONS CELEBRATE INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES THAT ARE TAKING RISKS, SPEAKING OUT, INNOVATING, LET'S EMBRACE THOSE VALUES AS WE NAVIGATE THE WATERS OFTEN GROW ROUGH. AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP MODEL, WHICH WAS DEVISED IN THE 20TH ENTRY, -- CENTURY, IS THIS THE BEST WAY FOR US TO LEAVE? -- LEAD? I WONDER. IS IT AS INCLUSIVE AS IT NEEDS TO BE? AGAIN, AS THE WATERS GROW ROUGH AND HISTORY IS MADE AROUND US, DO WE, LIKE OUR SPEAKERS TODAY, QUESTION AND EXAMINE OUR CURRENT MODELS? WHEN I HEAR TOM ROTHMAN, THE HEAD OF SONY'S VIDEOS -- STUD IOS, SAYING THAT GOING TO THE MOVIES AND BUYING POPCORN WILL BE AS VINTAGE AS A HORSE AND BUGGY AND IT WILL BE VINTAGE SOON, I START TO WONDER - IS THAT TRUE? I WE GOING TO BE THE ONLY PLACE WHERE PEOPLE GATHER TOGETHER TO HAVE A COMMUNAL EXPERIENCE OF HEARING A STORY? THE WORLD NEEDS THEATER AND WE MADE THE WORLD. HOW DO WE BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER WHEN THEY ARE HOME WATCHING AMAZON PRIME? DO WE CHANGE THE ARCHITECTURE OF OUR THEATER, DO WE RETHINK THEIR USE, DO WE TRAMPLE BORDERS TO FIND STORYTELLERS TO FILL OUR STAGES CONSISTENTLY WITH THEIR STORIES TOO? I WILL ANSWER THAT ONE, YES. INSTEAD OF THEATER NATION, WILL OUR CONFERENCE IN FIVE YEARS BE CALLED GLOBALIZATION? -- GLOVAL NATION? WILL THE BE LED BY FOUR PEOPLE, INSTEAD OF ONE? OUR DEVELOPMENT AND AUDIENCE CONDUCTIVITY, LEADERS COMING IN ALL SIZES AND GENDERS, FACING THE CHALLENGE OF THE FUTURE AND AN EQUITABLE AND THUS STRONGER WAY, I WONDER. WE UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF COMING TOGETHER, OF ASKING THE HARD QUESTIONS, OF OURSELVES TO BE OUR BETTER SELVES. TODAY, WE HEAR FROM FOLKS WHO HAVE HELPED SET OUR COURSE FOR THE FUTURE BY RECOUNTING OUR PAST IN ORDER TO PLOT OUR FUTURE , OR BY TURNING MODELS UPSIDE DOWN TO FIND OUT WHAT HAS BEEN HIDING INSIDE. I HAVE THE HONOR OF INTRODUCING MY FELLOW TCG BOARD MEMBER AND THE NEXT CHAIR OF THE BOARD, AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A GENEROUS SPIRIT AND VITALITY WHO WILL CONTINUE TO ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS AND SUPPORT THE STAFF IN THEIR CONTINUOUS INNOVATION. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, KEVIN MORIARTY, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, DALLAS THEATRE CENTER. [APPLAUSE] 

KEVIN: I AM IMMENSELY HONORED TO SERVE TCG AS CHAIR AND I AM HUMBLED TO FOLLOW DIANE RODRIGUEZ IN THIS ROLE. SHE HAS SERVED ON THE BOARD SINCE 2008 AND SHE HAS BEEN OUR PRESIDENT FOR THESE PAST THREE YEARS. SHE EMBODIES THE VERY BEST QUALITIES OF TGG. -- TCG. I HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY HER PASSION FOR THE ARTS, HER COMMITMENT TO CREATING A FIELD THAT IS EQUITABLE AND JUST. HER DETERMINATION TO ENSURE THAT EACH PERSON'S VOICE IS HEARD. AND THE DEPTH OF HER FEELINGS AND THE JOY OF HER LAST. -- LAUGH. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, AND THE STAFF, I THINK -- THANK D IANCE FOR HER EXTRAORDINARY -- DIANE FOR HER EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP. [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] 

KEVIN: AS WE LOOK AHEAD, TC G AND R FIELD FACE MANY CHALLENGES -- OUR FIELD FACE MANY CHALLENGES AND EVEN MORE OPPORTUNITIES. WE ARE COMMITTED TO INSPIRING INCLUSION THROUGHOUT THE THEATER AND OUR COUNTRY. WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENCOURAGING INNOVATIONS IN CREATING THEATER THAT IS NOT JUST FOR, BUT ALSO OF AND WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE CREATE OUR ART. WE ARE COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING THE FINANCIAL SECURITY OF OUR THEATERS, SO WE ARE ADEQUATELY CAPITALIZED TO TAKE RISKS AND PROVIDING MEANINGFUL LIVING FOR THE ARTIST AS WELL AS THE ADMINISTRATIONS -- ADMINISTRATORS ALIKE. [APPLAUSE] 

KEVIN: MOST IMPORTANTLY, TCG EXISTS AS A REFLECTION OF THE AMERICAN THEATER ITSELF. THAT IS YOU, OUR MEMBERS. YOU ARE TCG, YOUR CONCERNS ARE OUR CONCERNS. WE SEEK TO CELEBRATE YOUR TRIUMPHS AND COME TO YOUR AID WHEN YOU FALTER. THOUGH, WE ALL MAKE OUR MANY PARTS OF OUR COUNTRY, NONE OF YOU ARE ALONE. WE ARE A THEATER NATION, TOGETHER WE ARE TCG. I INVITE THE BOARD TO STAND AT THIS TIME. [APPLAUSE] 

KEVIN: SO, LOOK AROUND AT THOSE BOARD MEMBERS. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEEK THEM OUT THROUGHOUT THIS CONFERENCE AND THROUGHOUT THE COMING YEAR, TO SHARE YOUR STORIES, YOUR HOPES, YOUR CONCERNS WITH THEM SO THAT TCG CAN BE EVER MORE RESPONSIVE TO YOUR NEEDS. AND I INVITE YOU TO JOIN ME IN THANKING THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE IN THE FIELD. [APPLAUSE] KEVIN : AT A BOARD MEETING A MONTH AGO, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF EXPERIENCING VERY POWERFUL VIDEO THAT MEANS TO BE SAYING -- NEETS TO BE SEEN AND EMBRACED BY OUR FIELD. PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING ELENA, EMILYA, AND NELSON. [APPLAUSE] 

>> HELLO, THANK YOU KEVIN. A SOCIAL MOVEMENT IS LARGE, SOMETIMES INFORMAL, SOMETIMES ROWDY, A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS THAT CARRY OUT, RESIST, AND SOMETIMES HOPEFULLY OFTEN, UNDO A SOCIAL ISSUE. TCG HAS CREATED A MOVEMENT, ALONG WITH PARTNERS IN THE ASIAN AMERICAN ARTS ALLIANCE, THE ASIAN AMERICAN PERFORMING COALITION, AND INCLUSION FOR THE ARTS, AND HERE IN WASHINGTON DC, THE SONY APPEARED IN INITIATIVE -- THE SMITHSONIAN. ONE THAT LAYS THE GROUNDWORK FOR THE MOVEMENT MOVING FORWARD OF POSITIVE IMAGES OF ALL PEOPLE OF COLOR. [APPLAUSE] 

>> THE INCREASING VISIBILITY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ASIAN-PACIFIC ISLANDER PEOPLE. WE HAVE PARTNERED, WE HAVE REGIONAL PARTNERS IN SEVEN CITIES OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK, IN LOS ANGELES, SAN FRANCISCO, SEATTLE, CHICAGO, MINNEAPOLIS, BOSTON, AND PHILADELPHIA. AND SOON OTHERS TO JOIN ON. AND WE HAVE -- HAD A FORUM IN NEW YORK ON MAY 2, WHICH FOCUSED ON CHANGING THE PICTURE, IT WAS CALLED "BEYOND ORIENTALISM" -- THE FORM. WE WILL BE -- FORUM. WE WILL BE HAVING THINK TANKS, THE NEXT ONE FOR THE CONSORTIUM OF ASIAN-AMERICAN THEATERS, AT OUR PARTNER OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL IN OCTOBER. AND OTHER THINK TANKS TO FOLLOW. ONE COMPONENT THAT WAS DEVELOPED FOR THE NEW YORK FORUM WAS A VIDEO THAT KEVIN REFERENCED AND I WANT TO ASK NELSON TO TEE IT UP. 

NELSON: THANK YOU. I MENTIONED EARLIER WHEN I, AT THE OPENING, THAT I TWEETED LAST YEAR THAT I WOULD TRY TO ERADICATE YELLOW FACE FROM THE AMERICAN THEATER. THERE WERE LAUGHS ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT PEOPLE THINK THAT THIS IS NOT ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS ANYMORE ON OUR STAGE. ONE THING I WANTED TO SHARE IN THE MAKING OF THIS VIDEO IS HOW EASY AND SIMPLE IT WAS TO FIND THE IMAGES TO CREATE IT. I WANT TO THANK ANGEL DESI WHO HELPED EDIT THE VIDEO WITH ME, AS WELL AS TCG IN BEING COURAGEOUS AND JOIN US TO ALL OF YOU. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MAKE, EASY TO FIND MATERIAL, THIS IS NOT A NEW STORY. IT HAS -- BUT AS WAS SAID AT THE FORUM, HOW LONG WILL I LET YOU KEEP PUNCHING ME IN THE FACE, BEFORE I STOP YOU? WITHOUT FURTHER INTO -- ADO, A LITTLE EDUCATION, A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE FOR YOU ALL, BEYOND -- "BEYOND ORIENTALISM" -- A GUIDE TO ORIENTALISM. [APPLAUSE] ♪ [VIDEO PLAYING] [SOFT MUSIC] 

>> YOU DISTURB ME. ♪ [SOFT MUSIC] 

>> M A BALI WOULD -- I AM A BOLLYWOOD PRODUCER. ♪ [SOFT MUSIC] ♪ [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] [CHEERING] [APPLAUSE] 

EMILYA: -- 

ELENA: WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF REAL ASIAN-AMERICANS TOWARDS THE END OF THE VIDEO. AND THERE ARE THREE OF US ON THE PAGE -- STAGE, BUT MOVEMENTS CANNOT SIMPLY BE SUSTAINED WITHIN ONE COMMUNITY. THIS EFFORT MOVING FORWARD NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT. THE SUPPORT OF TIMES AND ALLIES MIGHT MAKE YOU THAT THERE IS -- FRIENDS AND ALLIES -- WHAT CAN WE DO? WHAT CAN YOU DO? HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF HOW WE CAN STAND UP AND SPEAK OUT. IF YOU TEACH, INCLUDE SCENES AND MONOLOGUES BY ASIAN-AMERICAN WRITERS IN YOUR CLASSES. [APPLAUSE] WHEN YOU RECEIVE A PHONE SOLICITATION TO SUPPORT A SUBSCRIPTION AT A THEATER, MENTION THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THE DIVERSITY OF VOICES BEING REPRESENTED IN THEIR SEASON. [APPLAUSE] IF YOU SEE AN INSTANCE OF YELLOW FACE, BROWN BASE, RED-FACED, AND MISINFORMATION, SPEAK UP. BRING IT TO THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE NOT ASIAN-AMERICAN. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] [CHEERING] 

DIANE: THANK YOU. SO VERY POWERFUL. I MET BILL O'BRIEN WHEN HE WAS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DEAF THEATER IN LOS ANGELES AND I WAS RUNNING THE THEATER AT THE MARKET TAPER FOR HIM. AND DEAF WEST WAS A SMALL AND SCRAPPY THEATER COMPANY AND HAD PRODUCED A SHOW CALLED, BIG RIVER. GROUNDBREAKING IN ITS AESTHETIC, GORDON DAVIDSON, WHO WAS THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, SAW IT AND DECIDED TO PRODUCE IT ON THE TAPER STAGE. AT THAT POINT IN THE 38 YEAR HISTORY, THE TAPER HAD NEVER PRODUCED A SHOW FROM ONE OF THE SMALL THEATERS IN LOS ANGELES. IT WAS A FIRST IN MANY WAYS. IT THEN OF COURSE WENT ON TO REPRODUCE ON BROADWAY AND ONTO THE TONY'S. BILL IS NOT THE NEA, SENIOR INNOVATION ADVISER TO THE CHAIRMAN. SO I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU ALL, THE INNOVATOR THAT HE IS, BILL O'BRIEN. [APPLAUSE] 

BILL: HELLO. IT IS GREAT TO BE BACK. I JUST HAVE ONE TECHNICAL THING I NEED TO SAY. I AM HERE REALLY TODAY TO PRESENT AN AWARD TO DEAF WEST THEATER, THE PETER ZEISLER MEMORIAL AWARD. OUR ETHICS OFFICE REQUIRES ME TO BE CLEAR, TO AVOID ANY FAVORITISM, I AM NOT HERE AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT. BUT THAT IS OK, BECAUSE I AM HERE AS ONE OF THE MILLION PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SHOW AND HAVE FOUND THE EXPERIENCE TO BE LIFE-CHANGING AND MIND BLOWING. THE PETER ZEISLER MEMORIAL AWARD IS TO BE GIVEN OUT EVERY YEAR TO A THEATER COMPANY THAT DEMONSTRATES INNOVATION AND NONTRADITIONAL PRACTICES, ADVANCES FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, AND TO HONOR A THEATER THAT HAS NOT BEEN FULLY RECOGNIZED BY THE FIELD. I THINK THAT DEATH -- DEAF WEST IS A FANTASTIC RECIPIENT FOR THIS KIND OF AWARD. THIRD ITEM, IT MIGHT SOUND A LITTLE FUNNY AT FIRST, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN ON BROADWAY TWICE . THEY HAVE WON A SPECIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE THEATER. AND A COUPLE OF TONY NOMINATIONS. IT HAS BEEN BACK ON BROADWAY THIS PAST YEAR AND HAD A NOMINATION. BUT HAVING HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE AS A MANAGING DIRECTOR AND PRODUCER DIRECTOR THERE FOR SIX YEARS, I KNOW IT WAS THE TUBE OF THE ICEBERG. -- TIP OF THE ICEBERG. IT WAS MOSTLY A SMALL THEATER IN LOS ANGELES AND I WAS PRIVILEGED TO BE ABLE TO REALLY WATCH HOW THAT, THE SECRET SAUCE WAS BAKED INTO THE APPROACH THAT THEY DO. IT INVOLVES SO MUCH COMMITMENT, SO MUCH INSIGHT. IF YOU THINK ABOUT THEATER AS A PLACE WHERE WE COME AROUND TO SHARE IDEAS IN A COMMUNAL WAY, THE PROCESS THAT THEY HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE YEARS REQUIRES THAT EVERY ACTOR ON STAGE UNPACKS EVERY IDEA AND TRANSLATES IT THAT ALLOWS EVERYBODY TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE, INCLUDING AUDIENCE MEMBERS. AND IT IS REALLY WHAT ATTRACTED ME TO DEAF WEST IN THE FIRST PLACE. HOW MANY HAVE SEEN A PRODUCTION? THAT IS GREAT. WHAT ATTRACTED ME TO IT, I MET THE FOUNDING PRODUCER THERE, WAS HOW CLEAR IT WAS TO ME IN MY FIRST CONVERSATION WITH HIM THAT HE WAS NOT AT ALL INTERESTED IN CREATING A THEATER THAT WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO COME IN AS SOME SORT OF CHARITY, TO DO A LITTLE PAT ON THE HEAD TO THOSE HANDICAPS THAT CANDIDATE IF HE CAME IN -- THAT CAN. IF YOU CAME IN WITH THAT ATTITUDE, YOU WOULD GO TO ANOTHER SEAT. I THINK WHAT YOU REALLY WANTED TO DO WAS A RACE WHAT HE'S OUT -- ERASE WHAT YOU THOUGHT COMING IN THE DOOR. OR HEARING PEOPLE THAT WERE CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THEY MIGHT BE INCURRED -- ENCOUNTERING. IT REALLY LET YOU IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE KIND OF DEEPLY COMMITTED, HIGHLY EXPRESSIVE, FORM OF THEATER THAT NOBODY ELSE THAT I HAVE SEEN, CAN DO. I WAS HONORED TO BE ABLE TO WATCH THE WORK OF EDGEWATER STREET, -- ED WATERSTREET, THE CAST OF BIG RIVER, THE CAP OF -- CAST OF SPRING AWAKENING. AND TO WATCH THAT APPROACH TO THEATER MAKING, IT IS MORE DEEPLY FELT, IT IS MORE MOVING, IT IS MORE EXPRESSIVE. IT IS THE FURTHEST THING FROM BEING HANDICAP. IN FACT, THIS BECAME PAINFULLY AWARE FOR ME WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO PERFORM ALONGSIDE THE ACTORS IN TRUE WEST. I LEFT THAT EXPERIENCE GOING, THE FEELING OF THAT THEY HAD AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE OF THEIR. SO DEAF WEST HAS EXPERIENCED THE BEST OF TIMES AND THE WORST OF TIMES. I WAS THERE FOR A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH. WE WERE A SMALL THEATER IN HOLLYWOOD, WE WENT TO BROADWAY, THEN THERE WERE SUBSEQUENT TORS -- TOURS, AND AT THE HEIGHT OF THAT SUCCESS WE ALSO FOUND THAT SUMMARY HAD TAKEN A RED PEN AND PUT A LINE ACROSS THE LINE ITEM THAT WAS FUNDING, AND IT WAS A SURPRISE OF THE NIGHT, IT WAS A SURPRISE BIT OF NEWS, LOSING HALF OF OUR FUNDING. I WAS DEEPLY CONCERNED, VERY WORRIED THAT I MIGHT BRING TO AN END 30 YEARS OF HARD WORK AND DEDICATION. BUT I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED, BUT WE SHOULD NOT WORRY TOO MUCH, BECAUSE AS WE HAVE ALL SEEN BY THE DEMONSTRATION OF IT BECOMING, RISING UP AGAIN TO BE BACK ON BROADWAY, THAT WORKED -- THAT WO RK THAT THEY DO IS TOO GOOD TO GO AWAY. IT MUST NOT GO AWAY, IT WILL NOT GO AWAY. IT IS SIMPLY TOO GOOD. IT IS MY GREAT HONOR TO PRESENT TO DJ KURS , ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, DEAF WEST THEATRE, THIS YEAR'S PETER ZEISLER MEMORIAL AWARD. [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] 

>> THANK YOU, BILL. AND THANK YOU TCG. DEAF WEST THEATER IS TRULY HONORED TO RECEIVE THIS AWARD. AS BILL MENTIONED, WE ARE A SMALL THEATER COMPANY FROM LOS ANGELES THAT WAS FOUNDED 25 YEARS AGO BY DEAF ACTORS THAT WANTED TO MAKE GOOD THEATER. AS I STAND BEFORE YOU I SPEAK IN MY NATIVE LINGUIST, AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE -- LANGUAGE, AMERICAN FAMILY WITH. OUR LANGUAGES THE ONLY THING THAT SEPARATES YOU AND ME. IN THEATER THAT IS PERFORMED IN ASL, BRIDGES THIS DIVIDE. THE AUDIENCE BECOMES ONE FOR TWO HOURS IN THE DARK. THEATER IS A REMARKABLY EFFECTIVE VEHICLE FOR ILLUMINATING THE HIDDEN MARGINS OF OUR WORLD. INCREASED INCLUSION PROPELS OUR CRAFT TOWARD NEW ARTISTIC HEIGHTS. DEAF WEST'S TRACK RECORD AS A THEATER COMPANY IS TIED TO NEW MEANINGS THAT FINALLY WAS, ARE STAGING AND ARE ACTORS BRING TO THE MATERIAL. THE HISTORY OF FAMILY -- EMILY WAS THEATER IS YOUNG, WITH ANY LUCK -- SIGN LANGUAGE THEATER IS YOUNG AND WITH ANY LUCK, IT WILL GO UPWARD. WE HAVE IRRESPONSIBILITY TO ADVANCE OUR ART -AND RIPPING- -- AND WE MUST DO THIS TOGETHER. THANK YOU ALL. [APPLAUSE] 

>> I NOW HAVE THE PLEASURE OF INTRODUCING TWO OUTSTANDING WRITERS. NICOLE SALTER IS AN AWARD-WINNING ACTRESS AND WRITER WHO ARRIVED ON THE PROFESSIONAL SAYING WITH HER COAUTHORSHIP -- SCENE OF HER COAUTHORSHIP OF THE PLAY, CONTINUE ON. SHE HAS WRITTEN SIX LANES PLAYS -- FULL-LENGTH PLAYS AND WAS RECENTLY SEEN IN THE PREMIER OF HEAD OF PASSAGE. SHE IS ALSO THE COFOUNDER OF THE CONTINUUM PRODUCT, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT CREATES INNOVATIVE ARTISTIC PROGRAMMING FOR COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT AND ENRICHMENT. STEPHEN KAREM IS THE OTHER OF THE TONY AWARD WINNING PLAY, THE HUMANS, FOR WHICH HE ALSO RECEIVED THE DRAMA CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD, DRAMA AWARD, IT WAS A 2016. PRIZE-WINNING ANALYST. HE ALSO WROTE SON OF THE PROFIT AND WAS A FINALIST FOR THE 2012 HOLES OR PRIZE. AND " SPEECH AND DEBATE, WHICH -- PLEASE WELCOME TO THE DCG STAGE -- TCG STATE, NICOLE AND STEVE. [APPLAUSE] 

>> HELLO. HOW EXCITING. HOW ARE YOU? 

>> I AM -- HOW ARE YOU? 

>> I AM HAPPY TO BE HERE. I AM A FAN OF YEARS. 

>> DO NOT EVEN DO THAT. MR. TONY WINNER. HOW DOES IT FEEL? 

>> I JUST SPILLED WATER ALL OVER MYSELF. 

>> LET'S GET HIM SOMETHING. 

>> I NEED ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. IT IS GOOD. I AM AN INTROVERT, SO I FEEL LIKE, I FEEL LIKE THE WHOLE WAVE OF AWARD SEASON, I WAS SAYING, IT FEELS LIKE -- ONCE YOU GET TO OPENING NIGHT AND YOU MAKE SOMETHING THAT YOU ARE PROUD OF, THAT MEANS SOMETHING TO YOU AND IS REACHING PEOPLE, THAT FEELS LIKE THE ACTUAL 

>> THAT IS THE REWARD. 

>> THE HIGHEST HIGH. SO GETTING THE STICKERS OF ACHIEVEMENT, IT IS A SORT OF, IT IS EXCITING AND OVERWHELMING AND THRILLING, BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU MORE LIFE WITH THE PLAY AND IF YOU LIKE IT COULD REACH MORE PEOPLE. 

>> I JUST FINISHED WORKING AT YIELD, -- YALE, A LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, AND GUESS WHOSE PLAY THEY ARE USING. YOUR'S. 

>> I ALMOST SAID AMY HERZOG. 

>> AND HERS. BUT THEY ARE DOING YOUR PLAY. THE RIPPLE EFFECTS OF YOUR WORK, THAT YOU DO NOT GET TO SEE, DO YOU CONSIDER THAT? 

>> NOW I AM CONSIDERING IT. [LAUGHTER] 

>> I THINK ABOUT IT MORE AND MORE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE OLDER I GET, THE MORE CONSCIOUS I AM, I THINK BACK TO THE PLACE THAT HAVE MEANT A LOT FOR ME AND HAVE BROUGHT -- ROCKED MY WORLD. MY LIFE HAS BEEN CHANGED. SO THE LONGER AND MORE STUFF YOU MAKE, THE MORE YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE A STORY LIKE THAT. OR MEET SOMEONE. OR GET A FACEBOOK MESSAGE. 

>> A RANDOM FACEBOOK MESSAGE. 

>> A RANDOM FACEBOOK MESSAGE. 

>> TELL US ABOUT YOUR PLAY. 

>> I WAS TALKING TO NICOLE YESTERDAY, I HAD JUST RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM A LOVELY MAN WHO WAS HARVARD EDUCATED AND SAID, I JUST CAME BACK FROM YOUR PLAY AND I LIKED IT VERY MUCH, HERE ARE FIVE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO MAKE IT BETTER. [LAUGHTER] 

>> YOU HAVE TO LOVE FACEBOOK. 

>> SO, I THOUGHT THAT KIND OF SUMS UP A KIND OF TALK BACK EXPERIENCE. [LAUGHTER] 

>> THAT IS GREAT. SO, I KNOW THAT YOU WERE A THEATER KID. WE WILL DELVE IN THAT DIRECTION. 

>> I WOULD LIKE TO TAG ONTO THE QUESTION, BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN ALL OVER THE WORLD, IN TERMS OF -- YOU HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF, YOUR DISCOVERY OF YOUR WORK IN DIFFERENT PLACES, HAVE YOU BEEN SURPRISED? 

>> I AM SURPRISED TODAY. ONE OF MY STUDENTS FROM ZIMBABWE WAS HERE. GETTING -- GIDEON. I WALKED IN AND I SAID, GIDEON? HE SAID, PROFESSOR. I SAID, NO. I AM THE COLD. MY PROFESSOR. -- NICOLE. I AM PROFESSOR. I AM OFTEN STOPPED BY YOUNG WOMEN WHO USE MY PLAY FOR AUDITIONING, TO GET INTO THE BUSINESS WITH MY WORK. THAT ALWAYS FLOORS ME. BECAUSE I REMEMBER THOSE MONOLOGUES BOOKS, FILTERING THROUGH EITHER HOPING THAT PEOPLE LIKE ME. I THINK I DID -- 

>> PART OF IT WAS PART OF THE GENESIS. BECAUSE YOU MADE IT WHEN YOU ARE IN SCHOOL. 

>> A STUDENT. IT MAKES ME FEEL THE IMPACT THAT YOU DO NOT DO CURATE, SOMETIMES MIX ME FEEL LIKE -- MAKES ME FEEL LIKE -- I FEEL LIKE I AM A HARD WORKER AND SO MUCH OF WHAT I EXPERIENCED IS OUT OF MY CONTROL. SO I FEEL LIKE, HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? 

>> WOULD YOU WANT TO CURATE IT? 

>> I DO NOT THINK I WOULD. BUT WHEN I MAKE A GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH, I KNOW WHERE I GOT THIS CHEESE, THE BREAD, I OWN METHOD IT IS GOOD. -- THAT. IT IS GOOD. THAT -- THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT WORDS ON THE PAGE, LIVING BEYOND YOUR IMAGINATION. IT IS LIKE SHAKESPEARE, HE WOULD MAKE IT TO SOUTH-CENTRAL LOS ANGELES. I WONDER WHAT HIS RESPONSE WOULD BE. 

>> I AM ADAPTING THE CHERRY ORCHARD NOW AND I HAVE DONE A VERSION FOR FILM, AND THE ACCOUNTS OF THAT FIRST PRODUCTION. CHECK OFF -- CHEKH OV, IT WAS AN ENORMOUS FAILURE, SO YOU CANNOT, OR IT IS HARD TO KNOW WHAT THE LASTING LEGACY WOULD BE. BUT IT IS ALSO INTERESTING THAT WE ARE CONTROL FREAKS, IN A MEDIUM, BUT WE ARE DRAWN TO A MEDIUM WHERE -- 

>> WHERE YOU HAVE NO CONTROL. 

>> AND YOU HAVE COLLABORATION. AND WE ARE DRAWN TO THAT. 

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LACK OF CONTROL. 

>> UGH. DO NOT LIKE IT. [LAUGHTER] 

>> THERE IS A LACK OF CONTROL FROM THE BEGINNING. PEOPLE THINK, YOU WROTE IT. MY HUSBAND SAYS TO ME, I AM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A PLOT LINE OR A CHARACTER ARC AND HE DOES NOT GET THAT I DO NOT FEEL LIKE I AM MANIPULATING IT. HE SAYS, MAKE IT WHATEVER YOU WANT. SHE ENDED UP ON THE PLANE. [LAUGHTER] 

>> BUT HOW DID SHE GET THERE? HE SAYS, IT DOES NOT MATTER. JUST PUT HER ON THE PLANE. HE SAYS, I DO NOT GET IT. ARE YOU READY TO PLAY -- WR ITING THE PLAY? I CANNOT EXPLAIN THE LACK OF CONTROL. I DO HAVE A WAY OF THINKING ABOUT IT, BUT I ACTUALLY -- IT IS A SCARY PROCESS. 

>> AND WHEN YOU HAVE THE CLEAREST IDEAS AS A STARTING POINT, BY THE TIME YOU REACH THE FINISH LINE, I KNOW FOR ME IT SOMETIMES CHANGES SO MUCH THAT SOMETIMES THEY RECEIVED INTO THE BACKGROUND -- RECEDE INTO THE BACKGROUND SO MUCH, SUDDENLY A PLAY YOU THOUGHT WAS ABOUT POLITICAL ACTION, YOU HAVE WRITTEN SOMETHING DIFFERENT. 

>> COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. 

>> THE PLAY TAKES CONTROL. BUT I LOVE THAT. DON'T YOU LOVE THAT KIND OF -- 

>> I LOVE IT WHEN IT WORKS. [LAUGHTER] 

>> I GUESS I DO NOT ALWAYS -- IT IS A PROCESS THAT MAKES ME LAUGH, BECAUSE WHEN YOU STEP BACK AFTER YOU HAVE DONE IT A COUPLE TIMES, THIS IS THE PART WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DO NOT KNOW WHERE YOU ARE DOING -- WHAT YOU ARE DOING GOOD BUT IT IS -- WHAT YOU ARE DOING. 

>> AND IF YOU LIKE YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO DO IT AGAIN. AND IT HAPPENS AGAIN SOMEHOW. 

>> I FEEL GOOD EVERY TIME I START SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING IN ME FEELING LIKE I HAVE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE. I WAS IN CLEVELAND, TALKING TO ERIC. [APPLAUSE] 

>> AND HE HAD A WONDERFUL ANALOGY. HE SAID, EVERY TIME HE WRITES A PLAY HE FEELS LIKE HE HAD -- IS CLIMBING A MOUNTAIN. AND HE MUST CREATE A PATH SO THAT OTHER PEOPLE CAN CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN THAT IS -- CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN. AND THAT IS THE STORY. AND YOU GET TO A PART WITH THE GRIPS, HOW DO I WANT TO CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN? AND YOU GET HALFWAY AND IF YOU LIKE, I NEED TO FINISH NOW. I AM NOT GOING BACK DOWN THE MOUND. AND YOU GET TO THE TOP AND YOU HAVE A VICTORY, BUT YOU REALIZE THAT THE PATH IS NOT CLEAR, SO YOU NEED TO GO BACK DOWN AND CLIMB THE PATH AGAIN MY CAR IT OUT. -- AGAIN, CARVED IT OUT. AND YOU THINK, THERE IS MY MOUND. AND YOU LOOK UP AND SEE THAT THERE ARE OTHER MOUNTS -- MOUNTAINS. AND YOU GET OFF AND YOU TRY TO CLIMB ANOTHER ONE. 

>> THAT IS INCREDIBLE. 

>> IT IS INCREDIBLE. I THINK I FEEL MORE LIKE A TIDAL WAVE IS APPROACHING. 

>> YOU ARE ALWAYS LEARNING TO WRITE THE PLAY THAT YOU ARE WRITING. 

>> YES. 

>> IT IS LIKE STARTING OVER THE FIRST TIME. BECAUSE YOU CRACKED ONE PARTICULAR STORY AND MANAGED TO FIND THE GENRE OR THE STRUCTURE, PLAYS ARE LIKE ALUMS. THAT IS -- POEMS. THAT IS WHAT MAKES THEM SO POWERFUL. YOU REALLY ARE, YOU HAVE ALL OF THE RULES IN THE WORLD, THERE ARE A LOT OF TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX. IT A LOT I CAN BE TAUGHT AND SHARED, BUT THEN IT REALLY IS LIKE IN THE SAME WAY THAT I FEEL LIKE, I SAY TO MY STUDENTS, THE BEST PLAY THEY WILL BE ABLE TO WRITE IS THE PLAY THAT ONLY THEY CAN WRITE. IT IS NOT JUST A PHRASE, AS A TEACHER. IT IS ALSO LIKE WHEN YOU'RE STARTING FROM SCRATCH WITH AN IDEA, IT FEELS LIKE YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WRITE THIS PLAY. 

>> THIS STORY. 

>> THE OLD RULES DO NOT ALWAYS APPLY. YOU TAKE A STYLE WITH YOU, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. [LAUGHTER] 

>> YES. 

>> YOU JUST THROW THEM AWAY SOMETIMES. 

>> IF IT WORKS, IT WORKS. WHAT ROLE IT WAS -- RULE IT WAS. SPEAKING OF TEACHERS, HOW DID YOU COME TO LEARN WHAT YOU KNOW? 

>> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION. I FEEL IN THIS DAY AND AGE, IT IS NOT SO STRANGE, BUT IT IS STRANGE, BECAUSE A LOT OF CONTEMPORARIES HAVE GOTTEN MFA'S IN PLAYWRITING. THE FAMILY I GREW UP WITH, THERE WERE NO ARTISTS IN THE FAMILY. TO ME IT DID NOT FEEL LIKE SOMETHING THAT WAS FEASIBLE. SO I WAS A VERY SCARED UNDERGRADUATE, IN ENGLISH DEPARTMENT, DOING THEATER CONSTANTLY. CONSTANTLY. AND TAKING SO MANY THEATER CONCERT -- CLASSES THAT I ENDED UP MAJORING IN THEATER. AND ENGLISH. IN TERMS OF -- BASICALLY I TOOK THE STRANGE MESS OUT OF -- IN HUNTINGTON HAD GOOD ENOUGH -- I DID NOT THINK THAT I HAD GOOD ENOUGH PLAYS TO SUBMIT. AT 23, 24, 25, NOBODY HAS WRITTEN A GOOD AMERICAN PLAY. MAYBE A FEW PEOPLE HAVE. I WAS VERY TIMID, VERY SHY. I WAS THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT WOULD LIKE, NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OFFICE HOURS AND THOSE CONNECTIONS. BUT I KEPT WRITING PLAYS, I NEVER STOPPED, EVER. I WAS HIDING OUT IN A LAW FIRM FOR YEARS WHILE HE KEPT CREATING WORK. AND IN SOME WAYS IT WAS KIND OF AN EDUCATION THAT TURNED OUT TO BE, I THINK A LOT OF MY LAST TWO PLAYS WORK ON ANXIETY, AND EXISTENTIAL FEAR OF POVERTY IS ALL OVER THEM. AND I THINK A LOT OF THAT COMES FROM OTHER PLACES, BUT FROM BEING SCARED ABOUT STUDENT DEBT. AND IN SOME WAYS IT WAS A GIFT TO HAVE A DIRTY AREA WEEK -- 30 HOUR A WEEK JOB, BECAUSE IT LET ME FOCUS AND IT GAVE ME LIFE EXPERIENCE. TO CUT TO THE CHASE, I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF MY EDUCATION IN GRADUATE SCHOOL HAS BEEN TEACHING AND ALSO THE GENEROSITY OF OTHER WRITERS, CONTEMPORARIES, WRITERS FROM -- WHO I NEVER DREAMED I WOULD GET TO KNOW AND ME. 

>> DO YOU HAVE A MENTOR? 

>> BUT I FEEL LIKE I HAVE 10 PEOPLE WHO I FEEL LIKE OUR MENTORS. AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU THAT I MEET THROUGH THINGS LIKE THIS. 

>> STOP. 

>> YOU KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. THOSE PEOPLE BECOME YOUR MENTORS AND YOU ARE HAVING BREAKFAST WITH THEM. AND THEY THINK MAYBE YOU HAD A VERY CLEAR, IN COLLEGE, THIS PERSON WHO SAID YOU ARE A WRITER. 

>> AND COME WITH ME. YES. 

>> AND THE WAYS IN WHICH I WAS INTROVERTED AND SHY SO MUCH THAT I DID NOT REACH OUT. BUT JAMES LAPINE, WE STARTED HAVING BREAKFAST BEGGARLY AND HE DOES NOT KNOW I AM -- BREAKFAST, AND HE DOES NOT KNOW HE IS MY MENTOR. 

>> I GET TOGETHER AT SOMEONE'S HOUSE AND SHE DOES NOT KNOW. 

>> AND I GET TOGETHER WITH AMY HERZOG, THESE PEOPLE, SO I FEEL LIKE I HAVE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE IN THE COMMUNITY AS A RESULT OF HAVING A CAREER, THAT IS HOW I BUILT THAT EDUCATION AND THAT COMMUNITY OF MENTOR SHIP. HOW ABOUT YOU? YOU WERE IN GRADUATE SCHOOL FOR ACTING. 

>> I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A CLOSETED WRITER. YOU SAID THAT YOU ARE ALWAYS WRITING, BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE. 

>> AND IN THEATER. 

>> I ALWAYS WROTE, BUT NEVER WROTE, NEVER SHARED ANYTHING. I HAVE A LAPTOP FROM 1997 THAT LOOKS LIKE A BRICK AND IN IT ARE FOR PLAYS THAT I STARTED -- 4 PLAYS THAT I STARTED. CONTINUUM WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I STARTED TO SEE SOMETHING THROUGH. AND THAT WAS THE VICTORY. EVERYTHING THAT CAME AFTER THAT, OH MY GOD, YOU WANT TO HEAR IT? I JUST WANTED TO FINISH IT. I WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING. 

>> "A CONVERSATION WITH PLAYWRIGHT STEPHEN KARAM" WHAT WHAT WAS IT LIKE? DID YOU LEAVE ON OTHER PEOPLE -- LEAN ON OTHER PEOPLE? 

>> I WAS NAIVE. PART OF WHY I WROTE WAS BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE ASKING, WHAT ARE YOU WRITING NEXT? I THOUGHT, WHAT DO YOU WANT NEXT? [LAUGHTER] 

>> THEY DETERMINED YOU ARE A WRITER. 

>> I WAS NOT QUITE READY TO BE STAMPED. EVEN WHEN I DECIDED I WANTED TO WRITE, I WOULD GO FOR EMERGING WRITERS PROGRAMS, BUT THEY WOULD SAY, YOU ARE ON BROADWAY. I WOULD SAY, I NEED HELP. THEY SAID, NO HELP HERE. [LAUGHTER] 

>> THAT IS FUNNY. WHEN I WAS IN THE UNDERGROUND, WHERE IS HE? THERE HE IS. THERE IS A FUNNY MOMENT THAT HAPPENS, I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THE LAW FIRM FOR 10 YEARS. I HAD CREATED IN -- AN THINKABLE PROGRAM, A PLAY, AND I FELT LIKE I WAS READY TO START. AND ALSO, THE KIND OF RESPONSE I GOT BACK IN FROM A LOT OF THOSE EMERGING WRITERS, MAYBE YOU WERE TOO -- YOU GO FROM BEING, I WILL NEVER HAVE A CAREER IN THE ARTS TO -- IT IS A PROBLEM. I KNOW WRITERS, EVERYTHING FALLS INTO PLACE AFTER YOUR FIRST, YOU KNOW. AS IF EVERYTHING CLICKED. 

>> IT DID NOT. IT WAS VERY SCARY. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT I WANTED TO SAY. AND WHAT WAS THAT? I AM TEASING. [LAUGHTER] 

>> I THINK THAT ONCE I KIND OF GOT A HANDLE ON MY OWN VOICE AND WHAT I WANTED TO SAY, AT LEAST IT BECAME A DECISION I MADE. I DO NOT THINK IT MADE IT EASIER, BUT I WAS DOING THIS. 

>> WHERE YOU PATIENT WAITING FOR THE NEXT IDEA? 

>> NO. I SAID, WHERE ARE THESE PEOPLE? DON'T YOU SEE I WROTE SOMETHING YOU -- NEW? 

>> THE IDEA FOR YOUR SECOND FLIGHT. -- PLAY? DO YOU HAVE TIMES WHEN THERE IS A DROUGHT? 

>> THERE IS NEVER A DROUGHT. I FEEL PLAGUED BY IDEAS. I AM THINKING, THIS IS THE LAST ONE. THEN AT ONE. THAT IS IT. 

>> HOW DO YOU DETERMINE -- WHAT, DOES IT JUST SORT OF HAPPENED? -- HAPPEN? 

>> IT NEEDS TO BE FINISHED. IT TAKES OVER ME. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE IT. AND THEN PEOPLE ARE CALLING YOU. IT NEEDS TO BE FINISHED. THEY PUSH YOU FORWARD. 

>> IT IS VERY HELPFUL. 

>> FORWARD AND BEYOND. [LAUGHTER] 

>> I THINK THE INITIAL PULSE, THE DESIRE TO HAVE AND CONTRIBUTE, TO HAVE VOICES THAT I RECOGNIZE THE APART OF THE OPTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE. I GUESS, THE OVERARCHING MOTIVATION. BUT I AM ALSO ISSUE DRIVEN, SOMETHING THAT MAKES ME MAD OR VERY SAD. 

>> THAT IS INTERESTING BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE I ARRIVE AT ISSUES OR VERY POLITICAL PLACES THAT ARE PERSONAL. BY STARTING FROM A PLACE THAT IS MYSTERIOUS, BUT I FEEL LIKE, KRISHNA TALKED ABOUT THIS AND I CANNOT SLEEP FOR THREE WEEKS, BECAUSE HE JUST CHANGED THE WAY THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT CERTAIN AMERICAN PLAYS THAT I THOUGHT -- THAT I NEVER THOUGHT WAS POLITICAL, BUT HE WAS MAKING THE POINT THAT ESSENTIALLY ANY OF US ARE WRITING ABOUT THE HUMAN CONDITION, WE ARE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT, HOW DO WE LIVE NOW? WHERE DO WE COME FROM? WHERE DO WE WANT TO GO? AND PLAYS LIKE "LONG DAY 'S JOURNEY" BECOMES POLITICAL. IN WAYS THAT I DID NOT -- I JUST THOUGHT, IF I WAS NOT STARTING FROM AN ISSUE, BUT WITH THE HUMANS IT BECAME A PLAY THAT HAPPENED, THE ISSUES THAT HAPPENED AT THIS ELECTION CYCLE. BUT ALSO KNOWING WHERE THE PERSON OR PLACE CAME FROM, IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE THE HEADLINES SAYING, THAT THE PLAY IS ABOUT THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE MIDDLE CLASS. 

>> A LOT OF PLAYS ABOUT THAT NOW. 

>> YES. BECAUSE WE ARE WRITING -- 

>> "SWEAT." 

>> AND ALSO, THAT PLAY TAKING PLACE IN PENNSYLVANIA, SCRANTON. WHO IS FROM SCREEN? -- SCR ANTON? 

>> THAT PERSON. 

>> THAT IS AMAZING. IT IS AMAZING HOW THIS COMMENT YES, THESE -- THIS, YEAH, WHEN YOU COME FROM A CITY THAT BUILT UPON AN INDUSTRY THAT NO LONGER EXISTS, YOU REALIZE WHAT STRANGE THINGS SEEP INTO YOUR CONSCIENCE. I THINK THAT PEOPLE LIVED IN PLACES WHERE YOU PASS THE GIANT MOUNTAINS OF COAL. THE GIANT MOUNTAINS OF EXTRA MEN. AND I REMEMBER TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO A FRIEND IN COLLEGE, IT IS LIKE ONE OF THOSE -- WHAT? THE MOUNTAINS -- THEY DO NOT EXIST EVERYWHERE. 

>> I GREW UP IN CALIFORNIA WITH THE OIL WELLS. AND I WAS LIKE, YOU DO NOT -- THEY ARE DIGGING FOR OIL ALL THE TIME I AM FROM. 

>> HAVE YOU WRITTEN ABOUT THAT? 

>> NO. MAYBE I WILL. [LAUGHTER] 

>> DO NOT ADD TO MY LIST OF THINGS. THIS CONFERENCE IS VERY MUCH ABOUT PETER NATION AND CONSIDERING OURSELVES CITIZENS OF THAT NATION AND CLEARLY WE ARE IN A POLITICAL TIME WHEN WE ALL SHOULD BE CONSIDERING WHERE WE ARE IN THE NATION AND THE WORLD. SO STARTING SMALL AND MOVING TO MORE GRAND, AS A THEATER PRACTITIONER, HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF AS A CITIZEN OF THIS NATION? 

>> HELP ME OUT. HOW DO YOU SEE YOURSELF AS A CITIZEN OF THIS NATION? 

>> THINK OF IT LIKE DUTIES AND RIGHTS AND YOU KNOW, PRIVILEGES. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR RESPONSE BUDDIES AND DUTIES ARE -- RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES ARE? AND RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES? 

>> FIRST AND FOREMOST ONE THING ABOUT THE POLITICAL, I THINK IT IS EVERY ARTIST'S JOB, MY JOB, TO TELL THE TRUTH. IN TERMS OF EXPLAINING CONDITION AND EVERYTHING, THAT IS A STARTING POINT. AND IF YOU LIKE -- SO PART OF THAT. 

>> PART OF RESPONSIBILITY. 

>> AND IT DOES NOT MEAN -- I MEAN, IT IS HARD TO TELL THE TRUTH. IT IS A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY. AND PART OF IT MEANS BEING CONNECTED TO THOSE AROUND ME, BEING AWARE OF -- IT IS HARD, BECAUSE IT IS CONNECTED. READING THE NEWSPAPER YESTERDAY, THE UNBELIEVABLE RESPONSE. THE TONY'S WHERE EXCITING AND CAME UNDER THE WAVE, ESPECIALLY AS A GAY MAN, TO BE IN CLUBS LIKE PAUL -- PULSE, TO HAVE ORLANDO AND WITH THE SAID IN -- SIT IN, AND TO SEE PAUL RYAN AT THE PODIUM AND TO FEEL SO -- SO, A KIND OF DESPONDENCY SETTING IN. PART OF ME, WHEN I HEAR THE WORD CITIZEN, I FEEL LIKE IT IS NOT AS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO TELL THE TRUTH, BUT TO CLING TO A VERY REAL HOPE. AND TELLING STORIES, EVEN IF I AM NOT EXACTLY SURE WHAT THE ORIGIN IS, NOT TO BE DEPRESSING, BUT FEAR-BASED. THINGS THAT ARE KEEPING ME UP AND I CAN IT IS CONNECTED -- KEEPING ME UP AT NIGHT. IT IS CONNECTED TO POLITICS. AND POLITICIANS ARE OBSESSED WITH WHAT IS KEEPING PEOPLE UP AT NIGHT. THEY TAP, IN A DANGEROUS WAY, THEY TRIED TO GET THE VOTES AND TRY TO WIN. BUT WE ARE TELLING THE TRUTH AND IT IS A PRIVILEGED POSITION TO BE IN. I DO NOT KNOW. I AM JUST -- 

>> WHAT IS KEEPING YOU UP AT NIGHT? 

>> EVERYTHING I READ IN THE PAPER YESTERDAY. HOW ARE YOU GUYS SLEEPING? [LAUGHTER] 

>> THESE ARE SCARY TIMES, BUT ALSO TIMES, WE LIVE IN A TIME WHERE THE RESPONSE POST ORLANDO, THE WAY THAT PEOPLE HAVE ORGANIZED AND THAT TOGETHER AND THE WAY THAT YOU AND A LOT OF YOU, YOU ARE HERE YESTERDAY, YOU SAW THE SIT IN, I FEEL LIKE -- 

>> WE WENT TO THE HILL. 

>> HOW ARE YOU DOING? 

>> IT FEELS LIKE A PLAY. I SAID TO SOMEONE EARLIER TODAY, I WROTE THIS AND NOBODY WOULD PRODUCE IT. WHAT? 

>> CAN WE TALK ABOUT ENGLAND? 

>> THAT SCARES ME. 

>> IT GOES BACK TO FEAR. 

>> YES? 

>> TALKING ABOUT IT. IT IS SO, IN TERMS OF -- WHAT IS INTERESTING, I FEEL LIKE I STARTED MY LAST PLAY BECAUSE I WAS OBSESSING NOT JUST ON THE THINGS THAT WERE KEEPING ME UP, BUT THE UNIVERSAL FEARS WE ALL HAVE. THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY. HOW DIFFERENTLY WE COPE WITH THEM. WHAT IS THOSE UNIVERSAL FEARS, THE FEAR OF POVERTY, FAILURE, IRRELEVANCE -- 

>> I CAN GO ON. 

>> IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING THINGS I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. PEOPLE WHO ARE VOTING FOR DONALD TRUMP. BUT THERE IS A VERY REAL KIND OF FEAR WE CAN CONNECT TO PEOPLE IN ENGLAND, ESPECIALLY THE LOWER WORKING CLASSES, I THINK THERE IS A KIND OF FEAR THAT WE DO HAVE TO WORK TO UNDERSTAND, EVEN IF WE DO NOT THINK THAT THE CORNER THAT THEY HAVE RUN TO TAKE UP WITH THE FEAR -- COPE WITH THE FEAR SEEMS INSANE, TO ME PERSONALLY. I AM TRYING TO NAVIGATE THOSE WATERS. 

>> I THINK THERE IS FEAR OF LOSS OF IDENTITY. 

>> YES. AND THE FACT THAT THE FEAR OF THE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING, TO SEE THESE SETBACKS IN TERMS OF IMMIGRATION. MY GRANDFATHER WAS BORN ABROAD. TO SEE THIS FEAR OF THE OTHER IN 2016 WORK SO SUCCESSFULLY, AND FOR US TO MAYBE JUST FEEL GOOD ABOUT DONALD TRUMP BEING MORE OF A JOKE. WAS I NEVER THOUGHT -- 

>> YOU DIDN'T? 

>> BUT DID YOU GROW UP IN A SWING STATE? 

>> NO, CALIFORNIA. VERY BLUE. 

>> WHERE IS SCRANTON AT? 

>> WHAT IS INTERESTING ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO POPULATE THIS PLACE. YOU ARE JUST VERY CLOSE TO PEOPLE WHO COULD VERY EASILY GO ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. AND THAT IS THE FASCINATING THING. I REFLECT ON IT. 

>> I LIVE IN NEW JERSEY AND MY MECHANIC, IT IS OFTEN INTERESTING TO HEAR HIM TALK, BECAUSE HE SPEAKS POLITICALLY. AND I DO NOT. AND I SAY, HOW ARE YOU DOING? AND HE IS ALWAYS TELLING US THAT CLIMATE CHANGE DOES NOT EXIST AND IF IT DOES, IT IS SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST. THE CREAM WILL RISE TO THE TOP. HE STOPPED MY HUSBAND AND SAID TO HIM, HE IS UPSET BECAUSE SOMEBODY CALLED HIM RACIST AND HE THOUGHT IT WAS A COP OUT. IN MY HUSBAND IS A VERY BIG, BLACK MAN. HE SAID, YOU ARE MY FRIEND. HOW AM I RACIST? 

>> WHY DO YOU KEEP GETTING YOUR CAR BY THE START -- FIXED BY THIS GUY? [LAUGHTER] 

>> HE IS REALLY GOOD. AND REALLY NEARBY. [LAUGHTER] 

>> UM. 

>> IT IS LIKE STARBUCKS. NONE OF US WANT TO GO THERE. 

>> BUT IT IS THERE. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? I MEAN. [LAUGHTER] 

>> IT IS LIKE THE INSTITUTION, LIKE, THESE INSTITUTIONAL CONNECTION TO THIS ISSUE. KIND OF RESPONSIBILITY TO THEM OR NOT. YOU CANNOT JUST, LIKE, I DO NOT MIND GOING TO QUALITY AUTO. LARRY IS A PART OF IT. WE ARE IN THIS INSTITUTION. 

>> AND DISCUSSIONS ARE IMPORTANT. NOT LEAVING A LOT OF ROOM FOR POINT OF VIEW, OR MAYBE NOT HEARING YOU COMPLETELY. BUT YOU KNOW, SEVERING THOSE TIES IS NOT ALWAYS THE ANSWER EITHER. 

>> FOR INSTANCE, WE FOUND OUT EARLIER, THAT CAME IN QUIT -- CAMERON QUIT. HE QUIT, RIGHT? HE HAS RESIGNED. I GUESS I HAVE SEVERAL REACTIONS TO THAT. MAYBE THAT IS MY EMPATHETIC BRAIN, I CAN SEE THAT DECISION, BUT I SAID TO SOMEONE WHEN YOU LEAVE THE MARRIAGE, YOU DO NOT JUST RESIGN. WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE KIDS AND THE HOUSE? YOU CANNOT JUST LEAVE. WHAT HAPPENS? 

>> IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING OVER SEVERAL WEEKS BUT THERE IS AN UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT CAN OR SHOULD HAPPEN, CANNOT HAPPEN. 

>> IT IS IN VULCANIZATION OF EVERYTHING. IT IS A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY, THE ABILITY TO STAND IN YOUR OWN AND TRUTH AND CELEBRATE YOUR CULTURE AND WAY OF EXPRESSING TO THE WORLD AND INSISTING THAT PEOPLE TAKE YOU LIKE THAT. PEOPLE TAKE ME WITH MY BOX. AND AT THE SAME TIME, THERE IS ANOTHER MOVEMENT. THAT MEANS I ONLY HAVE TO BE WITH THEM, AND I NEED TO FIND MY CREW. IT IS THE SIMULTANEOUS PULL AND FREEDOM. I DO NOT KNOW. I THINK IT IS AN INTERESTING MOMENT IN THE COUNTRY. 

>> BECAUSE, THIS IS JUST, MY MIND -- I AM HALF HERE AND HALF THINK ABOUT BREXIT AND DONALD TRUMP, BECAUSE IT MAKES YOU REALIZE THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING THIS NOW, BUT IT LIKE A SHOCKING REMINDER OF HOW PEOPLE FEEL JUST COMPLETELY DISENFRANCHISED, AND HOW MANY PEOPLE FEEL SO UN HEARD. THERE IS A NATIVISM THAT HAS CAUSED PEOPLE IN ENGLAND TO RESPOND TO THIS CALL. BUT IT IS A WAVE OF FRUSTRATION THAT FEELS LIKE A MESSAGE BEING SENT. IT FEELS LIKE I AM GIVING UP. MAYBE THIS WILL WORK. MAYBE NOW YOU WILL PAY ATTENTION. LESS ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES AND MORE ABOUT, YOU HAVE TO, ALMOST LIKE A KID WHO'S PARENTS -- THE KID IS ACTING OUT. I DO NOT KNOW IF THAT IS REAL. WE ARE DRAMATISTS , WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE COMPLICATED. BUT IT FEELS LIKE, IN TERMS OF TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND IT, IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND IT IN THAT CONTEXT. 

>> DO YOU FEEL LIKE WE ARE, AS AN INDUSTRY, OR YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL, ARE RESPONDING FAST AND? -- ENOUGH? 

>> HONESTLY, NO. NO. FEEL LIKE THERE IS ALWAYS MORE I CAN DO AND SHOULD BE DOING. AND I THINK THAT MAYBE IT IS THINGS LIKE THIS THAT CAUSE PEOPLE TO ORGANIZE AND FIND WAYS TO MOBILIZE OR SPEAK OUT. ART COMES OUT OF SITUATIONS LIKE THIS, TOO. MY LAST PLAY CAME OUT OF TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF FRUSTRATION AND ANXIETY I WAS FEELING POST FINANCIAL CRISIS AND POST 9-11. WORKING AT A LAW FIRM AND TRYING TO UNDERSTAND OR MAKE SENSE OF WHERE THAT GOES. WHEN PEOPLE THINK THERE HAS BEEN A RECOVERY. PART OF ME UNDERSTANDS THIS AS A BIG "F YOU" IN TERMS OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT DID NOT GET RECOVERY OR WERE STUCK IN STAGNATION. THERE IS A VERY, KIND OF BANALITY AND HUMILIATING ASPECT TO BEING POOR IN THIS COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. THAT I DO NOT THINK -- 

>> HASN'T IT ALWAYS BEEN? 

>> WELL, PEOPLE IN POWER TALKING ABOUT JOB CREATION. I THINK WHAT WE ARE HEARING AND THE REALITY OF PEOPLE WHO FEEL LIKE THEY ARE TRAPPED AND UNABLE TO ESCAPE. WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE THERE IS SOMETHING TO REACH FOR. THINGS CAN'T POSSIBLY GET BETTER. THE INSTINCT TO PULL THE RUG OUT FROM THE ENTIRE SYSTEM. IT FEELS LIKE, I UNDERSTAND THAT IMPULSE. 

>> THIS IS DEPRESSING. 

>> THIS CONVERSATION WAS SCHEDULED AND WE DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THE WEEK'S EVENTS. I AM SORRY THAT WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT PLAYWRITING MORE. 

>> WE NEED TO WRAP UP. BUT I WANTED LAST THOUGHTS. WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR WORK OR THE WORK OF THIS GENERATION, WHAT YOU HOPE THAT OUR LEGACY -- WHAT DO YOU HOPE THAT OUR LEGACY WILL BE? WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT BABY BOOMERS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORLD, PEOPLE LOOK AT US AND WHAT WE ARE INTRUDING. -- CONTRIBUTING. WHAT DO YOU HOPE? 

>> I HOPE WE REMAIN A GROUP OF TRUTH TELLERS. THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN MAY BE DOING SOMETHING THAT NO OTHER GENERATION AS DONE BEFORE, BUT I THINK THAT SOMETHING, THIS WAS ASTONISHING, THAT THE FOUR OF US WERE NOMINATED FOR BEST PLAY AND WE ARE ALL UNDER 40. [APPLAUSE] 

>> WELL, ONE DAY I WILL BE OVER 40. 

>> I AM ALMOST THERE. I THINK WE ARE VERY CLOSE. BUT, WHAT IS GREAT, I THINK THE POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS ARE ALWAYS GOOD AT BEING THE ROUSERS, TELLING A KIND OF TRUTH THAT IS SPECIFIC TO A POINT OF VIEW THAT ONLY THEY WOULD HAVE. SO I THINK THAT IS KIND OF, THAT IS NOT REALLY -- 

>> IT IS BEAUTIFUL. 

>> HOW ABOUT YOU? 

>> I HOPE THAT WE APOLOGETICALLY -- UNAPOLOGETICALLY MAKE A CONTRIBUTION THAT IS TRUTH TELLING AND IMMEDIATE. THAT WE FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT IMMEDIATE. THIS WAS WONDERFUL. [APPLAUSE] 

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I WILL REMEMBER YOU FOREVER. [APPLAUSE] 

>> GOING OUT THIS WITH -- THIS WAY? 

>> I GUESS SO. 

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH STEPHEN AND NICOLE. [APPLAUSE] 

>> YOU ARE OUR TRUTH TELLERS AND WE APPRECIATE THAT YOU GAVE US THAT TIME TO REFLECT ON ALL OF THE THINGS HAPPENING IN OUR WORLD IN THESE LAST FEW DAYS. ALSO, JUST REALLY ALLOWING US TO GET TO KNOW YOU A LITTLE BETTER. THAT WAS WONDERFUL. I ALSO WANT TO THANK NELSON, ELENA AND EMILYA FOR SHARING "BEYOND ORIENTALISM". [APPLAUSE] 

>> AND ALSO, I THINK I GOT THE TITLE WRONG. AND ALSO, BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO DEAF WEST. [APPLAUSE] 

TERESA: I WANT TO ALSO, WE ARE ABOUT TO -- WE HAD A VERY BIG DAY TODAY. I HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM PEOPLE ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY ARE ENJOYING WHAT THEY ARE LEARNING AND HEARING IN THE SESSIONS. NOW WE HAVE MORE. THIS IS A BUSY EVENING. WE HAVE PROFESSIONAL AFFINITY GROUPS. AND I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THE DIME AROUNDS -- DINE AROUND WILL BE RALLYING AROUND 6:15 P.M. AND SPACE IS STILL AVAILABLE. YOU CAN CHECK OUT THINGS IN CONFERENCE 2.0. THERE WILL BE DINNER AT STATION 4, BEFORE THE RADIO PLAY OF THE ORIGINALIST. AND THERE WILL BE AT THE HAMILTON -- AND P MILLER WILL ESCORT A GROUP TO DISTRICT TACO AND TO THE EASTERN MARKET. THERE ARE TWO PERFORMANCES THAT ARE JUST FOR TCG ATTENDEES. YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT ALSO ON CONFERENCE 2.0. AND FINALLY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE PARTY LEFT IN THEM, WOOLLY MAMMOTH IS HOSTING A PARTY TO SHOWCASE THE DISTRICT COMMUNITY FROM 9:00 P.M.-12:30 A.M. AND YOU CAN ARRIVE ANYTIME AFTER THE SHOWS AND WE WILL BE THERE. WOOLLY MAMMOTH IS A 10-15 MINUTE WALK FROM THE HOTEL. BRING IN ID AND CONFERENCE BADGE. AND THE HOST COMMITTEE HAS FOUND SUPPORT FOR A FREE DRINK TICKET, SO HOW CAN YOU MISS THIS? [LAUGHTER] 

TERESA: THAT IS IT. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. SEE YOU TOMORROW. [APPLAUSE] [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY. VISIT NCICAP.ORG]