Playwright Stephen Notes talks about his Capital Fringe show Moths with Cate Brewer.
Cate: Moths is a wild ride for audiences. What inspired the subject of this piece?
Stephen: I don’t know probably my parent’s divorce somewhat, living in NYC in the late ‘90’s, being told to take Principles of Realism a second time and the movie Naked Lunch, nightmares, grad school, and maybe an animal pantomime or two.
If you could tell potential audiences one important note about the play, what would it be?
Things are not what they seem. Expect the unexpected and go with the flow. Hope they enjoy it.
It has been a challenging time both economically and politically in the US lately. Are we all slowly turning into insects? Is there a larger theme that you are hinting at with this unique piece?
Yeah I think we’re all slowly turning into cyborgs maybe. But I’m not sure if the plays really about that. Maybe some of us are turning into zombies. No, the play is more about personal themes than over-arching political ones. But to the extent that the personal is political I’m sure that’s in there too.
What is next for you as a playwright?
I’m trying to finish a monologue play based on dreams that I’ve started and I’m still revising another play called The Tumbling, and then I really hope to start a completely new play altogether after July. Maybe I’ll apply to do one of them in next year’s Fringe? Depending on how Moths is received. And how far I can get in the writing of the next one.
Can you tell us a bit about your cast and artistic team?
Well, Alex Friendly is an amazing conservatory student and new teacher at The Studio Theatre Acting Conservatory. She comes from an opera background, and is quite talented too and Anika Harden is also very talented and is doing multiple Fringe shows this year. I met her in comedy class last spring. They’re both amazing and inspiring people to work with. Roma Rogers is doing an incredible job with the directing as far as I can tell from being inside the play as an actor that is. Although we’ve butted heads a few times creatively speaking, but it’s a good thing to be challenged sometimes. And the proof is in the performances.
Why is your play a Fringe ‘Must See’?
I’d have to really see everyone else’s play first, but I like Moths a lot and we’ve been working hard on it. And people will hopefully be quite entertained. It might be the one Fringe show that when the festival is over if you haven’t seen-you might hear about it from someone else who saw it. If you didn’t see it, it’s hopefully the show that you wished you had seen.
Is there anything else that you would like us to know about Moths or your work?
It might be sexy too. The play/this production is. At least Anika thinks it is. Or maybe she said it was kinky or both or something like that.
PERFORMANCES
Fort Fringe – Bedroom – 612 L Street NW, in Washington, DC
METRO: Mt. Vernon Sq. 7th St. (Green/Yellow); Gallery Place/Chinatown (Red,Green/Yellow)
SAT 7/13 at 11:30 PM
WED 7/17 at 9:45 PM
FRI 7/19 at 10:00 PM
SAT 7/20 at 5:30 PM
TUE 7/23 at 9:45 PM
SUN 7/28 at 3:45 PM
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE.
