A Conversation with Playwright Allie Costa, “Rise Up,” Open-Door Playhouse, by James Scarborough

The intersection of digital media and traditional theater finds compelling expression in Allie Costa’s “Rise Up,” a new audio play that probes the unexpected consequences of seeking spiritual refuge. This production, staged in the intimate format of a podcast theater, demonstrates Open-Door Playhouse’s commitment to nurturing contemporary dramatic voices. Costa’s work, directed by Rachel Berney Needleman, explores themes of isolation and discovery through the story of an impulsive retreat gone awry. The casting of Tiana Randall-Quant as Killi and Gita Redd as Suna suggests careful attention to vocal dynamics essential for audio drama. This format, reminiscent of golden age radio plays, demands sophistication in sound design, skillfully executed by David Peters. The production joins Costa’s impressive repertoire, which includes works like “Two Girls” and “Boxes Are Magic,” further cementing her position in contemporary theater. This piece represents a significant contribution to the evolving landscape of digital theater, particularly relevant in our post-pandemic cultural context.

Below follows an email conversation with the artist:

JS: Your work often explores transformative moments. What inspired the central premise of “Rise Up”?

AC: Rise Up was inspired by a prompt from PlayGround-LA. I’m part of their writing pool. Six months out of the year, the writers have four and a half days to create a brand-new ten-minute play based on that month’s prompt. From that pool of thirty-six writers, six plays are then selected to have a one-night-only staged reading. Rise Up was created when the prompt was Rebirth. It was selected for that month’s readings and directed by Rachel Berney Needleman, who then directed this new audio production for Open-Door Playhouse. Thank you, Rachel!

JS: As both actor and playwright, how does your performance experience inform your writing process?

AC: As an actor, I love sinking my teeth into a great script and getting the opportunity to bring a character to life, so as a writer, I aim to create meaningful and creative stories filled with memorable characters that actors would be eager to play.

JS: Your plays like “Two Girls” and “Mindstream” suggest an interest in psychological complexity. How does “Rise Up” continue or depart from these themes?

AC: I enjoy stories that leave an impact on the characters and the audience alike. I also like it when watching, reading, or listening to something a second time is a different experience because you’re aware of the outcome. Without giving anything away, I’ll say there’s more to Rise Up than meets the eye.

JS: Discuss how your acting background influences your approach to writing dialogue.

AC: Dialogue moves the story along as it reveals things about the characters and the conflict. (And sometimes, what isn’t said is just as important as what is!) Dialogue helps set the tone of the piece as well as the pace, especially if it’s a comedy or a high-stakes thriller. Word choice and dialects let us know the time and place of the story as well as aspects of the characters, such as their ages and backgrounds.

When writing something with dialogue, it’s imperative to give each character a distinct viewpoint and voice. Think of the old trick, if you cover the character’s name above the dialogue and read the line on its own, you should still be able to tell who is saying it. When I’m casting a piece, I seek actors who lift lines off the page and make them sound real, not rehearsed. I strive for the same thing when I’m auditioning or performing myself.

Actors have different experiences with dialogue – some prefer simple, naturalistic lines while others relish multisyllabic words and thick chunks of text, the wordier, the better. Actors also have different relationships with their own voices – some love talking, some don’t, some are quieter in their daily life than they are on stage or screen, some may struggle with speech or reading for any number of reasons. Whatever the case, I want my scripts to empower actors and give them the confidence to use their voice.

JS: Your plays often feature strong female protagonists. How do you approach character development in your writing?

AC: Thank you for noting their strength. I love character-driven stories, and I love portraying and creating protagonists who are multifaceted and memorable. When writing a short script, such as a ten-minute play or a monologue, I consider how I can relay the character’s personality and central desire in a brief time frame without anything feeling rushed or abbreviated. I tend to plan the basic structure and key actions, solidify the beginning and the ending and write a first draft, then revise with an eye to detail: How and where can I add more depth, another layer, another wrinkle or reveal? Can I strengthen or clarify a through line? Can any of the characters speak or move or react in a way that is individual to them? How are the characters changed by this experience, and what might happen next? When writing something longer, such as a feature film or plotting a full season (and beyond!) of an episodic series, there’s opportunity for slower, steadier character growth (and, perhaps, regression) and discovery simply because you have more time to get to know the characters and shape them.

JS: How has your experience performing others’ works shaped your own playwriting style?

AC: I consider what works and what doesn’t work, what I liked and what I didn’t like. When something inspires me, it encourages me to raises the bar for my own work. When I read or watch something that doesn’t quite satisfy me, I think about how I would have written it or performed it in a different way, what elements I would have changed - and sometimes, that inspires a new script or idea!

JS: “Rise Up” deals with expectations versus reality. How does this theme resonate with your experiences in theater?

AC: Theatre often asks audiences to suspend their disbelief differently than film or television does; it’s rare that something filmed would have a bare backdrop, whereas black box theatre is common and asks the audience to go along with what’s happening, to pretend we’re in an airport or an animal shelter or outer space without full décor and the like. Theatre and film/TV engage the senses differently, since the actors are either right there, live, in person, inhabiting the same space you are, with the potential for different performances every night based on energy, interaction, improv, and errors, or they are on a screen, their words and actions already prerecorded and edited, typically showcasing the best takes.

I have such high hopes whenever I begin a new project. I want it to be amazing, I want everything to go smoothly, and I want to do the very best job I can do. I know I should manage my expectations so that I don’t get disappointed, but I also never want to lose that hope and optimism.

Killi, the main character of Rise Up, is the opposite of me in a lot of ways; our energy is different, our experiences are different, she’s impulsive while I plan everything out, but deep down, she’s got that hope, that yearning for things to work out and get better.

JS: Your work spans various theatrical forms. How does this versatility influence your creative process?

AC: Whenever a new idea comes to mind, I immediately know what medium it is, if it’s going to be a film, an episodic series, a play, or a book. I can picture it, I can hear it, I’m already visualizing costumes, camera moves, color schemes, all of it, and that’s a combination of my professional experience and my imagination. I automatically know what format will best serve the story and the characters, and I dive right in.

JS: Discuss the evolution of your playwriting voice through your various works.

AC: I was born asking questions, starting conversations about things that are important to me, learning about the world around me and beyond me, and engaging others in discussions, and I’m still doing all of that. I’ve been writing since I was a toddler. My earliest scripts and stories were inspired by personal experiences, or things I’d read, watched, or heard, or wanted to explore. My work is still inspired by those things, but it’s deeper and more complex than it was when I was three!

JS: As someone who inhabits both sides of theatrical creation, what elements do you find most crucial when crafting a new play?

AC: When I start writing a new script, the first elements I consider are the characters and the premise. What’s happening, why is it happening, and why is it happening now? Why does it matter to the characters, and what are they going to do? Be they novels, films, plays, or TV series, most of my favorite stories are character-driven, and most of my own scripts are as well.

Then there’s the production element. I always see scripts from all sides, and whether I’m writing a first draft or I’m in pre-production as an actor or director or producer, I’m thinking about how I want the project to look, sound, and feel. Every little piece adds to the story, and every single person involved contributes to it.

If it’s a voiceover or audio-only project, I consider how elements such as vocal pitch, tone, volume, sound effects, foley, music, and underscore will inform and enhance the characters and the story and bring the audience into the world we’re creating.

I hope listeners enjoy Rise Up, and that they find something new every time they listen. Many thanks to the cast and crew for making this happen.

Performances begin November 14th, 2024, and can be accessed online for free at Open-Door Playhouse. For more information or to make a tax-deductible donation to support new and emerging playwrights, click here.