Day 22 - Gratitude for Writers in Residence!

Randy Reinholz, at his table read of Under a Big Sky, 2019

A note from your blog authors!
The Writers-in-Residence program gives us the opportunity to invite writers to Seven Devils to work on a new play entirely on their own schedule, and without any pressure to cast or rehearse their play (though we often hold unrehearsed table readings for them so they can hear their play outloud).

Sometimes, these writers come to McCall with a play idea; sometimes, they come with a few pages already started. Often, like Randy Reinholz, they find that something else happens, and their play is transformed. 

Making these kinds of opportunities is priceless to the writers, and we charge them nothing for the experience. You can help make it possible for even more writers to come to McCall by donating today at www.sevendevils.org. 

Today's Blog Takeover is by Randy Reinholtz!
Thank you, Randy! (Under a Big Sky, 2019)
It was the beauty of the land, the space to think, and the kindness of the people I encountered at Seven Devils, that empowered me to rewrite a script formerly called Design Sense, that became Under a Big Sky. It was a page one rewrite.  While the character names remained the same, most everything else about the script changed. The former script was heartfelt but clumsy and it had a halting pace.  I needed to be brave to do the work the story merited. 

There were so many talented people all around the conference, I could have easy conversations and become inspired. The local folks were engaging, present, and informed. The acting company was extremely talented. The playwrights had something to say and were pressing at the edges of form to make important points in compelling stories. 

I continue to be grateful for the vision, tenacity and care that the leadership of Seven Devils has gathered together to hold this conference each year. It was wonderful to be a Native playwright, Choctaw to be exact, in a place that was both connected to the land yet the folks who were not Native didn’t require me to explain who I was or what I was trying to do. I was able to focus on the work I needed to get done.

That process takes me back to Idaho again and again, First with the University of Idaho and now with theatre companies in Idaho that want to produce more work by Native American writers.