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kyermaniac · 2 months

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steelcityreviews · 1 year

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INTERVIEW - Meet the creative minds behind Emerson Arts and their latest outdoor-site specific production CRUSHED

A murder witnessed by 5 young high school students. A who-dun-it with enough twists and turns to make your head spin. That’s what Emerson Arts plans to bring audiences with their latest production, CRUSHED. I had the pleasure of interviewing both founders of the company Mason Micevski (he/him and playwright of CRUSHED) and Emily Bolyea-Kyere (she/her and director of CRUSHED), and discussing their journey over the past few years, how CRUSHED came to be and what the future holds for this new and determined theatre company.

1. What was the inspiration behind CRUSHED?

MM - Emily has two daughters who are in high school and one of them voiced their desire to be in a play about high school students. It didn’t take long for me to realize I had an idea in mind and that is how the first draft of CRUSHED came to be. Sadly, both are not in the final staged version of the play due to having to recast (pandemic and other commitments which put the show on hiatus) but their influence is still a large part of this production. I was also inspired by Agatha Christie’s murder mysteries. Our production lacks a detective tying everything and everyone together, but the interconnectedness of the characters and plot showcases Christie’s overall influence.

2. Do you collaborate with others during the writing process, or do you prefer to write alone?

MM - I love the collaborative process of playwriting. Any of my plays go through a few drafts as Emily and I discuss, workshop and provide feedback and editing. CRUSHED was such a fun process as I wrote the first draft in one evening and then we read it as a collective, then worked through scenes and developed characters further. Not too much has changed from the first draft with the exception of building our characters (5 high school female-presenting students) who embody familiar tropes/archetypes.

I live for creative, constructive feedback as it only helps me write the best play I can. There’s no hierarchy at Emerson Arts; it is a very respectful and collaborative process. That being said, I am still protective and know what scenes must stay in the play. I also love watching the rehearsal process when I am able to and seeing my words turn into real dialogue from actors using their experience and understanding of the script is really rewarding as a playwright and artist.

3. As the show’s director, what have been some of the challenges you or the company has faced bringing CRUSHED to life and how has the production overcome them thus far?

EBK - One of the biggest challenges this show had was the pandemic. We were working on staging CRUSHED a few years ago but reopening the theatres in Hamilton was on hold for so long that we eventually had to cancel and recast. We are grateful that is no longer the case and are eager to finally produce and put on this show.

Recasting the show, as I mentioned, was difficult as we had a terrific original cast. Our new cast is equally as impressive and we are thrilled by their joint professionalism and creative input. Finally, a challenge we faced was finding rehearsal space, a rehearsal schedule that worked for 5 very involved actors and an official venue for the production. It was frustrating figuring it all out but we prevailed!

4. CRUSHED is being performed outdoors at a site-specific venue: William Schwenger Park, beside their Splash Pad on the Hamilton Mountain. Why did you choose to stage the production in that location? What have been some of the benefits and drawbacks to directing outdoor theatre?

EBK - We chose the William Schwenger park location for a couple of reasons. It was close to home for Mason and I and we both wanted to bring live theatre to the Hamilton Mountain. We drove to several public park spaces and we noticed that William Schwenger park looked just like our original poster created for the show. It was fate.

Being in a public space does bring some interesting challenges. We find that audiences need to suspend their disbelief just a little harder so you lose some of the “magic” that lights and set changes can bring to a production. We are also at the mercy of weather, nature sounds and general park-going noise. We even have to remind people at the park that we are just staging a choreographed fight and no one will be hurt. All that being said, the space is free, the backdrop of the park suits the narrative perfectly and we are no strangers to going with whatever outdoor theatre throws at us!

5. What would be your dream project – is there something specific you have always wanted to write/produce/perform in but have not had the chance to yet?

MM - Emerson Arts definitely has some shows brewing and a few are even close to being announced for future productions. One has comic book inspirations with an unexpected superhero origins story. The other is a musical being finalized legally as it is a Mamma Mia! meets Jagged Little Pill mix, featuring the songs of legendary rock artist Janis Joplin. Those dealing with the legalities have really admired the script (including the Joplin estate) as it only features Joplin’s music and is not a musical-biography. We hope to produce this in the near future, it’s a very exciting time!

6. As a relatively new theatre company in Hamilton, how are you finding the reception to your new, original works? How are these plays impacting Hamilton audiences and how does EMERSON ARTS plan to expand further with their creative endeavours?

EBK - We have found when audiences attend our productions, the reception is great. We get plenty of positive feedback from audiences being impressed with the stories we are telling. It is very uplifting and encouraging. We want to increase our reach in the Hamilton community and this includes trying out new spaces and doing 4 shows a year. We are also working on, one day, having our own venue which will help us have an official “home.” We are very grateful for the promotion we receive through various media platforms and by word of mouth. This allows us to focus on our company’s highest mandate: ensuring our artists are paid for their work.

As for our impact with audiences, we can’t stress enough how important it is that we are showcasing original work by Hamiltonians. Mason and I are both veterans in the theatre world and we are constantly seeking opportunities to bring others (veteran or novice) into the fold so we can continue to do what we love and earn something doing it. We are very focused on diversity and bringing new faces to the stage.

We hope to further promote our company at the Hamilton Canada Day Festival at Bayfront Park this summer. Emerson Arts is planning a youth performance of various skills and talents. We hope to see you there!

It takes a great deal for your average theatre-goer to come out and support a new theatre company. It shouldn’t, but it’s the truth for many Hamilton theatre companies. I’m certain most can attest that running performing arts in this city is a challenge but it yields such great rewards for those involved and for those who attend. This is why we need companies like Emerson Arts, who not only want to see artists paid for their work but also to keep bringing those original works to the stage (whether it’s at a former factory, down at the Pier or one of our beautiful public parks). CRUSHED runs from June 16-18, 2023 and all performances start at 8:30 p.m. Go and support Hamilton artists and their stories. You won’t regret it.