By Barb Alvord
Even to a renovated 1870s barn when it threatens rain. Even to squirm cheek to cheek on hard bleachers. Even to view a “stage” that is little more than a limited space with straw bales here and there.
The latest ISA project, In The Barn, at Living History Farms in Des Moines, was a premier success for the Iowa Scriptwriters Alliance. May 10 and 11 about 250 drama lovers walked through the replica of an 1875 town to Flynn Barn to fill wood and metal bleachers. A guitarist played. The aroma of Zanzibar's gourmet coffee filled the air. Actors dressed in what might have been at one time a corn crib.
The purpose of In The Barn was to motivate ISA members to write a site-specific play. Living History Farms wanted to reach a segment of people that may not have experienced the Farm as yet, and offered their old barn as a theater.
Twelve scripts set in the barn were submitted to three outside judges in March. Six were chosen to be produced and were read and criticized at monthly meetings. Rewriting followed before six volunteer directors chose actors for rehearsals.
The result was a learning experience about site-specific plays for authors, directors, actors, and lighting technicians (110 only in the barn). Playwrights especially had the opportunity to watch their work come to life, to see firsthand the relationship of writing drama and its staging in a barn setting, to understand on-site production issues of projection, lighting and space, and to learn some tips about promotion for a unique theater setting.
An audience questionnaire provided valuable feedback about the premier event. About 20% of the people attending responded, and their comments were largely positive. Besides “Bleachers were a bit painful. Ow!” they wrote “Perfect setting for drama,” and “I loved it. Hope to see more.”
In The Barn has begun a discussion among ISA members about the importance of understanding production needs for good scriptwriting. Variations of such a venture will be explored in the future.