Juggling

I'm having a fine time writing my newest play, but it's come with a fun problem I'm not quite used to. It has extended scenes where there are many characters on stage, at basically a Brooklyn dinner party. I'm not a big fan, in instances like these, of the "everyone is just talking at once" thing. I feel like I'm trying to write a very traditional play in a lot of ways. Still, though, that requires a little sleight of hand in places, and a lot of juggling. I'll be trucking along with a little scene or progression of beats, when I realize someone hasn't spoken for quite a while. Then, of course, I have to go figure out where the heck Dawn went while Jason and Michelle were going on about moving to Columbus.

When I write a play, one of the biggest challenges for me is keeping in balance the desire to speak with instinct and spontaneity; and organizing the entrances, exits, order of speakers, fitting the pieces together. It's sort of like trying to finish a jigsaw puzzle with all the force you can muster.