INTERVIEW: Debra Whitfield needs some ‘Tech Support’
Photo: From left, Margot White, Mark Lotito, Leanne Cabrera, Ryan Avalos and Lauriel Friedman star in Tech Support at 59E59. Photo by Russ Rowland / Provided by Karen Greco PR with permission.
A chance encounter on the phone with a tech-support specialist inspired playwright Debra Whitfield to craft a play that is now receiving its New York premiere at 59E59 Theaters. Tech Support, which is also directed by Whitfield, comes to the Big Apple courtesy of Chatillion Stage Company and stars Ryan Avalos, Leanne Cabrera, Lauriel Friedman, Mark Lotito and Margot White.
In the show, which runs through Sept. 21, Pamela Stark employs the help of a tech-support professional named Chip; however, she soon learns that Chip is almost like a genie in a bottle and ready to whisk her away to different time periods. This fantastical comedy quickly finds Pamela time traveling with no plans to return to normalcy any time soon.
“I’m thrilled to be working at 59E59 Theaters,” Whitfield said in a recent phone interview. “I had been there several times as an audience member. I actually think I was a subscriber a few years ago, and I’m always impressed with the quality of their work.”
The genesis for the play began 10 years ago when Whitfield was trying to print something at home in her office. The printer was not successful in completing its job, so Whitfield had to get on the phone and talk to tech support.
“It was just very frustrating,” she said. “I was on hold forever. It was so frustrating. … I think eventually I was able to get my printer working. But I came upstairs. I was very, very irate, and I told my husband what had just happened. He said, ‘Well, why don’t you write a play?’ I said, ‘It would be 10 minutes. It wouldn’t be very interesting. It would be 10 minutes telling about my experience.’ And he said, ‘Well, why don’t you just sit down and start writing it, and then see what happens.’ I said, ‘OK.’ So I sat down, and the first part was really easy because it was about the exchange that I had with the tech-support guy.”
Whitfield said her subconscious eventually took over, and new ideas started to pop into her head. Slowly but surely Tech Support started to take shape.
“I guess that’s what they call the muse, when we’re lucky enough to have the muse visit us,” the playwright said with a laugh. “All of a sudden this tech-support technological trauma that I was having turned into this time-travel piece.”
The central character of Pamela Stark is described by Whitfield as a Luddite, someone who doesn’t like technology and is frustrated with her equipment in the house.
“And what if somehow something magical, mystical happens, and she gets transported into different time periods and that maybe in the past she could learn more about herself,” Whitfield said. “She could be happier with herself. She could be happier with her current circumstances. I didn’t really know where it was going to lead, but I thought maybe there might be a play there. And then I started writing it, and then there was a play.”
Previously Tech Support had two small productions, but the play has changed quite a bit since then. The playwright then put the project away and started working on another show, Fire, about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.
“So Tech Support, it went in the virtual drawer, and it wasn’t until I guess it was about 13, 14 months ago I dusted it off,” she said. “Then I had to totally revamp it because there’s a big obviously technological bent in it. Any technological reference was pretty pasé.”
She added: “I was a little afraid at first because I thought, oh God, I’m going to have to rewrite the whole thing, but it was actually fun because I wanted to make it as cutting edge and as au courant as possible. … I’m sure it’s going to change during the rehearsal process as well, but that’s what’s fun for me is to make it really, really up to date. I hope it’ll be fun for the audience, too.”
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Tech Support, written and directed by Debra Whitfield, plays through Sept. 21 at 59E59 Theaters in New York City. Click here for more information and tickets.
