INTERVIEW: ‘Unchilding’ unearths one-act plays lost for 70 years
Visual artist Joshua Kaufman probably had no idea the treasure trove he had in his possession when he uncovered a collection of lost one-act plays by Boston University graduate student John Walter Howley. The plays date back to 1947, and they explore themes of lost innocence and the heavy burden of responsibility.
Two of the one-acts now serve as source material for a unique evening of visual and audio splendor. It’s called Unchilding, and it will play two special performances Thursday, Aug. 8 at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. at the Benzaquen Hall at New York’s DiMenna Center for Classical Music.
In Unchilding, audiences are immersed in an original audioscape that features adapted and manipulated recordings of Howley’s plays. Coupled with these recordings is a sequence of visual vignettes that are surrealist in nature.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Kaufman about this interesting discovery and the subsequent creation of Unchilding, which features 27 performers. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What can audience members expect at Unchilding?
A highly orchestrated live performance that’s both intimate and grand; familiar and distorted.
How did you find these lost one-act plays?
The source material that served as a point of departure for two segments of Unchilding was from American playwright John Walter Howley’s Three One-Act Plays from 1947. When I came across this collection online, I identified with it personally and saw its potential as work that could withstand being morphed and stretched into something new.
What did you like best about these lost plays once you started to read them?
I was inspired by the subtext and the words left unspoken, which are as much a product of the author’s voice as they are of the time they were written. In their original form, Howley’s plays are sturdy and compact; well-structured one-acts. He understood how to quickly take the audience into another world, and how to leave it just as quickly.
What’s it like directing 27 performers? Does it get hectic on stage?
These performers are masters of their domain, and each brought their own high level of professionalism through the door on day one. Allie Marotta, associate facilitator and creative consultant on this project, provided the crucial ensemble framework for them to thrive in.
What’s the future hold for this show beyond these two performances?
These two live performances will be captured in VR by 360-degree cameras, and that artifact will be available at a later time. We are also open to performing the work in other venues.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Unchilding, conceived and directed by Joshua Kaufman and based on the lost short plays of John Walter Howley, will play Aug. 8 at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. at the Benzaquen Hall at New York’s DiMenna Center for Classical Music. Click here for more information and tickets.
As one of the voice actors for this show, I think (hope!) I speak for all of us when I say we felt very privileged to be so intricately involved in such a wonderful final product. Many of us didn’t know what Joshua was putting together until we saw it on stage, and it was very moving and beautifully staged. Tableau vivant is underused, challenging, and beautiful. The compliment to the audio was fascinating. On top of that, connecting with the team afterwards was wonderful, too. Thank you for the opportunity. We’d love to reconnect anytime, whether it’s to further enhance “Unchilding” or do more together.