The Backstage Blogger interviews playwright Jack Gilhooley

This Monday, April 15, I am doing a reading of a smart new play by one of Sarasota’s most prolific authors, Jack Gilhooley. It’s called Most Valuable Playgirl, a comedy about the character of Ginger Scott (who will be played by yours truly), the very first woman big league baseball player who seemingly "has it all."

The reading will take place at 7 p.m. at Art Center Sarasota, which is a wonderful local institution dedicated to creative expression and nurturing artistic talent. The reading will also feature actors Annie Morrison, Don Walker and Craig Weiskerger.

Going into this reading, I had some questions for Jack. He is a creative individual who has lived a life filled with artistic passion. He has intelligent, rather mischievous eyes and a very dry sense of humor.Jack is a New Dramatis alumnus and has won two National Endowment for the Arts awards, two Fulbright Guest Artist Fellowships, a NY Foundation for The Arts grant and a whole host of other awards and recognitions.

Here he answers some questions about his background as a college professor, why newspaper articles inspire him and his experience as an artist in our community:

Kathryn Parks: How many plays do you think you’ve written?

Jack Gilhooley: Probably 50-plus if you count the short ones; I’ve lost track of the short ones.

KP: Tell me a little bit about your background.

JG: I majored in drama (Syracuse University) with graduate degrees in theater (Villanova) and American civilization (University of Pennsylvania).

I was teaching college and when I hit 30 and I asked myself, "Is this all there is?" I wasn't much of an actor, though I did get a long-since-expired Equity card. I couldn't design. As part of my teaching load, I directed a good many plays but my heart wasn't into directing other people's plays. So I just started writing my own.

KP: Do you only write plays or do you write in other mediums as well?

JG: I wouldn't know how to write in another artistic form. But over the years, I've done a bit of criticism.

KP: The last playreading that I did with you, Journeymen, was based on historical events. What typically inspires your work?

JG: Yes, Journeymen is based on the near-fatal shooting of the Philadelphia Phillies' Eddie Waitkus in 1949.

I’m published by Broadway Play Publishing and my publisher has always said I don’t write the same play twice. Often I am struck by a newspaper article or a story I’ve heard. And often I’m moved by history. The Derry Slope Off [another new play of Jack’s] has been on my mind since 1972. I saw Bloody Sunday, a British stage documentary that takes the side of the Catholic people of Derry. It emphasizes the role of women and the whole movement against the British forces in Northern Ireland.

I have a couple new plays in the back of my mind now that haven’t come to fruition yet, but when something strikes me I take notes. The notes ferment and I carry them around with me. When I taught college I always told my students, “You are not ready to write a play unless you have a notebook full of notes.”

KP: Why did you write Most Valuable Playgirl, which is going to be read Monday night?

JG: For fun. It's an affirmative, playful piece that came easily to me. There should be a lot of laughs from the audience, I hope.

KP: I know your wife, Jo Morello, is also a playwright. Do you ever collaborate?

JG: We collaborated once on a play done at the Manatee Players and that was the end of our collaboration. It was called The Split and it nearly resulted in a split.

She just won two national awards, one in Virginia and one in Kentucky. Now, each time she writes a draft of a play she gives it to me; I make comments and give it back. She’ll do the same for me on Monday; it’ll be the first time she’s exposed to my play.

KP: I know it can be a challenge to get new plays produced. What has been your experience locally?

JG: I’d say that the professional area theaters should be more welcoming of new plays by area playwrights, but they're currently not making this as important as it could be. Other regions have embraced local playwrights since the '70s, when August Wilson, Jeffrey Hatcher and Lee Blessing emerged from Minneapolis venues. Marsha Norman was presented by Actors Theatre of Louisville and various playwrights sprung from Seattle.

If one goes to Dramatists Guild Sourcebook, theaters all across the country are inviting unagented scripts from their community, encouraging new work from residents exclusively (i.e., Pittsburgh Playhouse, Denver Center, Hartford Stage and scores of other theaters). Local professional theaters get enormous funding from local, county and state resources as well as area philanthropies. It would be great to see more of that funding going directly to Tampa Bay playwrights.

KP: Do you have any plays that are being produced right now?

JG: I have a reading of The Derry Slope Off next Monday at 3rd Kulture Kids in NYC, directed by ex-Sarasotan Blake Walton. It falls exactly at the same time as Most Valuable Playgirl at Art Center Sarasota. I won't be going up for it but I certainly will if it goes further.

KP: What can you tell me about Monday’s reading?

JG: Hats off to Art Center Sarasota. In order to hear new plays being read locally, it's ironic that you have to go to an art gallery or to Home Resource, a furniture store.

- Monday's play reading (April 15) will be at the Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail, at  7 pm, with a $10 contribution at the door. For more information, contact Emma at (941) 365-2032.