A Follow-Up Interview with the Kilroys
- blueshiftjournal
- Aug 3, 2016
- 3 min read
by erica wachs, prose reader
Last year, after the release of the 2015 List (an annual industry survey of excellent unproduced new plays by female and trans playwrights), we spoke with Kilroy founders Joy Meads and Meg Miroshnik about the mission of The List. This year, we spoke with Kilroy member Bekah Brunstetter about just how profound of an impact the List has had for female writers.
Erica Wachs: The idea for a follow-up interview came when I saw the new list had been released, and was getting shared from all types of readers: from playwright friends of mine at school to those who work in the literary department at the Public Theater. Which leads me into my first question: Would you say the response to The List has changed in the past year, and if yes, how so?
Bekah Brunstetter: Definitely. Each year, the anticipation for the drop of the list increases, for both nominators and playwrights. For nominators, especially those who work at theaters / are a part of programming—it seems like they now have an eye out for the list, as they look towards putting plays forward for their seasons. As for playwrights, it’s now definitely a desirable thing, to have a play on the List, which we love—so playwrights are even more inclined to share the news, and get really excited about it. Which we love even more. It’s the best feeling to make a playwright’s day. Also, as there’s now a larger cultural conversation going on about parity, too, in TV, in film, with directors, with diversity and access in general—it felt like this year, the release of the List joined that united front, which was really cool.
EW: Have you started to see some of the representation The Kilroys advocates for on stages?
BB: Oh yes! We are seeing season announcements with parity, and even ALL WOMEN seasons, which is incredible. This year, we were able to survey playwrights from the 2015 and 2016 lists, so that we might try and track the success of the list. From the playwrights that responded, 80% of the writer’s plays were now produced, or had had subsequent productions.
EW: Last year, Meg and Joy spoke about what success “looks” like for The Kilroys. Joy talked about advocating for equal production resources and opportunities, wanting to ensure “you don’t see a season of three full productions and three woman shows.” Meg wanted to “bring[ing] this bias to general consciousness”. Would you say this definition of success has changed, and how so?
BB: I would say it’s stayed the same. We’ve kept to our same goal, kept our focus. Productions and visibility for female and trans* writers. But now we can actually track the success, which is amazing. Now that the list has been around for a few years, and we can quantify success, by seeing where the plays are at now. Of course, we cannot claim that the plays inclusion on the List was the only reason it got produced, but perhaps just gave it a nudge forward. As for Meg’s comment, unconscious bias has definitely been brought to the forefront of a national conversation. When you see major pieces in the New York Times about how hard it is to be woman working on Hollywood, you know that’s the beginning of, hopefully, a real change.
EW: Finally, whose work (on the List or in general) has been particularly inspiring, and why? (For me, it’s Rachel Bonds and Jen Silverman's!)
BB: We love all the writers with equal love! :) No, but really, we do. We are an advocacy organization that just wants these writers to gain more access. We don’t read or judge the plays, we just put forth the data. And so, equal love!
EW: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these questions.
