Wrapping up the organization's 20th Anniversary celebration, First Stage Theatre Company is presenting its first-ever original play this weekend.
The First Day of Summer was written and directed by Huntington's Jonathan Joy (that's him standing in the photo above), and he took time out from rehearsals at the Huntington Museum of Art to take part in this e-interview about the show, how it got started, and a certain other important job he recently tackled.
Here's what he had to say:
Q: Jon, give us some background - what is The First Day of Summer about?
Jon: It is a coming of age story surrounding two young people, a boy named Ron and a girl named Laney, who meet at age 12 one year while on summer vacation in the woods of West Virginia. The two clash at first, but eventually grow close and begin a lifelong friendship. They spend their days playing games, talking about hopes and dreams and sharing stories of fellow classmates from their two different hometowns. When they are split apart at the end of summer, they make a pact. They agree to meet back at their favorite spot in the woods on the first day of summer following high school graduation. It is a story about memory and the people and places that have an impact in our lives and stay with us forever.
Q: You wrote The First Day of Summer a while ago - how has the play changed since that first version?
Jon: The original draft was a 25 minute, two character, one act play. I wrote it for a graduate class at Marshall in May 2004. A year later, I re-worked it and staged it at Shawnee State University. We had a great response up there and I've been working on re-shaping it ever since. Over the years I've read it with students at Huntington High, the Jeslyn Performing Arts Center and my Governor's School students in Ohio. Each group gave me feedback and helped shape this version. Of course, my current cast has had more input than everyone. The current version is much more developed and perfectly suited for children's theatre. It is more than twice as long as the one act version and has a cast of 14 young actors.
Q: How have the rehearsals for this show been different from usual rehearsals?
Jon: We've spent a lot of time on character development and blocking, as usual. However, since the script is a flexible, changeable entity, we have also spent time discussing changes that should be made to the dialogue, backstory, and more. We've workshopped the piece, which, in its simplest definition, means we've made adjustments/changes to the script depending on how the lines sound and feel and the feedback I get from the actors. Each actor has had input into the growth of this play. I've workshopped a lot of plays and this has been the most honest workshopping experience ever. Kids don't hold back their thoughts, feeling, etc., and that is very helpful in this regard.
Q: Have the young actors had fun working on this?
Jon: I think they have had a blast. Playmaking is a great way to meet new people and explore your creative side. That is true with any play. In this specific case, the process and the play itself is a bit different from anything these actors have done before and I think they are really enjoying that aspect of it. I think it's vital, regardless of age, to challenge conventions and try new things every once in a while.
Q: Just to add to the challenge of staging a show - you and your wife had a baby recently! How are Mom and Baby (and Dad) doing?
Jon: We're great (although a bit tired). Our boy, Levi Tobin Joy, was born April 13 and he is awesome. Balancing work, the play and our new addition to the family has been tough, but we love parenthood. Levi (aka Toby) seems pretty happy, too. This is our first and we are both fascinated with his day to day growth and development. Being a dad rocks!
Q: Tell us when and where the show will be staged.
Jon: The show will play Friday, May 7 and Saturday, May 8 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 9 at 2:30 p.m. Performances are at the Huntington Museum of Art.
Thanks, Jon! I should add that I read an early version of this play, and the audience is in for a treat - it's funny, touching and very entertaining. Highly recommended!
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