Aliee and Bettina's (sort of) Grown Up Sleepover
nytheatre.com q&a preview by Bettina Katie Warshaw
July 16, 2012
What is your job on this show?
Playwright/Performer.
When did you know you wanted to work in the theater, and why?
I'm pretty sure it started the first time I saw Annie on VHS, or Grease. Whatever it was, it became the catalyst for a lot of my parent's friends and my friends being drafted into doing plays in my living room. I can't think of a time since then where I haven't been working in theater in some capacity, and loving every second of it.
Have you been part of FringeNYC in the past? If so, how did you particpate? (Be specific! Name shows, etc.)
In the past, I stage managed Remission (Fringe 2009) and Smoke the New Cigarette (Fringe 2011), both with Inverse Theater. The energy and excitement of FringeNYC is addictive - I wanted to keep being a part of the festival for as long as possible, in any capacity. This is the dream situation.
Why did you want to write/direct/produce/act in/work on this show?
Before I wanted to make this piece specifically, I knew I wanted to make theater with Aliee. We knew each other a little bit when I told her we should be friends and that we should make a show. She agreed but I think it was more like "yeah, okay crazy lady" but here we are. When we sat down to think about what we wanted to write, we stumbled on this idea, this thing we had both been stuck on - how do we get to our dream lives at our dream age of 26 (we both had that age in our minds, by happy accident). That was a moment where we knew we could make something kind of awesome and have a ton of fun doing it. I'm speaking for both of us when I say that we really hope everyone who comes has fun with us, that's something we want. A really exciting, interesting theatrical experience for everyone involved.
Which “S” word best describes your show: SMOOTH, SEXY, SMART, SURPRISING?
This show is surprising. There are variables - we play Truth or Dare with the audience. We give them a lot of power to effect what is going to happen in the show, and who knows how that's going to turn out. Each performance has the opportunity to be very different, and I'm sure that will surprise us just as much as it surprises the audience. And we're also a little sexy because, hey, why not.
If you had ten million dollars that you had to spend on theatrical endeavors, how would you use the money?
I would try and live my 26 year old dream and get a building in the middle of the East Village that houses a theater and a coffee shop and a bar and lots of affordable rehearsal space. It would be a place where young artists can come and have the space and support and collaborators to work and try out new ideas and just make...something. And be excited about it.
