Yankee Tavern- A World Premiere by Steve Dietz

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_stage_theat/2009/01/from-playfest-looking-at-steven-dietz-and-yankee-tavern...

By Steven Dietz
A World Premiere

From the acclaimed playwright of Lonely Planet, Private Eyes and Fiction, comes this dramatic thriller set in a crumbling tavern in New York. A young couple is caught in a web of conspiracy theories surrounding the 9/11 attacks, when in an instant outlandish hypothesis becomes dangerous reality as critical facts continue to emerge. A highly praised selection from the 2007 1st Stage New Works Festival.

Steven Dietz, whose new play Yankee Tavern will get public readings Saturday Jan. 24 and Sunday Feb. 1 at PlayFest, answers some questions about his new play.

What's your play about, in a couple of sentences?

Yankee Tavern is about a young man who seeks to debunk many of the wilder conspiracy theories surrounding the 9/11 attacks -- and then finds himself caught up in one of those very theories.

What was the impetus that made you want to write it?

Conspiracies are catnip to a playwright -- there's a level of obsession and outlandishness to the personalities involved; and there's always just enough of the "truth" to ground the actions. And in the case of 9/11, the discussions (however feasible or off the grid) are endless. I couldn't resist the story.

Has it been produced anywhere else?

It was commissioned by the McCarter Theatre (Princeton, NJ) and will premiere at Florida Stage this spring, under the direction of Michael Bigelow Dixon. Three or four regional productions are currently scheduled for the following year.

What do you hope to get out of its inclusion in PlayFest?

Visibility for the play. Feedback from the audience. Taking the story to a new city and a new theatre. I'm extremely grateful for this opportunity.

And here's some biographical information about Steven:
Steven Dietz’s plays have been widely produced at American regional theatres, as well as Off-Broadway. International productions of his work have been seen in England, Japan, Germany, France, Australia, Sweden, Russia, Slovenia, Greece, Argentina, Peru, Singapore and South Africa. Awards include the PEN USA West Award for Lonely Planet; the Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays Award for Fiction; and the Edgar Award for Best Mystery Play for Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure. Recent work includes Last of the Boys, Becky’s New Car and Yankee Tavern. Mr. Dietz divides his time between Seattle and Austin, where he teaches playwriting at the University of Texas.

http://www.curioustheatre.org/index.php?s=66

Yankee Tavern Yankee Tavern
May 13 - Jun 21, 2009

By Steven Dietz
A World Premiere

From the acclaimed playwright of Lonely Planet, Private Eyes and Fiction, comes this dramatic thriller set in a crumbling tavern in New York. A young couple is caught in a web of conspiracy theories surrounding the 9/11 attacks, when in an instant outlandish hypothesis becomes dangerous reality as critical facts continue to emerge. A highly praised selection from the 2007 1st Stage New Works Festival.

For tickets: call the box office at:
561-585-3433 or 800-514-3837

Wonder where he stands?

The fellow says, "And in the case of 9/11, the discussions (however feasible or off the grid) are endless. I couldn't resist the story."

So, it is fun to look at this miasma of conspiracy theories. It makes for good drama.

In his play the protagonist starts out as a 9/11 debunker, but evidently becomes convinced otherwise. Likewise the playwright? If so, you sort of wish he'd say that, and tell how/why it came about.

He's keeping it a mystery which generates interest??

There is nothing I could find to tell me which way it goes.

I'm not sure this should be on the front page. Let's hope this is good news.

North Texans for 911 Truth
http://www.northtexas911truth.com/
North Texans for 911 Truth Meetup Site
http://9-11.meetup.com/249/

more: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/128263.html

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/128263.html

From the playwright of More Fun Than Bowling, Ten November, The Last of the Boys, Honus and Me and Sherlock Holmes comes this new play, set in a crumbling New York bar, in which a young man grapples with questions "about his father's best friend, his mysterious past, and a stranger who knows much more than he should," according to Florida Stage. "Suddenly, he finds himself caught in a web of conspiracy theories surrounding the 9/11 attacks and outlandish hypotheses become dangerous realities."

The hidden aspects of 9/11 remind many of a movie or story.

I think that most 9/11 Truthers often compare the wide scenario of 9/11 to a dynamic storyline or mystery thriller movie. The plot and script and storyboard are beyond adjectives.
Ha!...On occasions, I feel like the guy from the 1950's classic "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" in the scene towards the end of the film where he is desperately trying to warn people, but is ignored.

'Fools! Listen to me!'

As a sci-fi movie buff (and fellow 9/11 truther) friend of mine likes to say:

In 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers,' they had the Pod People.

Today, we have the I-pod People.