I named the play Love Disorder. But when the staged reading was done at Theatre Artists Studio, it was introduced as Love Disorders. Then, on the producer’s contract, it was written Love Disorders as well. There seems to be an expectation of multiple disorders here, whereas I consider the considerable disorder displayed by the play’s three couples to be facets of a single, unifying Love Disorder. This singular Disorder covers the emotional condition or dis-ease that often accompanies love, as well as referring to the chaotic choices and behavior that ensues on the stage itself, which is quite a bit of disorder in a collectively singular sort of way.

I could put this up for a vote, but I’m not a huge fan of the idea of artists asking their audience to help them decide things about their work. Not just because I’m an artist, in this case. Even when I’m the reader or the audience, I really don’t care to have a say in the making of the art — you make the art, I’ll enjoy it … or not. It’s marketing 101 these days to engage customers by giving them the feeling they have some say in the product they are purchasing — one reason why you’re getting hit with online surveys all the time. But I reckon if a play isn’t good enough to engage an audience, without making the audience feel like they had a hand in its creation, then there’s something amiss with the play. Or the audience, for that matter.

Not long ago I went to a play reading, after which the playwright started asking us, the audience, all kinds of questions we couldn’t possibly answer, including: should this play be developed further? If the playwright has to ask the audience that,  there’s something seriously skewed. Actually it was a bit patronizing, because I found it hard to believe the playwright was really leaving that question up to us. At least, I really hope she wasn’t.

I’m keeping Love Disorder a collective singular, but if someone can convince me why it should be otherwise, I’m listening. I suppose.

 

 

 

Just signed the contract to have Love Disorder performed Nov 14-29, at the Kax Stage at Herberger Theater. I’m really excited to have it moved up from May 2015. Next step will be to finalize the director and then auditions. There are three couples, so six parts. total.

References to the “dry heat” and sports mentions of Steve Nash clearly situate the play here in the Phoenix area. At the same time, there is no reason why it could not travel easily to any where in the country with all narrative and humor in tact. Nash was a two time NBA MVP, so he is simply a recognized/beloved sports figure from a particular place, which happens to be Phoenix. As for the weather, it’s familiar cliche about our area.

There is some other sports trivia, which is, well, trivial. So it’s not necessary to understand it really, just to understand that in fact, it is trivial. Glad that’s clear. I’ve long been aware of the reams of sports trivia taking up short and long term memory inside my body, and Love Disorder is just further confirmation. Men may be more likely to get those joke, while the women may get more of a laugh out of the emotional knots the characters tie themselves up.