WGI President and Mentor Richard Dresser has a production of his play, “Our Shrinking, Shrinking World” running through May 27 with the New Jersey Repertory Company. Check out our interview with him and how to see the show below!
1.) Tell us about your play, “Our Shrinking, Shrinking World.”
Our Shrinking Shrinking World is about the one shrink in a dying New England mill town who has to confront the threat of a second shrink coming to town. They battle over how to save a struggling couple who seem to hold the future of the human race in their trembling hands.
2.) What was the inspiration for the play?
I wanted to write something about climate change that would not be earnest, preachy, self-important, threatening, dismissive, apocalyptic, incendiary, shrill, hysterical, dense, analytical, relentless, dull, predictable, dismissible, depressing, harrowing, dyspeptic, ponderous, puzzling, or enraged. This play is the result.
3.) Tell us about the journey from idea to finished play.
I wrote this play during the pandemic, and it came out of a feverish marathon of early morning writing sessions. And then there was nothing to do with it with theaters closed. I ended up doing a workshop at Playfest in Durango Colorado, which was hugely productive in figuring out how the play works. Then I did a workshop in West Virginia at the Contemporary American Theater Festival, where I’ve done many plays. It’s always good to see a play early on with different casts to see how different actors approach the material. I sent the play to New Jersey Repertory Theater where I had done another play and they immediately committed to producing it.
4.) Where can people see the play?
People can see the play from May 4 to May 27 at New Jersey Rep in Long Branch on the Jersey shore.
5.) What are you working on next?
I am working on another play, ALL THAT REMAINS, about two couples on a remote island in Maine dealing with what has happened to their lives.
