Last week I had a reading of the first draft of a play I am working on, currently called Caught in the Pulpit, based on interviews with non-believing clergy. The interviews were part of a study by Daniel C. Dennett and Linda LaScola, and they published a book (Caught in the Pulpit: Leaving Belief Behind) about their research.
I have spent many hours, days, months over the past year poring over original transcripts, identifying possible characters, themes, scenes. The amazing and generous cast of 11 actors who read for the small group of invited listeners brought these clergy to life splendidly. Now the hard part begins: the next draft. It is fascinating material and I am grateful to be working on it. I feel a great responsibility to Dan, Linda and the interview subjects to do their stories justice.
Here's a piece that Linda wrote about the reading, and about the play's development.