A
Cyber-Interview With Playwright:
Derrell Owens
Derrell
G. Owens, playwright, director and actor is founder of Zionward
Productions, a theatre company dedicated to producing plays
with strong spiritual and moral content. Mr. Owens' next
play, Sessions in Autumn opens in October. Read more
about Derrell Owens and his cast.
BK:
How long have you been a playwright?
Derrell Owens: I have been writing plays for over
twenty years. I began writing plays while in high school.
I wrote my first play in the 9th grade. The play was titled
"The Class Clown".
BK:
How did you get your start as a playwright?
Derrell Owens: I've often said that I never really
recall deciding to become a playwright. It's something that
has always been a part of me. Playwriting came naturally
to me.
I
had been writing for some time and I was writing simply
because I enjoyed it. Writing was an outlet for me. For
fifteen years I served as the Director of The Alpha &
Omega Drama Ministry and the majority of the plays performed
were original scripts written by me. I began submitting
my work to contests and I began to get recognition. My original
play, "The Family Mantle" won first place in the
18th Annual Drama Competition sponsored by ABC2 and The
Arena Players. The play aired on ABC in February 2001 in
honor of Black History. Winning the contest opened other
doors and I received various awards, Governor's Citations
and grant awards from the Maryland Arts Council.
BK:
Do you write full-time? If not, would you consider
making the leap to writing full-time?
Derrell Owens: I have a full-time job. However, my
desire is to write full-time and I am trusting God to bring
that dream to reality. I write just about everyday. I'm
always writing my next script or outlining ideas for a new
stage play.
BK:
What
are some of the rewards of your job?
Derrell Owens: There
are so many rewards to playwriting. There's the personal
satisfaction of creating a great story. It is rewarding
to have my work recognized and appreciated by the media
and other performing arts organizations. The greatest reward
is when someone tells me that my play has affected them
in a positive way. Often audience members tell me that my
play has helped to change them for the better or my play
has encouraged or inspired them. To me, that is the greatest
compliment.
BK:
Approximately how long does it take you to write
plays?
Derrell Owens: The length of time can vary depending
on what I'm writing about. Generally, I can write a new
play in three to four months. If I'm really inspired about
a storyline I can write the play in a very short time. I
wrote "The Family Mantle" in twenty-five days.
BK:
I read about the New Voices Playwriting Program on your
website. What are the goals of this program?
Derrell Owens: I'm very excited about this program
and I am looking forward implementing it. New Voices Playwriting
Program is designed to educate and instruct young adults
who have an interest in playwriting. The goal is to assist
a young playwright or "new voice" with the entire
process of theatre production. The program will cover areas
such as how to professionally write a script, how to conduct
a stage reading, holding auditions, directing, promotions
and finally the production of the new voice's play.
BK:
If you could give aspiring playwrights three pieces
of advice, what would they be?
Derrell Owens: 1. Be true to yourself. Write stories
that are important to you and that you feel passionate about.
2. Educate yourself. Learn the proper format of playwriting,
attend plays regularly, read plays by other playwrights
and read books about playwriting. 3. Never stop dreaming.
Believe in yourself and believe in your talent. Set goals
and then work toward achieving them. Surround yourself with
positive people.
BK:
What are some of the plays that you've written?
Derrell Owens: Some of the plays I've written are:
"A Call to Freedom", a play about a slave who
hopes to escape the oppression of slavery by running to
the North. "Tryin' Times", a gospel stage play
about an inner city family struggling with the negative
influences of the street. "The Family Mantle",
a play about three brothers who return to the family estate
after their parents are killed in a plane crash. "Out
of the Darkness", a gospel stage play about dating
and marital relationships.
BK:
Your upcoming play? "Sessions in Autumn"
opens in October. Tell us a little about the play.
Derrell Owens: "Sessions in Autumn", is
the first play produced through my new theatre production
company Zionward Productions. The play is a vivid look at
domestic violence and explores the often untold stories
of men as victims of domestic violence.
BK:
I saw your cast on the website. Would you like to
comment on your cast of actors?
Derrell Owens: I
am extremely fortunate to work with such a talented cast.
Many of the actors are seasoned actors who have performed
on television, stage and film. The play is a very emotional
play and the actors give themselves completely to their
roles. Some of the actors are making their theatrical debut.
I'm glad to have the opportunity to work with them now because
they are so talented. I have no doubt that they will have
very successful acting careers.
BK:
Do you perform in your plays?
Derrell Owens: I am an actor as well; however, I
have not performed in my plays. I love to act and have performed
on stage, film and television. Many supporters have asked
if I will be acting again. I'm happy to announce that I
will be returning to the stage in one of my next productions.
BK:
Describe the experience of sitting in a theatre
and watching actors perform what you have written.
Derrell Owens: Wow. It is the most amazing experience.
It is one thing to write words on a page, but to see the
characters come to life on stage is incredible. It's so
surreal because these characters that I've created in my
mind are now standing in front of me talking and walking.
It is a great feeling to see the audience react to the characters
as well.
BK:
Do you have new projects planned? If so, what are
they?
Derrell Owens: Yes, I am currently working on two
new scripts. I am considering touring my next play in different
cities. I will be working with the New Voices Playwriting
Program and I plan to introduce the "Zion Awards",
an annual black tie event honoring and recognizing Christians
in the theatre arts.
BK:
What is your ultimate dream as a playwright?
Derrell Owens: My ultimate dream is to win the Pulitzer
Prize for Drama.
Visit
the website:
Zionward
Productions
"Moving theatre toward Heaven"
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