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    GCAC Presents: The Making of GLUE

    (l to r) Elena M. Perantoni, Jordan Fehr, Michelle G. Schroeder, and Acacia Duncan work on a moment for Available Light Theatre's "Glue." Photo by Dave Wallingford.

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    Nov. 2009 – Michelle Whited and I are driving to Ikea to buy set-pieces. On the way we discuss some ideas I have for shows and she comes up with the name “Glue.”

    Jul. 17, 2013 – We’ve been thinking about this show for so long that we have an overwhelming flood of ideas. Leigh Householder (sometimes known as AdverGirl) helps us to excavate our brains. We cover the walls with stories, quotations, lists, song lyrics, and theories.

    Jul. 31 – The Available Light company meets to unveil our homework. We’ve each chosen an assignment from Miranda July’s book/website “Learning to Love You More.” I share my life-story; Ian’s taken photos under his bed; Drew’s written a funny and moving letter to his 23-year-old self.

    Aug. 14 – We begin creating moments that may or may not end up in the show. We’re trying to get past the dominance of words. We focus on instances of interaction, physicality, and change. I make notes on 3×5 cards.

    Aug. 29 – I’m being interviewed for American Theatre magazine (Look for us in the November issue!) and talking about all the things that might be in the show, given that we don’t have a script yet. Amelia, the A.T. writer, asks if we’ve talked about friendships that evolve into romance. Amazingly, we haven’t. I make a note of it.

    Sep. 11 – The company is sharing more homework. Each of us has interviewed a “best” friend about how our friendships became significant, lasting, and true. As we read aloud to each other, we scribble down our favorite quotations. By the end of three-hours, we have 100 new cards.

    (l to r) Elena M. Perantoni, Acacia Duncan, Michelle G. Schroeder, and Jordan Fehr work on a moment for Available Light Theatre's "Glue." Photo by Dave Wallingford.

    Oct. 13 – The first draft of the script is due in two days. I have a huge stack of notecards collected over the past three months, and a computer full of scenes, quotations, one-liners, stray thoughts, and vague impressions. I have a the skeleton of a story, with a solid beginning and a great ending. I spread everything out on the floor to figure out what fits in the middle.

    Oct. 19 – We meet at the library to conduct visual research. We’re looking for images of friends and friendship in photos, paintings, advertisements, children’s books, and graphic novels. These images will be become the basis for movement in the show.

    Oct. 24 – I’m heading to the Muppet-infested home of Phil Cogley AKA The Saturday Giant with a copy of “Our Band Could Be Your Life.” Really, the book is an excuse to see him so I can ask permission to use one of his songs. We’ve collaborated with Phil before, so I don’t think he’ll turn us down. But it’s a big favor to ask, and I’ve got too much respect for the guy not to be nervous about it. (He said yes. Yes!)

    (l to r) Elena M. Perantoni, Acacia Duncan, Michelle G. Schroeder, and Jordan Fehr work on a moment for Available Light Theatre's "Glue." Photo by Dave Wallingford.

    “Glue,” created by Available Light and directed by Matt Slaybaugh, opens November 14 at MadLab, 227 N. 3rd Street. Showtimes are 8pm, Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 14-16 and Nov. 21-23, and 2pm on Sunday, Nov. 17.

    Tickets: $20 in advance, with a limited number of Pay What You Want tickets available at the door. For tickets and more info visit avltheatre.com or call 614-558-7408.

    GCAC Presents is a bi-weekly column brought to you by the Greater Columbus Arts Council – supporting art and advancing culture in Columbus – in partnership with the Columbus Arts Marketing Association, a professional development and networking association of arts marketers. Each column will be written by a different local arts organization to give you an insiders look at the arts in Columbus.

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