`I`m. . . Marsha Norman`

‘I’m. . . Marsha Norman’
Behind the Scenes with the
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Playwright
by David S. Thompson
Porfirio Solorzano
Among the joys of serving as SETC’s President-Elect and program chair for
the annual convention is proposing a recipient for the Distinguished Career
Award. When I mentioned early in the process that my first choice -- indeed my
only choice -- was Marsha Norman, I received unanimous agreement. Having
the opportunity to honor a grand figure of the theatre and simultaneously greet
Marsha Norman shares advice on playwriting during
her address at the 2007 SETC Convention.
U
someone I now call a friend provided a wonderful personal cap to a year of
convention planning.
Upon learning that Marsha Norman is an
find Marsha, a member of both the Class
dinner with Marsha in May 2005. We met at
acquaintance, people will sometimes ask
of 1969 and the current board of trustees,
Hurley’s in New York across the street from
the standard celebrity question, “What’s
waiting patiently. I was horrified that I
the Walter Kerr Theatre. Using her tickets
she like?” I am always careful to avoid
had kept her waiting; she was not at all
as a Tony voter, she had agreed to take
saying that she’s just folk or regular people
concerned.
me to see Doubt; I had agreed to arrange
or just like you and me. Plainly someone
Similarly, I happened to see her enter
dinner. We had a table in the second floor
who has earned the Pulitzer Prize and the
and approach the door at an alumnae
window overlooking 48th Street. She was
Tony Award, among other honors, is not
gathering in New York where she was the
in meetings about the Broadway-bound
just like the rest of us.
guest of honor. She had made her way to a
musical version of The Color Purple, for
However, while Marsha occupies an
downstairs room at Trattoria Dell’Arte for
which she had written the libretto. As we
enviable position in the theatre community,
the event during a rehearsal break of her
consumed drinks and an oversized steak
she remains connected to the rest of the
play Last Dance at the nearby Manhattan
each, she talked about having just met
world. She is both a keen observer and
Theatre Club. The event organizer at the
with “Jimmy” (James Nederlander Jr., the
a willing participant. She is personally
door did not recognize the guest of honor
Broadway theatre owner and producer)
unpretentious but as SETC members
and greeted her with the standard non-
about possible theatre spaces. It looked
witnessed in her convention keynote
committal opening, “May I help you?”
as if prime locations were available, she
address (you can read her remarks online at
Her reply was simple and humble, “I’m…
said, including the Broadway (the eventual
www.setc.org) and in her banquet remarks,
Marsha Norman.”
choice) next to David Letterman’s home at
she is an accomplished public speaker and
Each year for the last eight years, I’ve
the Ed Sullivan Theatre. The conversation
a forceful theatre professional.
made annual treks to New York to watch
flowed into talk about teaching, students,
When I first met Marsha in 2000 we were
the year’s crop of Broadway plays and
favorite theatre, home repairs and a million
at a reception for graduating students at the
write my annual “Tony Tour” predictions
other things.
school where I teach, Agnes Scott College. I
and related Broadway stories. During the
was chatting with one of the parents when
last couple years of those trips, Marsha
Convention in Atlanta. After exchanging
a staffer mistakenly sensed a lull in my
and I have solidified our friendship.
greetings with Marsha on Saturday
conversation and interrupted, saying that
We’ve met to see plays, eat dinner and
morning before her keynote address, I
she wanted to introduce me to someone I
talk. (Even when we cannot meet, the e-
wanted to catch up on what was happening
would enjoy meeting. I took a few minutes
mail conversations are delightful.) One of
with audiences for The Color Purple. “Has
to finish my conversation before turning to
my favorite theatrical memories involves
it turned the corner?” I asked, referring
10
Fast forward a couple years to the SETC
KEYNOTE
A d d r e s s
to a Broadway-wide slump in ticket
plays. Convention attendees will recall that
sales caused by waves of brutal winter
Marsha asserted that playwrights can be
weather. She said that the show had not
taught what an audience expects and how
only survived but thrived. With the news
to write scenes that are useful in plays. She
that American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino
went on to explain that what some might
would join the cast in the lead role of Celie,
consider “rules” are actually useful and
the company recorded its third highest day
reliable techniques for completing a variety
at the box office and began an upswing in
of writing assignments.
• Born in Louisville, KY
sales. A month after the convention, when
the new leading lady premiered on April
in her creation of The Color Purple because
• Bachelor of Arts,
Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA
10, an e-mail from Marsha confirmed the
there was little time to waste. At the point
company’s faith in the popular singer as a
when producer Scott Sanders and members
well-rounded performer.
of his production team at Creative Battery
“Fantasia was fantastic last night,” raved
selected Marsha to pen the book, the
Marsha. “Never seen anything like it, really.
creative process behind The Color Purple
• Two children
So moving and powerful. And it wasn’t
was already several years in the making.
the singing that put the audience out of
The producers had been presented with a
Plays include:
their minds. It was the acting. [Director]
script by another writer, but determined
Gary Griffin gets a million gold stars for
that it would not work. They sought a
convincing her she could do it.”
playwright with experience who could
At the SETC Convention, I found
produce a strongly structured script
myself thinking of Marsha’s work on The
that could also convey the spirit of Alice
Color Purple as she talked in her keynote
Walker’s novel.
address about keys to success in writing
Following her own advice was critical
After hiring Marsha in early 2004, the
Marsha Norman:
2007 SETC Distinguished
Career Award Winner
Personal:
• Master of Arts,
University of Louisville (KY)
• Lives in New York and Long Island
• Getting Out
• ‘night, Mother (1983 Pulitzer
Prize)
• The Secret Garden, (1991 Tony Award, Best Book of a Musical; Drama Desk Award, Best Book of a Musical)
• The Color Purple (musical
version)
• Currently librettist for Princess Caraboo, a new musical in
development
Screenwriting credits include:
• Audrey Hepburn (ABC) starring Jennifer Love Hewitt
• Custody of the Heart (Lifetime) starring Lorraine Braco
• Law and Order: Criminal Intent (NBC)
Porfirio Solorzano
Novel:
• The Fortune Teller
Interesting fact:
As President-Elect at the Atlanta convention, David Thompson (right) provides the
introduction for Marsha Norman (left) at her keynote address. Read her address in full on the
SETC website at www.setc.org.
Alice Walker won the Pulitzer Prize
for Fiction for The Color Purple on
the same day that Marsha Norman
won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for
‘night, Mother.
11
producers made few adjustments to the
“The Color Purple is a sexy, funny
of alternating scenes between Africa and
schedule of readings, rehearsals, workshops
story,” Norman said in an interview that
Georgia, choosing to build the effect of
and an out-of-town tryout slated for the
appears on the website for the Broadway
Africa to a more singular moment.
remainder of the year, pressing ahead with
production. “The people in it are alive at the
a planned premiere at the Alliance Theatre
absolute limit of their existence. If they are
outward confidence, Marsha suffers from
in Atlanta in September 2004. As a result,
mad, they are really mad. If they are sad,
the same jitters as the rest of us. At the
Marsha had only a few weeks to adapt one
that anguish is there, that loss is there. If
opening night of the regional tryout at
of America’s most cherished novels and
they are joyful, they are just going to walk
Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre, the performance
deliver a draft to the production team.
around the stage shouting.”
was going very well and the audience was
Part of what made this task manageable
Porfirio Solorzano
was that Marsha loved the material.
Marsha Norman signs autographs after her
keynote speech.
12
Despite her many awards and her
Another factor in her success with the
responding enthusiastically. I saw Marsha
play was Marsha’s keen analysis. She
in the lobby at intermission and noticed
quickly realized that she did not have to
that she was not standing near anyone. I
remain faithful to the original novel, but only
sauntered over and asked if she had been
had to create an experience that was faithful
watching.
to the spirit of the book. She also noted that
the placement of songs versus dialogue was
watch a scene and then I’ll come out to the
a key component. Jubilant moments create
lobby.”
“Here and there,” she replied. “I’ll
obvious musical opportunities. However,
She had little reason to fear. The evening
Marsha solved problems of seeming
ended with Alice Walker coming on stage to
passivity or reflective introspection by
take a bow and offer her own applause. The
crafting such scenes as songs. She also
show opened on Broadway on December 1,
found ways of keeping Celie’s sister Nettie
2005 and won a Tony nomination for Best
in the minds of audiences through selective
Book of a Musical in 2006.
references. Plus she avoided the problem
As much impact as Marsha has had
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13
30
already on today’s theatrical world, she
may be a bit more familiar. Auburn has
possible. During interviews prior to the
will continue to leave her mark for years
written a number of plays, including the
play’s 2006 Tony-nominated Broadway
to come – through her roles as a vice
adaptation of the late Jonathan Larson’s
run, he generously offered credit to his
president of the Dramatists Guild and
tick…tick...BOOM! However, he is best
mentor.
as a teacher of playwriting. Along with
known for Proof, winner of the 2001 Pulitzer
Christopher Durang (SETC’s Distinguished
Prize and a Tony Award.
“grandmother” to a Pulitzer winner. In
Career Award recipient in 2004), she chairs
Lindsay-Abaire has written a number
addition to receiving both a Pulitzer
the playwriting program at the Juilliard
of wonderful works, including Kimberly
and a Tony herself, she also has the rare
School. In 2004, she and Durang received
Akimbo and last year’s Tony-nominated
accomplishment of mentoring a Tony
the prestigious Margo Jones Award for their
Rabbit Hole. As I was finishing this article,
winner and two Pulitzer winners.
continuing impact on playwriting and their
word came in that he had won the 2007
lifetime commitments to theatre.
Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Rabbit Hole.
– but she does share the same passions as
many of us in SETC.
And what a “continuing impact” they
“… great about David, great great
So now, Marsha Norman is a two-time
No, Marsha is not just like the rest of us
have had! If you don’t know the names
great!!!!!!!” Marsha enthused in an e-mail.
Daphne Greaves, Tanya Barfield, Brian
What she didn’t say is that Lindsay-
best thing in my life, next to talking to my
‘Teaching people to write plays is the
Tucker and Darren Canady, you soon
Abaire’s inspiration for the play was a
children,” Marsha told her SETC audience.
will. They are all products of the Juilliard
direct result of a suggestion she made
“I am pleased to be here with a group of
playwriting program. Among them they
during a playwriting class at the Juilliard
people who believe as I do, that theatre is
have received numerous grants and
School. Marsha had told her students that a
essential in our lives, and that teaching it
awards, won many new play contests,
play built around one’s greatest fear would
will help them say what it has felt like to
received prominent commissions and had
likely have tremendous emotional impact
be alive in their time.” n
works published.
and resonance. Lindsay-Abaire thought
The names David Lindsay-Abaire and
that the death of a couple’s child would
David Auburn, also alumni of Juilliard,
surely be the most frightening occurrence
David S. Thompson, SETC President, is associate
professor and chair of the Department of Theatre
and Dance at Agnes Scott College in Atlanta.
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