By Janette Turner

A working theater troupe is always in the process of reinvention. Even our beloved Driftwood Players cannot rest on being the equivalent of a cover band, solely performing chestnuts. But the alternative is to present works too avant-garde and beyond the desires of audiences. The key is to try out new plays in small doses, which our local troupe does with the First Draft program.

My Edmonds News recently checked in with First Draft selected playwright, Brittany Kay Taylor, whose work “The Thing With Feathers,” will be presented in a staged reading on Sept. 30. Here’s a big tip: admission is free. https://www.driftwoodplayers.com/season.aspx

My Edmonds News: What is your play about?

BKT: “The Thing with Feathers” comes from one of my favorite poems by Emily Dickinson: “Hope is the Thing with Feathers.” The play is about a girl named Clara who struggles with night terrors. By going to a psychiatrist, Clara is able to uncover her past, as well as open up and fall in love for the first time. But things are not always as they seem, and the lines of reality and fantasy begin to blur as Clara continues to travel through her memories.

My Edmonds News: Why did you submit your piece to Driftwood Players?

BKT: I found the call for submissions on NYCplaywrights.org and I thought that First Draft would be a great opportunity to develop my play while it’s still in its beginning stages. (Taylor has had two other plays produced elsewhere).

My Edmonds News: What do you hope to get from having Driftwood Players do a staged reading of your play?

BKT: To hear something that you’ve written to be interpreted and read out loud for the first time is a truly magical experience. It’s like having your imagination come to life; what once had only lived in your mind is made flesh. And a good director and actors will always bring more depth and dynamic to a script that I, as the author, could ever take credit for. So I’m very grateful for the opportunity, and I look forward to working with new people and discovering new things.

 My Edmonds News: What part of your play do you like the best?

BKT: Many of the scenes are layered in a way that there is a double meaning that can only be seen in retrospect. I’m curious to see what an audience will pick up on, or what they will walk away with. One of my favorite lines is: “Anything that can make your heart beat faster can create an addiction. It doesn’t matter what it is, pain or pleasure. The more your heart begins to race, the more it begins to run away.”

 My Edmonds News: What should Edmonds audience members give you feedback on?

BKT: What are the kind of things you would say to your best friend on the car ride home? I‘m interested in knowing what you liked, or didn‘t like, and why. But something as simple as “This part really made me laugh” without the need for further explanation, can be just as helpful as a detailed answer.

My Edmonds News: What are your writing aspirations?

BKT: I’ll be attending my first year of grad school this fall to pursue an MFA in play-writing. I hope to be able to write musicals in the future as well. But I’m still very new to the play-writing scene, so I’m happy with taking just one step at a time.

My Edmonds News: Anything else you want folks to know?

BKT: I’m 22 years old. My sophomore year of college I became a musical theatre major at Abilene Christian University, in Abilene TX. Being exposed to the world of theatre is what inspired me to write. I’ve been play-writing for a little over a year, and I’ve had an incredible amount of success within a short amount of time. I’ve had works showcased in Canada, Texas, Oklahoma, New York City, and at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. My recent exposure is what earned me a full ride to the University of Arkansas for an MFA in play-writing. I’m incredibly honored and humbled that my writing has been so well received. Hopefully the people who come out to First Draft will be seeing a lot more of me in the future.