10 Jan Boni Alvarez Artist Talk

A chat with Emmylu playwright

Boni B. Alvarez

On Monday and Tuesday next week (January 13 & 14) we have a chance to hear Boni B. Alvarez’s newest in-development piece Emmylu as it explores Trumpism among immigrants of color.

Want to hear Emmylu? Reserve your Pay What You Can seat now. 

When did you write your first play? What was it about & how do you feel about it now?

I wrote my first play in undergrad.  It was about a young Filipino-American man and his partner and they adopt his niece from the Philippines.  I don’t have a copy of it, but reflecting back on it, I’m sure it was messy.  Angels in America was playing on Broadway at the time and of course it rocked my world.  I was trying to emulate Tony Kushner.

Do you have an established writing process or do you approach each project differently?

Each play is different.  Sometimes, there’s a lot of research.  Sometimes, I carry the kernel of an idea around for months or even years, just thinking about it and then the first draft comes out quickly.  Other times, I can write my way into a play – starting with the setting or a character and discover the play along the way.  Once a first draft exists, the process is pretty similar: develop the play everywhere I can with really smart artists – directors, actors, dramaturgs, producers, etc.

What has been your most ambitious undertaking as an artist?

Surprisingly, I think it’s teaching.  I initially sought out positions largely as a day job, but it’s turned into so much more than that.  There’s a large responsibility in nurturing and guiding burgeoning artists; the health and vitality of our industry depends on it.  I’ve learned so much about my own work through teaching – how to dial into objectivity, how to unearth and champion an artist’s voice, what requires inspiration and what can be remedied by craft.

          Which other playwrights have inspired you?

Chekhov.  Lorca.  Tennessee Williams.  There are so many.  I’m inspired by the playwrights in the various circles I’m a part of.  It’s important for me to be in dialogue with other playwrights who are actively generating new work.

What was your catalyst for writing Emmylu?

I’ve always admired really good political plays, but they’ve never been in my wheelhouse.  After the elections in 2016, I thought maybe it was time for me to take on the challenge, but I didn’t know what to write about.  I always keep my eyes peeled for Filipino stories, how Filipinos figure into the American landscape.  When I read about the 2017 Las Vegas shooter’s girlfriend being Filipina, I found a way into a political play.

What are you hoping to learn from Emmylu appearing in the Rough Reading Series?

I’m curious about how the play lands on the audience.  Not to make any assumptions, but I want to see how a left-leaning audience takes in Trumpian characters and if there is any empathy to be had.

What do you want audiences to take away from your work?

I don’t tend to offer solutions in the way my plays wrap up.  I know this can frustrate some audiences, but it’s my intention to present characters dealing with issues and situations from different vantage points and lenses.  I want the audience to think about the way people have to negotiate their specific set of given circumstances.  It’s great if audiences can relate to them, empathize, or at the very least, find a way to understand.

About Boni B. Alvarez

Boni B. Alvarez is a Los Angeles-based playwright-actor and a native of the SF Bay Area. His plays include America Adjacent, Bloodletting, Fixed, Nicky, Dallas Non-Stop, Dusty de los Santos, Driven, and Ruby, Tragically Rotund.  His plays have been produced at Center Theatre Group – Kirk Douglas Theatre, Echo Theater Company, Coeurage Theatre Company, Skylight Theatre Company, Theatre Rhinoceros, and Playwrights’ Arena.  He has been a Finalist for the PEN Center USA Literary Award, Aurora Theatre’s Global Age Project, and Clubbed Thumb’s Biennial Commission. He is currently in Skylight Theatre’s PlayLab and Geffen Playhouse Writers’ Room.  He is an Adjunct Lecturer at USC and a Resident Playwright of New Dramatists.