Silk Road Theatre Project

We recently announced a new and unusual project here at Silk Road–a collaboration with Adler Planetarium, and AT Adler Planetarium–a brand new play only recently titled Dragon/Sky.

Here’s a little window on the making of a new play:

In this case, Adler and SRTP enjoyed long conversations over the course of many months about what a collaboration might be for a live theatre piece in Adler’s newly renovated theatre.  To join the Chicago-wide Year of China (2009), the conversation focused into a play on Chinese astronomy.  SRTP then commissioned Elizabeth Wong, a playwright also under commission for The DNA Trail, and whose play China Doll has received a staged reading at SRTP, to write a new play.

Since last spring, Elizabeth and I have corresponded and shared research on star legends and astronomical history via email between Chicago and her home base in California.  When she came to Chicago in July she visited the Planetarium.  Eventually, an inspiration about video games emerged.  Then came the title: Dragon/Sky. The first time the designers met, we didn’t even have a script.  Such is the life of the new play.

Now we have the first draft.  This week, Elizabeth and director Tom Arvetis and a workshop cast are spending five days reading and listening and talking and re-writing.  All for a play that won’t happen until the summer.

When it’s warm, come out to the Adler, see a dragon, and think: what a long gestation these play-creatures have.