An Ecstasy of Dragonflies runs from May 8 to June 22 at City Lit Theatre, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Tickets are $18-$24; for tickets and more information, call (773) 293-3682 or e-mail www.citylit.org .
Page Hearn has been a part of the Chicago theatre for more than two decades now, which means he started out on the boards as a fetus. Jokes aside, Mr. Hearn is a multi-talented force, embracing with equal fervor acting, directing, adapting classic literary works for the stage, and—most recently—penning original work for City Lit Theatre company, best known for its adaptations and stagings of works by P.G. Wodehouse, Oscar Wilde, and Henry James, among other literary giants. Hearn's new play, An Ecstasy of Dragonflies, bills itself as 'a surreal gay fable about the joys and fears faced by anyone on the verge of commitment.'
It's also the first original work written for the theater company. Although the playwright is reluctant to call this a gay-themed work, it does feature gay characters and is written with an unavoidable gay sensibility and humor.
Both are on display in my interview with Page Hearn, who took time out of his demanding creative schedule to speak with me about the play and its creator.
RR: City Lit Theater Company, of which you are an integral part, has probably become best known around Chicago for its adaptations and stagings of British classic literature. Now, after having survived 23 years, City Lit is producing an entirely new literary work, An Ecstasy of Dragonflies by Page Hearn. How'd that happen?
PH: Well, let's hope it's literary! Back in the '80s and '90s, there were many more people submitting adapted material to City Lit, many of whom have moved to New York or LA, or have shifted careers entirely. Two years ago, the staff (all two of us) had an extended discussion about the feasibility of producing full seasons of new adaptations. In effect, two to three people were trying to produce three new full-length plays per year. And that was on top of the day-to-day business of running a small company. That is exhausting. We decided that we were going to expand to include existing classics and eventually new plays. My play was actually part of a New Plays Reading Series in the autumn of 2001. The Series was set up with the idea of creating a developmental pipeline for new works. We're hoping to feature two to three plays per year in the New Plays Series, one of which would go on to a skeletal production like this one.
RR: Since you wrote Ecstasy, you're in danger of putting yourself in the same league as some of your very distinguished predecessors at City Lit. Any trepidation about that? Do you encourage comparisons?
PH: Much trepidation, and no comparisons please. City Lit actually has a very eclectic history including adaptations of Toni Morrison, Donald Barthelme, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, and many others. While Dragonflies doesn't exactly match the profile of what we've done recently, I hope it'll be judged on its own merits or flaws.
RR: You're sort of a Renaissance man when it comes to theater, having acted, written, directed and God knows what else backstage. What draws you to the theater?
PH: I think it's the storytelling. I've always loved a good story. I also love that everything in a theater is in a constant state of flux. Being tied to a desk doing the same task 40 hours a week would kill me.
RR: Actor, playwright, director. Which one do you like best? Or do you like them all the same, but for different reasons? Why?
PH: Each one has its rewards. Acting and directing are both ultimately interpreting someone else's work. But there is nothing like the rush of creating something from scratch. As a playwright, the first time you hear your words spoken is an experience unlike any other. And the entire experience of having a director, cast, and designers all helping you to tell your story absolutely swells you with joy.
RR: Tell me a little bit about An Ecstasy of Dragonflies. In the press materials, it says something like the focus not being so much on sexual orientation but on commitment as the ultimate life-changing experience. What does that mean to you, both as an artist and as a gay man?
PH: As a writer, I didn't want this to be dismissed as 'just another gay play.' It's also not a coming-out play, as much as a coming-of-age play. The sexuality of the characters is never an issue. The characters are gay because that's the world I know. As for the commitment issue, whether you're straight or gay, there is nothing quite so terrifying or rewarding as completely opening yourself up to another person. As a gay man, coming out was not a huge issue for me. It was a sudden revelation. Finding a life partner was the challenge. I've been in a committed relationship for seven and a half years. To someone who has not had the experience of a long-term relationship, it can seem stifling. I find it's actually quite liberating.
RR: What would you say to convince those who are used to seeing, say, a drawing room comedy of manners to come out and see your play?
PH: It's ultimately very romantic. Who couldn't use a little more romance in their lives?
RR: What keeps your creative fires burning?
PH: People who are open-minded and passionate. The free exchange of ideas and emotions is the essence of growth. If you stop growing, you die.
RR: What douses them?
PH: People who are closed-minded and jaded.
RR: If there's one thought, one theme, one idea that people take away from An Ecstasy of Dragonflies, what would you hope that would be?
PH: For industry folk: Gee, I hope he writes something else. For people not familiar with the gay community: Hey, they're not so different from us. For everyone: Wow, I want that in my life (or I have that).
RR: What's next?
PH: Years ago, I wrote a 40-minute children's show, The Adventures of Jack Rabbit, Private Ear. I'd like to revisit the characters and try to turn it into a full-length, family-friendly musical.
