Nathan Johnson, playwright for our upcoming staged reading of The Dummies Guide to Murdering Your Husband was kind enough to tackle some questions via email from our Co-Artistic Director, and director for this reading, Katie Jones!
Keep reading for an exploration of what makes Nathan tick, his mentors along the way, and his advice to you aspiring playwrights out there. Most importantly, be sure to grab your tickets for the staged reading of The Dummies Guide to Murdering Your Husband, premiering January 26th & 27th at 7:30pm at 35below!
Katie Jones (K.J.): When did you begin writing plays and what inspired you to get started?
Nathan Johnson (N.J.): I've been writing plays, stories, and songs for as long as I can remember. It was always something I did for fun and joy, not something I took very seriously. In 2020, when so many of us were evaluating our lives, I thought about where I was and where I wanted to be and all I could keep thinking of were the countless notebooks full of stories, story ideas, and characters that lined my shelves. Then I remembered being prompted to write plays in 1995 or 1996 by John Simon, the theatre critic for the New Yorker, and his wife Pat Hoag Simon who was instrumental in the discovery and early development of Steel Magnolias. From there, I started writing every day, I took classes with industry greats like Jeffrey Sweet and Marsha Norman, and benefited from the mentorship of Charles Busch, Julie Halston, Orfeh, Pat Hoag Simon, Penny Templeton, Donja R. Love, and others who saw enough in me to offer their guidance.
K.J.: Who are some of your favorite playwrights and why?
N.J.:Charles Busch for his technical skill, uniqueness, humor, and how deeply layered his work is. Lucas Hanth for his amazing ability with dialogue and use of the unexpected. David Lindsay-Abaire for the magical way he gets right to the heart of things. Donja R. Love for his unabashed honesty and his use of the absurd. Samuel D. Hunter for the fascinating ways he builds his plays. Of course, all of them are brilliant writers, but those special aspects put them over the top for me.
K.J.: What, in your opinion, are some defining characteristics about your writing?
N.J.: I was actually thinking about this the other day. On their own, my four (complete) plays are all wildly different — two thrillers, a farce, and one family drama. Even the style I write them in varies. But what they have in common is a focus on relationships in points of high conflict. I think there is also some element of a person stepping into themselves and living to their true potential. I write what I would want to see. Also, every play has been written out of a need, some for political/social activism and some to bring people something we don't get enough of these days: laughter.
K.J.: Are you involved in any aspects of theatre aside from writing? If so, can you tell us about those things?
N.J.: I have a Masters in Acting from Columbia University. I’ve spent a good amount of time on the stage and screen. Almost all of the plays I write have a role for me. Alongside the writing and acting, I've had a long career doing makeup for stage and screen talent. Some of my most notable clients are Paul McCartney, Liza Minnelli, Lea Michele, Paula Abdul. I was also an on-air artist for two seasons of Project Runway.
K.J.: How has your experience working with The Magnetic been so far?
N.J.: So far, the focus has been dramaturgy and I have found it to be wonderfully insightful. Many changes have been made to the script and the seeds for more have been planted. Last night we had our first cast read through and the meat and potatoes process is set to begin tonight. The knowledge and perspective of Katie Jones, the director/dramaturg and co-artistic director of The Magnetic, is invaluable. She has a brilliant way of making me see things I hadn't seen before and I know her unique perspective and skill are going to push the play to a whole new level. In fact, I am enjoying this so much....I plan on talking her and Jessica Johnson (co-artistic Director) into letting me come back this summer to work on a THRILLER! Come on, let me come back!
K.J.: What inspired you to write The Dummies Guide to Murdering Your Husband in particular?
N.J.: Laughter. My goal was to write a play that brought people joy. A ridiculous romp with vivid characters. Interestingly, until Dummies Guide, all of my plays were dramas/thrillers and my friends kept asking why I wasn't writing comedies. I told them I didn't write comedy because I wasn't funny. I wrote this to shut them up.
K.J.: What should audiences coming to see the reading of Dummies Guide expect?
N.J.: They should expect to have fun. It's a ridiculous play that gets more and more ridiculous as each scene progresses. My hope would be that it sparks joy. I mean, it's two gays, alone in the woods scheming to murder one another, and everything goes wrong! What's not to love?
K.J.: If you could say anything to an aspiring playwright, what would it be?
N.J.: I'd say: write everyday. If there are gaps in your knowledge, whether it be structure, plot, dialogue — find teachers/mentors who can help you grow. But, I would say this above all else: start writing and write until you can type END OF PLAY. Don't go back and keep editing, it will hold you back and often cause you to quit. If you have big ideas or changes, keep notes, then when it's done go back and make adjustments. A great play is born in the rewrites but too many doom themselves before they can get to that stage. Lastly, for those who want to write an autobiographical play or one based on a real life situation, remember this gem: just because that's how it happened doesn't make it interesting for the stage. Find the angle, find the arc, find the journey and the conflict...that's when it turns from a situation or anecdote to drama.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful answers, Cara! We can’t wait to see your work. But a staged reading needs YOU, dear audience member! After the reading, we will ask for audience feedback to make Paying For It the best it can be. So, be sure to grab your tickets and enjoy being a part of play development here in WNC!