BWW Interviews: Playwright Emily Freeman AND THEN CAME TANGO at The Growing Stage

AND THEN CAME TANGO is a new play that is having its World Premiere at The Growing Stage, The Children's Theatre of New Jersey. The show opens March 6th and runs through March 29th. Broadwayworld.com had the opportunity to interview playwright, Emily Freeman about her career and the upcoming show.

Emily Freeman is the Community Engagement Director at Orlando Repertory Theatre, a professional theatre for young audiences in Orlando, FL. She received her MFA in Drama and Theatre for Youth Communities from the University of Texas at Austin. She received her B.A. in Theatre from Northwestern University. Emily has worked at Adventure Stage Chicago, John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Imagination Stage, and Asolo Repertory Theatre. Emily has taught as an Adjunct Faculty member at the University of Central Florida and Seminole State College. Emily is an applied theatre artist, director, produced playwright, and educator. Her play AND THEN CAME TANGO received the Outstanding Theatre for Young Audiences Award from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Her MFA thesis won both the American Alliance for Theatre and Education's Outstanding Thesis Award and The University of Texas at Austin's Outstanding Thesis Award. Emily serves on the American Alliance for Theatre and Education (AATE) Board of Directors and is a member of the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE), and TYA/USA.

AND THEN CAME TANGO tells the story of a 10 year-old girl, Lily who forms a friendship with the zookeeper of the penguin exhibit at the Central Park Zoo after participating in a summer enrichment program. Together they experience the reaction of the community when two male penguins establish a bond and incubate an unclaimed egg. Inspired by a true story, it is a tender story that celebrates both tolerance and the inherent desire of one generation to foster the growth of the next. The production is a non-musical that is enhanced through modern dance in bringing the penguins to life.

We asked Freeman about her earliest interest in writing. "Before, AND THEN CAME TANGO, I didn't define myself as a playwright. Most of my writing experiences existed in community-based work. As an applied theatre artist, I enter a new project as a collaborator and co-writer, exploring a theme, space, question, or challenge with an ensemble. AND THEN CAME TANGO was first developed with a group of actors and since then, working with multiple casts and collaborators, the play has developed over time. I love spending time writing on my own, but embodied and collaborative processes are where I prefer to create."

Freeman told us how teaching compliments her career as a writer. "Since I enjoy writing for young people, it is wonderful to be in a job that gives me a chance to work directly with my intended audience. As the Community Engagement Director at Orlando Repertory Theatre, I get to connect with young people in schools, through community groups and organizations, in addition to collaborating with young people through devising and playmaking processes. Listening to young people about their lives, experiences, challenges, and joys provides invaluable insights for connecting with them through art as well."

Freeman believes AND THEN CAME TANGO will appeal to a broad audience. "Throughout the play, the definition of family is extended beyond normative representations. Family is an entire colony of penguins, a young girl and her single mom, a zookeeper and the animals he tends, and two male penguins and their adopted egg. As these family structures are threatened in the play, we learn the power of voicing your opinions and standing up for your beliefs, no matter how old you are. I hope that families will discuss and celebrate their own family structure after seeing the play. I also hope that young people will connect to the young protagonist, Lily. She stands up for what she believes in and proves that young people have important things to say."

Freeman told us a little about her experience working with The Growing Stage. "Working with The Growing Stage has been an absolute pleasure. From the moment AND THEN CAME TANGO was selected for the festival, I've learned more about the play and the characters. I loved hearing from the audience during the New Play Festival last spring. Since then, the play has developed further. It will be such an exciting experience to see the next iteration at The Growing Stage in a couple of weeks."

Freeman shared some information about her upcoming projects. "My next community-based project I want to develop at The REP is an intergenerational storytelling project. I'm hoping that will also inform the next play I'd like to develop called TIDE POOLS that explores memory."

When we asked Freeman if there was anything else she wanted Broadwayworld.com readers to know. "I hope they enjoy the play!"

AND THEN CAME TANGO will be at The Growing Stage, The Children's Theatre of New Jersey from March 6th through March 29th. The theatre is located at 7 Ledgewood Avenue, Netcong, New Jersey 07857. For ticketing and information, call (973) 347-4946 or visit www.growingstage.com.

Photo Credit: Barbara Diaz

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