BWW Interviews: JASON INVISIBLE at Kennedy Center - a Talk with director Rosemary Newcott

Consider Jason.

He is a loner, dealing with the recent death of his mother. Jason knows maneuvering adolescence is no picnic. Dealing with school, making decisions, and managing friendships are just the tip of the iceberg.

On top of the vagaries of being a teenager, Jason has to become the caregiver for his father who thinks Jason is Apollo and must be protected from the Furies. Jason tries to shield his father at all costs and he finds he cannot do it alone. Two sets of friends help him cope with the twists and turns life hurls at him: his new school friends Shelby, Pete and Haze, plus a set of imaginary friends.

How Jason finds the power of friendship to help tackle grown-up problems is explored in Jason Invisible, the new play by Laurie Brooks. Based on the National Book Award-winning novel "Crazy" by Han Nolan, Jason Invisible is a world premiere commission by the Kennedy Center and VSA.

The play is a presentation of Kennedy Center Performances for Young Audiences and features Mark Halpern as Jason. Halpern is joined by an ensemble cast that includes Michael John Casey, Mark Hairston, Susan Lynskey, Rana Kay, Michael V. Sazonov, and Chris Wilson.

Rosemary Newcott directs the production which runs March 23 - April 7, 2013, in the Family Theater at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Newcott returns to the Kennedy Center after staging Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale several seasons ago. Based in Atlanta, Newcott has been associated with the ALLIANCE THEATRE since 1988. She is the director of theatre for youth and families at Alliance, and has directed productions ranging from A Christmas Carol, Real Tweenagers of Atlanta and A Child's Garden of Verses. She also directs the high school playwriting program, Collision Project.

Newcott sat down with Broadway World-DC's Jeffrey Walker to talk about the play's subject matter, the interactive production, and what she hopes the audience will take away from viewing the performance.

JEFFREY WALKER: What brought you back to the Kennedy Center for Jason Invisible?

ROSEMARY NEWCOTT: Laurie Brooks was commissioned by the Kennedy Center to adapt the book into a play. We knew each other and had worked together before and she asked if I would be willing to direct this piece.

You work in theatre for young audiences and this play deals with the early teen years. Do you find that is age group poses challenges?

Yes, this age in particular, because they are kind of the 'tweenagers,' they are not quite in high school yet. I think that is a really challenging place to be as a person. One of the things that beautiful about this piece is that it really empowers that age group; it really gives them a voice.

This young man, Jason, is going through something really challenging because his father is not well and he does not have a mother either. He really is taking on a huge adult burden.

I would think this play would appeal to the 'tweens,' as you say. But they can be a tough crowd.

This age group is the most challenging. At Alliance, the middle school age group is the one I work hardest to reach. A lot of the kids in middle school are very funny, they say funny things. I think they will appreciate the wacky humor of the imaginary friends.

I think they will also appreciate that they are not being talked down to and they will respect that. I find that they have a lot to say, but people don't ask them or it's challenging to get it from them, but they do have ideas and thoughts they want to express.

How will the play allow the audience to interact with the actors?

This play has a forum imbedded in it. There is actually a time at the end of the play when the audience is asked to weigh in on some subjects, particularly about what happens between two of the characters; Jason feels betrayed by one of his friends. That's part of the question and answer section, to see what people feel about that. I can't wait to hear what they have to say.

Being invisible, a loner, is something a lot of young people go through.

The concept of feeling invisible is not just restricted to someone who is having issues; I think it's something everybody can relate too. But especially the [in between] years, when sometimes people treat you like a child and other times you are expected to act like an adult, it's a little difficult to know to behave. Trying to be appropriate but also trying to be yourself can be very challenging. The play addresses a lot of that.

The play shows Jason interacting with his imaginary friends. Does the fact that he talks to these fantasy people worry him?

One of the imaginary friends even says to Jason, "It's OK, you know we're imaginary." But it is a quandary that Jason has. He is a little bit worried about whether he will become like his father. And he has a lot of stress and responsibility and he can't even drive yet. And here he is, thinking he's going to sneak his dad under the radar, because he's just petrified that his dad would be sent to a state mental institution, and that he would lose everybody.

He does get help, correct?

It does work out for him. He finds the help and he's got good friends. Jason also comes across professional adults who are also kind and helpful. And I think that is a good thing for kids to see when they watch the show. The concept of turning for help is something that I think is important. From a situation like this, to a bullying situation, there are people who will listen to you and you don't have to be alone or afraid.

How would you describe the style of the production?

I call it a kind of heightened realism; it's not a drama either. It's really a slice of life realism is the best way to talk about it. It's very cinematic - you are sort of inside and outside Jason's mind all the time. Misha Kachman, the set designer, really created an accessible set - I know I want to go play on it.

It really is the story that's told by Jason, everything is presented from his perspective. We hope from place to place, and time to time. The actors who play the imaginary friends also play the real friends and they morph right in front of you, all the time.

We're going to break the fourth wall as much as we can. Jason talks to the audience from the very beginning of the show.

See information below about the Sensory-friendly performance at 11 am on April 6, 2013.

One of the performances of Jason Invisible will be adjusted to make it sensory-friendly, to accommodate audience members on the autism spectrum. What are your thoughts on this performance and how will it differ?

I love that they are doing this performance. I think it's an area that has not been dealt with very much and I'm very proud of the Kennedy Center for offering it. The Kennedy Center and VSA - they have an incredible connection.

They will have to adjust quite a bit, I think, especially the sound and the light levels. I hope I can get back to see it.

Having TSA working with the Kennedy Center for this production - how did you benefit from that relationship?

We were able to connect with resources from the very beginning. We met with a woman who was recovering from schizophrenia, and we talked to people from different organizations. They came into rehearsal so that we would be honoring the behavior of the father. It was just fantastic so that we could respect the world we were portraying.

This is a fantastic thing for actors or for any of us to enter into this world. That's what theatre does: we walk in somebody else's shoes and find out they are not so different.

What do you hope audiences take away from seeing Jason Invisible?

I hope they take away that young people have an awful lot to offer us in terms of how they feel and how they think and that we should pay attention. I hope there is little sense of understanding of mental illness in people's lives, because I think it's a very real issue in many people's lives. It validates the importance of friendship and the power of family ties. I think it does all those things.

JASON INVISIBLE

Kennedy Center Performances for Young Audiences

A world premiere play by Laurie Brooks, based on the novel "Crazy" by Han Nolan.

March 23 - April 7, 2013

The Kennedy Center Family Theater, 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC20566

Directed by Rosemary Newcott. Costume designer: LeVonne Lindsay; set designer: Misha Kachman; sound designer: Christopher Baine; lighting designer: Kyle Grant; composer: Ryan MacKenzie Lewis.

Cast: Michael John Casey, Mark Hairston, Mark Halpern, Susan Lynskey, Rana Kay, Michael V. Sazonov, and Chris Wilson.

Tickets and More information? Go here.

Or call 800-444-1324 or 202-467-4600.

Note: The 11 a.m. performance of JASON INVISIBLE on Sat., April 6 is Sensory-Friendly.

Sensory-Friendly Performances are designed to create a theater experience that is welcoming to all families with children on the autism spectrum or with other disabilities that create sensory sensitivities. Accommodations for these performances include:

* Lower volume and consistent sound levels (no jarring sounds);

* Lights remaining at a low level in the theater during the performance;

* A reduction of strobe lighting focused on the audience;

* An understanding that patrons are free to talk and leave their seats during the performance;

* Short performance times, lasting 60-75 minutes with no intermission;

* Designated quiet areas within the theater;

* Space throughout the theater for standing and movement;

* Smaller crowds and a limited number of visitors at the KennedyCenter during the day and timing of the performance; and

* Trained KennedyCenter staff members who are inviting and accommodating to families' needs.

Families will also have access to resource materials to prepare for their visit. Please contact the Accessibility Office at 202-416-8727 (voice/relay) or access@kennedy-center.org for more information.

PHOTO CREDITS: Logo/Swedian Lie; Rosemary Newcott/Courtesy of Kennedy Center

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