“Greetings and Salutations!” (Whose quote is that, anyway? Some character used to say that – but who? If you remember, please drop me an e-mail. Oh, nertz – I digress, already… let’s just start over.)
‘Howdy!’ from Burbank, California. I’m writing this from my kitchen table, where I can see the mountains from my window. Halloween’s gone and November’s here, and even in California there’s a palpable cooling in the air.
So… Southern CA. Yeah. I often ask myself: what the heck am I doing here? What is a nice New York playwright like me doing in a place like this?
The facts are simple, even if it’s been a wild ride. I moved here last October after I won a Nickelodeon Writing Fellowship and I worked here for a year writing specs, meeting Nick executives, and learning in-depth about the culture and style of the network. The Fellowship ended last month, but I’m going to be here a bit longer… since I’ve just been hired as a staff writer on the 7th season of Butch Hartman’s hit Nickelodeon show, The Fairly OddParents. (It's a fabulous and funny show which, like all my favorite kids' shows, works on BOTH kid and grown-up levels. If you haven’t seen OddParents – please check it out!)
When I look back at how my life has changed since last year, I get whiplash. A little over a year ago I was a grad student and a playwright in New York City – and before that, a fourth grade teacher. My partner’s a violinist back east; now I only get to see him for two or three days a month. The separation is tough. Whenever I feel alone I go up into the mountains or to the shores of the blue Pacific. (Or to Disneyland.)
Even though I love writing for children’s TV, I haven’t left the theater behind – and there is a LOT of theater in LA. I’ve had the privilege to see some great stuff since I’ve been here, and I’ve also had the opportunity to lend my writing to some strange and unusual events which I hope to document on Extra Criticum.
Moreover: I think theater is all around us, and I hope to be able to write about how theater and performance shows up in some unexpected places. I also have plans to bring my own performance company, Cardium Mechanicum, out here to the west coast soon, even as some other companies are starting to perform my work in California. (Hello, good folks at the Beyond Convention Festival in Fullerton, CA!)
It’s important to me that I live my playwriting life, even as I embark on a TV writing career. How could I not? Truth is, I’ve always been a playwright as long as I can remember. My plays feature vivid, sometimes rhythmic wordplay. My characters are hatchet-wielding Massachusetts murderesses, alligator-faced Presidents, lobster-handed freakshow boys, and dangerous babies with bright blue skin. I am in awe of the power of words and the places where they can bring us, but I recently had a big realization: now that I’m spending so much time writing other people’s voices and characters for TV, I have to make sure I nurture my own voice by staying connected to a community of artists. And that’s why I’m here.
What else can I say by way of introduction? I love (In no particular order): movies, outdoor concerts, giant squid*, yeti & sasquatch, water parks, and beagles. Currently, I’m listening to “Avalanche” (Sufjan Stevens) and "Birth of Surf". I’m fascinated by “Top Chef,” mostly because I rarely cook anything that’s not microwaveable. I’m reading Joe Meno’s novel, “The Boy Detective Fails” (…which is… AMAZING. It has a secret decoder ring in the back! And secret codes on every page!!!) Love it.
I also love that the ‘net allows me to connect with YOU, as a member of the theater community, no matter where we both may be in this far-flung world. I really look forward to sharing my thoughts about theater with you, and to hearing yours. Please feel free to drop me a line anytime. I am just about the worst email correspondent EVER since Al Gore created the internet – but I’m working on that, and I promise to write back as soon as I can.
So… I can’t wait to get started! Next time: “Writing: The Fast and Furious.” All the best to you, and Happy November.
Ed V.
* you’ll see how much I love giant squid if you check out my website, edvalentine.com.
