Columbia City Paper

Playwright George Brant holds an MFA from the James A. Michener Center for Writers in Austin, Texas.  His scripts have been produced in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Austin.  His most recent play, “Elephant’s Graveyard,” received the David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award from the Kennedy Center and the Keene Prize for Literature.  The professional premier of “Elephant’s Graveyard” opens at Trustus Theatre on May 1, with a scheduled production run of May 1-23.  Brant currently resides in Providence, Rhode Island.

(1)  If your current production were an animal, what would it be?

GB:  I’ll assume that’s a trick question and say monkey.

(2)  What’s your favorite character in any play?

GB:  Have to go with Shakespeare: a three-way tie between Hamlet, King Lear and Richard II.
 
(3)  If you could climb into a time machine and see any play ever produced, what would it be?

GB:  “Hamlet.”  I’d love to see how it was originally received.  Were people blown away, or did they leave muttering, “Not as good as his last one”?

(4)  What would it take to get you naked on stage?  (Keep in mind that our interviewers never carry more than $50 cash at any one time.)

GB:  Funny you should ask; that’s actually how I’m planning on conducting the post-show Q&A at Trustus.

(5)  What live theatrical production most changed your life?

GB:  Seeing a high school production of “My Fair Lady” when I was 10.  Those people were gods.

 (6)  Put in order from favorite to least favorite:  Shakespeare, Eugene O’Neill, Sophocles, Arthur Miller, Neil Simon, Julie Taymor.

GB:  I may have already tipped my hand:  Shakespeare, Arthur Miller, Eugene O’Neill, Sophocles, Julie Taymor, Neil Simon.

(7)  Drug or relaxant of choice?

GB:  Sleep.

(8)  What Columbia theater has the most comfortable seats?

GB:  Trustus.

(9)  What’s your favorite curse word?

GB:  Motherflipper.  Or monkeyfeather.

(10)  Does this questionnaire make you feel like using your favorite curse word?

GB:  Everything makes me want to say motherflipper.

(11)  ** BONUS QUESTION ** Anything else to say?

GB:  I’d like to thank Trustus for taking a chance with “Elephant’s Graveyard.”  There were other theaters that liked the play, but they were ultimately intimidated by the size and subject matter.  But Trustus believed in it and wanted to give it a home.

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