Analog closes April 6th. That’s next Saturday folks. And, really, I think you will be glad to have been part of the group of people who saw this intimate, swift, beautifully written production. As creator Kurt Chiang points out in the play, you can’t hold onto theater. It is evanescent. It is brief and singular. It leaves no tangible object. So you have to catch it while you can.
Today we talk with Kurt in our final installment of the Anablog series – where he shares a little bit about the inspirations, excitement and challenges of making Analog. (Kurt also recently gave an interview to Sixty Inches From Center, a Chicago arts archive, about the strong role that visual art plays in his show. It’s an interesting read, check it out after you finish this.)
Now, meet Kurt Chiang:
Quick! First five words that come to mind when you think of Analog:
tape, track, story, peanut, sorry
What people / experiences / artists inspired you the most in writing for the show?
The other people in the show: Jessica, Tim, Hank, Lizi, Trevor, with Tif directing. A big part of the process was writing stuff, showing it to these people, having them respond to it, and then re-writing, editing, or adding according to that feedback. Particularly Hank, who took on a kind of editor-in-chief role toward my monologue, which was an awesome and unique working relationship for me. Us Neos tend to write alone exclusively, so this was new and nice.
Lots of outside stuff, too. I read The Writing Life by Annie Dillard, which I feel I substantially stole from. You can also look here and see our minds really wandering: analogneofuturist.tumblr.com.
What has been the most exciting or stimulating part of the Analog creative process?
Analog has a different performance energy than Too Much Light traditionally allows. We have room to be a little slower, a little more deliberate, a little quieter. That’s been nice. Also feeling like I wrote a real dance piece.
What has been the most challenging part of the Analog creative process?
To stop thinking about the thing and actually make and do the thing.
Do you believe in fate?
I do know I feel weird in airports.
What kinds of artistic experiences do you tend to enjoy the most?
Music concerts and dance. Also, workshop performances and dress rehearsals of all kinds.
What turns you off big time?
I don’t like making facebook event pages.
What are you listening to right now? Reading? Watching? Eating? Drinking?
I work in a bookstore, and in the kid’s section are a lot of mothers getting mad at their kids. Coffee, a croissant. Currently reading The Rings of Saturn.
Are you a right or a lefty?
Righty.
Tell me something about yourself that would surprise me:
People are often surprised that I can juggle.
