Writing the Absurd, Doubting Your Talent, and Recognizing Gifts and Weaknesses - Playwright's Spotlight with James Merolla

Playwright James Merolla streamed onto Playwright's Spotlight. We had an engaging and honest conversation about his background as a director and a theatre reviewer and how that eventually led to becoming a playwright. We discuss his struggles with rejection and doubting your talent and being a late-starting and older playwright and eventual successes. We also talk about the lack of feedback in rejection, knowing what festivals your work is appropriate for, recognizing gifts and weaknesses, and the possibility of self-producing and success in smaller markets. James has a big voice and is an  intimidating force whose energy never lets down. Enjoy.

James Merolla is a playwright, director, theatrical reviewer, and journalist. Plays include Ball of String, Veil, Lady Well, Night, Mare, Pubs & Publicans, Jane Austen Ruptured My Spleen, and a Noir-styled one-act featuring the characters of A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh and the 100-acre woods. Comic. His play ‘Poetry on the Menu’ was selected as a radio play to be aired in November with Open Door Playhouse in Los Angeles. It was also a finalist in the OWL Lab contest in New Bedford, Mass. and “Jane Austen Ruptured My Spleen,” was given an honorarium and June staged reading at the LAVA Center in Greenfield, Mass. He is an English and American Literature major from Harvard University.

To watch the video format of this episode, visit - https://youtu.be/aCY_kKPvhNw

Links to resources mentioned in this episode - 

LAVA Center - https://thelavacenter.org

Sherman Players - https://shermanplayers.org/

Playwright's Bill of Rights - https://www.dramatistsguild.com/rights

New Play Exchange - newplayexchange.org

Websites and socials for James Elden, PMP, and Playwright's Spotlight -

Punk Monkey Productions - 
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com

PLAY Noir -
www.playnoir.com

PLAY Noir Anthology –
www.punkmonkeyproductions.com/contact.html

James Elden -
Twitter - @jameseldensauer
IG - @alakardrake
FB - fb.com/jameseldensauer

Punk Monkey Productions and PLAY Noir - 
Twitter - @punkmonkeyprods
                  - @playnoirla 
IG - @punkmonkeyprods
       - @playnoir_la 
FB - fb.com/playnoir
        - fb.com/punkmonkeyproductions

Playwright's Spotlight -
Twitter - @wrightlightpod 
IG - @playwrights_spotlight

Playwriting services through Los Angeles Collegiate Playwrights Festival
www.losangelescollegiateplaywrightsfestival.com/services.html