An American Marine stationed in Afghanistan sends a handmade book to his young son, leading to a series of episodes that span continents in the world-premiere production of “Moxie” at Theatrical Outfit. Described as “a globetrotting adventure tale,” the play follows the volume from such locations as the streets of Paris and the slums of India before it reaches its destination.
This story originally appeared in the January 2016 issue of Living Intown Magazine.
Atlanta actors and playwrights Lane Carlock and Brian Kurlander took inspiration from real experience in writing the play. Not long ago, while visiting an Oklahoma flea market, Carlock's aunt discovered one of her niece's favorite childhood books, which had been donated in Georgia years 25 years earlier. "While the stories in 'Moxie' are fiction, the traveling book idea comes from a real event," says director Elisa Carlson.
Kurlander and Carlock asked Carlson to serve as the director and dramaturg of "Moxie" when it was submitted for the Alliance Theatre's inaugural Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab grants. "It was one of three projects selected from more than 60 applications for development through the grant," says Carlson, who shepherded the script through two readings and workshops at the Alliance before she felt it was ready for Theatrical Outfit's production.
Directing a cast of 11, including such acclaimed Atlanta performers as Carolyn Cook and David de Vries, Carlson faces the challenge of telling the stories in a way that connects characters and audience members. "The cast will collaborate with me to create much of the movement you'll see, and the beautiful scenic elements by our innovative design team will lift the play to the next level," Carlson says.
Carlson explains how the play's message of finding common connections through storytelling fits with the downtown theater's "Season of Courage" theme for its current year. "In 'Moxie,' courage takes many forms: that of a soldier with a young family, of an Afghani girl striving for an education, of a boy and his teacher in an American inner city, and many more," Carlson says. "Their different stories are woven together with the common threads of courage, hope and dignity and — like all great stories — connect us more deeply to one another."
“Moxie.” Jan. 28-Feb. 21. Theatrical Outfit, 84 Luckie St. 678-528-1500. theatricaloutfit.org
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