Equally Divine: An Interview with Jenny Lyn Bader
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| Jenny Lyn Bader as the Mona Lisa Photo courtesy of Joel Weber |
Jenny Lyn Bader, playwright and performer, took a moment to sit down with us and tell us about her latest solo show, Equally Divine: The Real Story of the Mona Lisa, playing as part of the Women's History Solo Show Series, performing at the 14th Street Y in New York City.
Hear what Leonardo's famous smiling lady has to say for herself!
Tell me a little bit about the Equally Divine. What’s it about?
The
play is set during the most daring art heist ever —in 1911 when a guy
walked out of the Louvre Museum in broad daylight carrying a priceless
masterpiece. I tell the story from the portrait’s point of view. The
painting tries to solve the crime and get back to the museum and ends up
needing to spill some of her secrets in the process.
What's it like to be a writer-performer?
As
a playwright you can’t get annoyed with the actor for not reading your
mind! And as a performer, you can easily ask the writer if you want
something changed! There are certainly challenges, but it can be very
rewarding too.
What's something that surprised you in your quest to learn about the Mona Lisa?
That
Leonardo da Vinci went to extraordinary lengths to get the person
sitting for the portrait, who wouldn’t smile, to smile — including
bringing in entertainment: clowns, mimes, and musicians.
And who was that person who sat for the portrait, in reality?
’Scomplicated. But I explain it all in the play.
How did you first decide to write about the Mona Lisa?
Oddly it
was a commission! But so was the Mona Lisa and that turned out well.
So you wrote this play on assignment?
Yes
but even though it was a commission, I felt I was born to write this
play. So many of my research interests and themes came together. I
frequently write about the relationship between art and commerce, about
characters caught in the sweep of history, about sexism and other forms
of bias. And in all my work I explore the idea that people may be
different than we we think. Here’s the ultimate example of that: a woman
whose image everyone knows — but does anybody really know her?
How is this version different from previous iterations? What can your fans expect to see?
Those
who saw this play in an earlier version under another title will
experience surprises: some different characters, a new subplot, and a
new ending. Those who saw it more recently at the New York Society
Library or even the United Solo Festival will finally get to see a full
production with real production values — including scenic design by
Ellie Engstrom that I think in itself is worth the price of admission.
Not to give too much away, I’ll say she has taken an insoluble design
problem and solved it.
Can you tell me a little bit about the WHSSS? How did you get involved?
The
Women’s History Solo Show Series is three plays by me, Richarda Abrams,
and Karen Eterovich. It was Richarda’s idea to bring us all together to
do this series in rolling repertory, and she invited me to join. The
three of us all met through an advocacy organization called the League
of Professional Theatre Women and we are so glad we did.
So there are two other plays in the series?
Yes. Richarda’s play First by Faith
is about Mary McLeod Bethune and makes the educator’s inspiring story
come alive in a powerful telling that lets you glimpse an icon from
young childhood up through old age. Karen’s play Cheer from Chawton is
about the novelist Jane Austen and in a way allows you to meet Jane
Austen — it’s interactive and she incorporates audience members into the
play in delightful ways.
What else have you been working on?
My play cycle The Age of Trump just was performed for the first time by La Jolla Theatre Ensemble. It’s a cycle of four short plays.
What are the plays in the Age of Trump?
A
Visit to the Rust Belt, set the day after the election in 2016;
Inauguration, set during January 2017 in the weeks before the
inauguration; White House Fairytale, a retelling of the Scheherazade
where instead of the sultan killing a virgin each night the president is
firing a constitutional law expert every evening; and Meanwhile at the
Pentagon, set in January 2020.
Will there be more Age of Trump plays?
I suspect another one is going to write itself any moment. There’s lots of material on hand.
And meanwhile, where and when can we see Equally Divine?
I have just four more shows! At the 14th St. Y. (Handy dandy calendar below!)
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