FISH

Written by Cyndi Williams
Directed by Ashleigh Goff

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About the Cast
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PLAYWRIGHT’S NOTE

When I wrote Fish, I had a dream job that turned out to be a nightmare, working as a radio copywriter for the CBS affiliate radio stations in Austin, Texas. It paid poorly,  but I had an office with a door that closed and a window that looked out over a mass of live oak trees in a tony Austin neighborhood. The General Manager decreed I must write three "spec spots" per salesperson each week, in addition to writing commercials for the people who were already paying for me to do so. With upwards of 20 salespeople, I developed a one-minute-to-think-about-it rule for each lousy spec spot, and shamelessly recycled inane "honey-I'm-home" scenarios. Even so, I didn't have much time to write the projects I wanted to write. And I was burning to write. 

Fish began with a couple of ideas - that stupid game my ex-husband and his ex-best-friend used to play, my fear of running over a distracted college student while driving through the UT campus (pre 9/11, when one could just cut through a college campus as a shortcut), my love of solo yoga on the deck. I imagined specific actors I knew in the roles, because I like hearing a specific voice when I'm writing a character. I started off with "what would I like to see that actor do?" but before long, the characters took over and I was just their transcriber.

But the main thing driving it was that time restraint. Fish was written by hand, in stolen moments: in a bank line, while I sat on hold, while I ate lunch, while I waited for a show to start. When I finally started putting the scenes together, and asked a few actors to read it, I got to hear many of the actual actors I imagined in the roles saying those words. 

My play A Name for a Ghost to Mutter was being presented at the State Theatre in downtown Austin, and I decided to take the royalties and use them towards a production of Fish, which I wanted to direct. With the support of Refraction Arts Project, which had produced my play Woman at the Window, I formed Aunt Lulu Plays and rented Refraction's Blue Theatre. The original cast was Katherine Catmull, Joey Hood, Margaret Hoard, Melissa Livingston, Douglas Taylor, and Lara Toner. Five of the six cast were the people I dreamed of having in the roles. Leigh Fisher joined as Assistant Director and yoga designer, and I was thrilled with the production, watching it every night, unable to ever let it go. I still have the blue-and-silver glitter chair and the torn blue velvet and silver-glitter-streaked curtains from the show. 

Fish has also been produced in Dallas, Texas, where it was named one of the ten best plays of the year by critic Tom Sime, and as part of New York's Fringe Festival. I am grateful to the Magnetic Theatre for reviving this dark little story of human kindness!

BIO FOR CYNDI WILLIAMS

Cyndi Williams is an Austin-based writer and actor.  Her plays include Roaring (Austin Playhouse 2013-2014 Mainstage Season), Dug Up (David M. Cohen Award for Best Original Script, Austin Critics’ Table), Where Are They Now? (Best Drama, Austin Critic’s Table), Fish (Top Ten Plays, Dallas Morning News), A Name for a Ghost to Mutter (Live Oak Harvest Festival Best Original Script, Larry L. King Award Best Texas Play), American Arcana (co-produced in Austin originally by Script Works and Public Domain Theater and a few years later by Refraction Arts Project) and Cars and Bars (Best Original Play, Austin Circle of Theatres).  She collaborated on Salvage Vanguard Theatre’s site-specific project In This House (Everything is You), and wrote the lyrics for their play Denim Doves.  With Refraction Arts Project, she collaborated on The Assumption, Orange, Up In the Old Hotel, and The Metamorphosis. Her screenplay for Bright Shining City, Deeper and Deeper, was nominated for Best Original Script in the World Music and Independent Film Festival.   For ADV, she wrote American versions of anime scripts including Wedding Peach and Gatchaman. She is an Acting Company Member at Austin Playhouse, most recently appearing as Molly Ivins in Red Hot Patriot.  Film work includes Room (Independent Spirit nomination for Best Lead Actress, the Women Film Critics Circle’s Karen Morley Award), The Leftovers, Temple Grandin, and Computer Chess. Cyndi is a Founding Core Member of Script Works. Her most recent writing project is currently available online at austinplayhouse.com/todays-gratitude.

ABOUT THE CAST
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ABOUT THE PRODUCTION TEAM

ABBY AUMAN (Lighting Designer) - Abby is the Technical Director of The Magnetic Theatre. She also works as a lighting designer in theaters all over WNC.

ASHLEIGH GOFF (Director, Costume Designer) - Ashleigh has been doing theater in one way, shape or form for over 20+ years. She's acted, designed, crewed, stage managed, directed and taught. Most recently, she costumed Happyland and both acted and built costumes for Caroling by Gaslight, on The Magnetic stage. Most notably Ashleigh is the Founding Artistic Director of The Moppets, an all youth Shakespeare theater company, which she is extremely proud of and highly recommends you see any of their upcoming shows this spring and summer. Ashleigh is extremely grateful for the community at Magnetic and for the opportunities they create for local artists.

SKYLER GOFF (Props Designer, Sound Designer) - Skyler Goff is a playwright, actor, director, and educator. He is proud of his lovely bride and her amazing work as a director, and just happy to be along for the ride.

JESS JOHNSON (Set Designer) - Jess has over 20 years experience as a stage manager, director, props and scenic designer, and dramaturg. She currently serves as the Co-Artistic Director for The Magnetic Theatre.

TYLER JOHNSON (Set Designer) - Tyler is a woodworker and furniture designer who moonlights as a set designer. When not figuring out ways to transform spaces, he’s busy taking big pieces of wood, turning them into smaller pieces of wood, then sometimes turning them back into big pieces of wood. You can see some of his work on Instagram at @tothebonewoodworking.

QUINN TERRY (Stage Manager) - Quinn is stoked to be filling the role of Stage Manager for this wonderfully talented cast and crew. This is their second production at The Magnetic; you may have seen them recently as Rhonda in HappyLand. They would like to thank Jess for her patient tutelage in all things stage managerial and The Magnetic for allowing them to fill a multitude of roles and welcoming them with arms wide open. Enjoy the show!

EMILY TUCKER (Dramaturgy) - Emily has been working in Asheville’s theatre community for almost ten years; highlights include Titania in Midsummer Night's Dream (Montford Park Players), Jane Bingley in Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley (Multiverse Theatre Collective), Algorithm & Blues (The Magnetic Theatre), Dr. Gutierrez in Court of the Grandchildren (The Magnetic Theatre), Celia in As You Like It (Montford Park Players), Margaret in Much Ado About Nothing (Montford Park Players), Evelyn in Beautiful Cages (The Magnetic Theatre) and Ms. Treadaboards/Lucy in Caroling by Gaslight (The Magnetic Theatre).

SPECIAL THANKS TO…

AARON AND GUS BALLARD

GALLERY
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

George Awad
Eliza Heath
Jason Phillips
Max Reid
Josh Sullivan