Review Fix Exclusive: Seanie Sugrue Talks ‘One Way to Pluto’

Review Fix chats with playwright Seanie Sugrue who discusses his upcoming production “One Way to Pluto.” Chatting about his creative process and influences, Review Fix gets a look inside the mind of one of the most intriguing and witty playwrights in New York City today.

About “One Way to Pluto”:

ONE WAY TO PLUTO! premiering at the legendary 13th Street Playhouse is an existential journey through the life of Peter Cooper, a hostile persona struggling to make sense of his transgender dysphoria (the misery of feeling you are in the wrong body). Comfort comes through a drug-fueled psychedelic journey to “Pluto,” and back, with Dwight, a chronic vagabond, and from an act of criminal desperateness, he befriends one of Pluto’s “moons.” This story is a restless exploration of one man’s search to find meaning, sending the protagonist into a fight against personal delusion, addiction, and inferiority.  

ONE WAY TO PLUTO!

13th Street Repertory Theatre

50 West 13th Street, NYC

March 8 – 12; 14 – 16, 2016

Monday – Thursday @ 8 pm, Friday & Saturday @ 9:30 pm

http://onewaytopluto.brownpapertickets.com/

Review Fix: What was the inspiration for this project? 

Seanie Sugrue: During our run of Black Me Out! many of the audience members were intrigued by the character Peter Cooper, played by Patrick Brian Scherrer. This particular play is the prequel to Black Me Out! and focuses primarily on the last week of Peter’s life. I know, and as most of the artists I work with know, what it’s like to struggle in New York City. I wanted to use that pain I have experienced to create art and put my character through the same and give the audience a glimpse into the life of a true New York City artist.

Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?

Sugrue: My creative process looks something like this: Book the theater, spend the next several days lying on the kitchen floor, in the dark, listening to depressing Christmas songs, and then write the play. Consistency is key.

Review Fix: What makes this different or special?

Sugrue: I taught myself how to write and never took any writing classes and spent the good part of a year teaching myself on the floor of independent bookstores specifically, because under no circumstances would I support capitalism, reading some of the greats like Beckett and LaBute. All while stressed and depressed out of my mind while trying to raise money for a feature film with Josh Folan, which we shot in May of last year.

Review Fix: What did you learn about yourself through this process?

Sugrue: The main thing I’ve learned is to grant myself permission to write a bad first draft. I can be my own biggest obstacle. 

Review Fix: How does it feel to be a part of something like this?

Sugrue: Locked In The Attic Productions wouldn’t be what it is today without its talented and committed actors. It is truly humbling to get to work with such a brilliant group of people everyday. 

Review Fix: What are your ultimate goals for this production and for the future?

Sugrue: Putting on these productions takes a tremendous amount of work. I personally think theater in New York City right now is contrived and pretentious, we’re not seeing anything we haven’t seen before, until now. We wouldn’t be doing this if our expectation wasn’t to be Off-Broadway later in the year.

Review Fix: What do you think your audiences will enjoy the most?

Sugrue: I’ve been trying to get to as many plays as possible this year. When I do, I look around and I watch the audiences facial expressions and all I read from them is boredom and a feeling of captivity. I can guarantee that as soon as this show opens, no one will be bored or apathetic, for even a second. 

Review Fix: What’s next?

Sugrue: Once One Way to Pluto! closes, I’d imagine I would book the theater for May, spend the next several days lying on the kitchen floor, in the dark, listening to depressing Christmas songs, and then write the play. Consistency is key.