Review Fix chats with Playwright Renee McNeil who discusses her production at this year’s Midtown International Theatre Festival.
About ‘Overlooking The Shadows’
OVERLOOKING THE SHADOWSÂ by Renee McNeil, directed by Renee McNeil; starring Justine J. Hall and Sean Kane. A lonely writer gets a visit from a stranger who has secrets of himself and her deceased husband. (Drama)
Review Fix: What was the inspiration for this project?
Renee McNeil: The inspiration of “Overlooking The Shadows” came from a simple of idea of wanting a suspense, romance plot mix.
Review Fix: What’s your creative process like?
McNeil: My creative process always come from a strong idea, then I write out the story to see if there is a beginning, middle and end of it. It has to have a strong inciting incident, climax and resolution.
Review Fix: What makes this different or special?
McNeil: What makes this different or special? I love the connection between the two characters. I love how the love story and connection between them grow as the story progresses but faced with a harsh truth that may have a consequence of their relationship, that may be inevitable.
Review Fix: What did you learn about yourself through this process?
McNeil: I love this play. It’s nothing like I have ever written. I’m usually very conscience of my themes and what I am portraying but this story really showed me what it wanted to be and I had to really trust it and allow it, Â me discovering it through the process and be open to it.
Review Fix: What are your ultimate goals for this production and for the future?
McNeil: The ultimate goals is to see if there is a slightly longer story to get it in other theatres. It’s also easy to produce. Two characters in one location.
Review Fix: What do you think your audiences will enjoy the most?
McNeil: I think the audience will enjoy seeing these two strangers of one another come together and begin to fall in love. They will also enjoy the suspense plot of why they even came together in the first place.
Review Fix: What’s next?
McNeil: What’s next? Perhaps a hybrid of a solo/cabaret show. I will star in.
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