Review Fix Exclusive: Andy Boyd Talks ‘The Trade Federation: Or, Let’s Explore Globalization Through the Star Wars Prequels’

Review Fix chats with writer Andy Boyd, who discusses his new play, “The Trade Federation: Or, Let’s Explore Globalization Through the Star Wars Prequels.”

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About the Production:

The Trade Federation is an allegorical comedy about Star Wars. It is also an agit-prop missile hurled at the mechanisms of global capital. Empowering the many and directly confronting a global model that benefits the few, this is a play for anyone who aspires to create change and who’s ever wanted to Strike Back at the Empire.

Review Fix: What was the inspiration for this project?

Andy Boyd: I was actually reading an article on the AV Club that basically was making fun of The Phantom Menace for delving into the economics of this fictional universe. I remember thinking, “huh, that actually sounds pretty interesting!” So the idea of doing something with the Star Wars prequels was planted then. I sort of carried that around in my head for a while, and was also reading a lot about the IMF in books like Naomi Klein’s The Shock Doctrine. I was thinking about how the IMF is able to do really sinister things all around the world partially because they present themselves as this bland, technocratic organization. I realized that the Trade Federation is the same way. It’s actions set off the whole conflict of the first film, and yet nobody really remembers them. So then I decided to write a script about that idea. Arendt calls it “the banality of evil.” 

Review Fix: Why do you think Star Wars has endured so long?

Boyd: They’re very good and fun films.

Review Fix: What is your creative process?   

Boyd: I write a draft very quickly, then spend the next year or so suddenly realizing something about the script is terrible, and then rushing to my computer to fix it. This happens on the subway, while I’m trying to fall asleep, in political meetings. It’s a very inefficient and stressful process. I also do a ton of research. This play has a bibliography that’s like fifteen books deep.

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

Boyd: About myself? I guess I learned that it’s very satisfying when I can work on a project that exercises both the theoretical-intellectual side of my brain and the dumb jokes side.

Review Fix: What was the casting process like?

Boyd: We held auditions and then cast people we thought would be good in the play.

Review Fix: What are your ultimate goals for this piece for the future?   
Boyd: We’re trying to figure out next steps for the play. We’d love to do another run. If this play becomes a big fringe hit and is revived at every tiny theatre in the country I won’t complain.

Review Fix: What’s next? 

Boyd: I’m writing a play about southern radicalism in the Great Depression.

Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?

Boyd: Yeah, since you asked, I guess I’ll add that there are actually people living right now in the world who are every bit as evil as Darth Vader or Emperor Palpatine. We have the ability to prevent the vast majority of early deaths in the world, but we don’t do it because we instead prioritize making obscenely rich people even richer. One of my hopes in this play is to leverage the righteous fury we feel in a Star Wars film to encourage change in the real world. If you think you would be one of the resistance against Darth Vader, do it now! Knock on doors for progressive candidates. Join an organization like the Sunrise Movement, DSA, or Jewish Voices for Peace. Throw a brick through Rudy Giuliani’s window. There are so many ways to make the world a better place.
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About Patrick Hickey Jr. 13819 Articles
Patrick Hickey Jr. is a full-time Assistant Professor of Communication & Performing Arts and Director of the Journalism program at Kingsborough Community College and is the chairman of the City University of New York Journalism Council. He is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of ReviewFix.com. He's also a former News Editor at NBC Local Integrated Media and National Video Games Writer at Examiner.com where his work was mentioned in National Ad campaigns by Disney, Nintendo and EA Sports. Hickey was also the Editor-In-Chief of two College Newspapers before he received his BA in Journalism from Brooklyn College. Hickey's work has been published in The New York Daily News, The New York Times, Complex, The Hockey Writers, Yahoo!, Broadway World, Examiner, NYSportScene Magazine, ProHockeyNews.com, GothamBaseball.com, The Syracuse Post-Standard, Scout.com and the official sites of the Brooklyn Aces and New York Islanders. His first book, The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews With Cult And Classic Video Game Developers was released in April 2018 and is chock full of interviews with legendary developers. His second book in the series, The Minds Behind Adventures Games, was released in December 2019. His third book, The Minds Behind Sports Games, was released in September 2020. His fourth book, The Minds Behind Shooter Games, was released in March 2021. The Minds Behind Sega Genesis Games and The Minds Behind PlayStation Games were released in 2022 and The Minds Behind PlayStation 2 was published in January 2023. Hickey is also a contracted comic book writer, currently penning his original series, "Condrey," as well as "The Job," "Brooklyn Bleeds" "Dem Gulls" and "KROOM" for Legacy Comix, where he serves as founder, owner and Editor-in-Chief. Hickey Jr. is also a voice actor, having starred in the 2018 indie hit and 2019 Switch, PS4 and Xbox One release, The Padre (also serving as English language Story Editor), from Shotgun With Glitters. The sequel, The Padre: One Shell Straight to Hell was released in February 2021- Hickey also served as a Story Editor and Lead Voiceover performer. He has also done narration and trailers for several other titles including The Kaiju Offensive, Relentless Rex and Roniu’s Tale. Hickey is also the lead voiceover performer on Mega Cat Studios’ upcoming title WrestleQuest, responsible for nearly 90 characters in the game, as well as Skybound's Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, where he voices both Dracula and Renfield, as well as several other characters. He also stars in Ziggurat Interactive’s World Championship Boxing Manager 2, where he performs the VO of nearly every male character in the game. He also worked on the Atari VCS’s BPM Boy.

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