"Bombshell is part of our Major Playwrights Series," says the Bloomington Playwrights Project's Producing Artistic Director Chad Rabinovtiz. "We wanted to get some of the best playwrights across the country to write plays on the theme of war and peace. Academy Award nominee Jesse Eisenber, Tony nominee Jeff Daniels, and our own local contest winner Mark Kingsbury are just three of the writers. We've got eight plays, each about a different topic. Some are very funny. Some are extremely poignant and serious. It's going to be an extremely entertaining, exciting and unique evening."
An Emmy Award Winner With An Indiana Connection
One of the playwrights, Paris Barclay, is associated with shows as varied as Glee, NYPD Blue and In Treatment. Although Barclay grew up in Chicago, he went to high school in Indiana. "My brother and I went to the La Lumiere School in Laporte. My brother was one class ahead, and I was one class behind the star of our school. He is John Roberts, the guy who's gone on to be the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. I spent four years in Indiana and it's still the best four years of my life."
Collateral Damage
"I've done a lot of work with veterans who've come back with post traumatic stress syndrome. It's been incredibly sad and at the same time really uplifting when I've seen them survive and overcome it. More needs to be done about that. Part of the reason that chose this theme for my play, Fine, was to put a real human face on it, and say, 'This is what's happening to our boys, and we need to pay attention.' The collateral damage is real, and it affects the family as well."
Invisible Wounds, Invisible Characters
For much of Fine, a seated woman faces the audience, talking to her silent husband. On either side are empty chairs. "From what she says, the audience will figure out that she's talking to her mother and father. The audience can pretty much guess what they are saying by her responses. It's a bit of a puzzle that I hope offers insight about communication."