Author: nbacts2013

A Q&A with playwright Sana Hashmat

Sana Hashmat is a writer based in New Brunswick working towards a degree in biology. She has been a part of the NotaBle Acts Playwriting Incubator over the past year and made her festival debut last year with her script, Ill-Advised Capital. Sana is back once again with her latest script, A Toast to Happiness.

Welcome back Sana! Can you bring our audience up to speed on your NotaBle Acts history?

I debuted last year at NotaBle Acts with my play Ill-Advised Capital which was a part of the Play Out Loud: Reading of New Plays in Development series. It was a very exciting experience, although I assume it will be distinctly different from my current play in terms of the actors acting out the actions and not reading from a script.

How does it feel to be involved with this year’s festival?

I love being part of a community of playwrights and actors who are passionate about their craft. I always learn something new just from talking to them and honing in insight into their individual personalities and mental landscapes. Even the audience serves their purpose by taking something from our local artistry and carrying it with them wherever they go.

If you had to describe your play in one minute or less, how would you pitch A Toast to Happiness to a potential audience member?

Imagine you’re getting married. It’s the happiest moment of your life. But wait, this is it? Panic. Anxiety. Fear. Things you want to talk about but you can’t over coffee. Nobody understands. But how can’t they understand this universal experience? Is it universal? Ad nauseum. You’re allowed to be scared, anxious, sardonic, but in the end, that happiness you’re trying to find, maybe you’ll start here in this one play. 

What was your inspiration for writing this play?

I was watching a video and it was a short script that looped. I was obsessed with the looping script concept so I started from there. We all have recurring thoughts, usually based on fear and anxiety. What’s one that’s practically universal? Happiness. And when are you usually the happiest? At your own wedding, marrying the love of your life (hopefully). And there, I scribbled the script down and the rest is history.

Could you comment on the important role NotaBle Acts plays in supporting new and emerging writers like yourself?

NotaBle Acts brings a sense of intimacy among playwrights and actors alike. I’ve always admired that in New Brunswick, we have individuals who contribute such diverse perspectives and thoughts that translate into art that can be admired and preserved. I’m always enthused to see engagement from everyone involved and building a sense of comradery amongst the talent I meet.

Sana’s play A Toast to Happiness will be one of two plays featured in this year’s Site-Specific series of pay-what-you-can outdoor performances. Catch a performance July 24-27 beginning near the Beaverbrook Art Gallery Courtyard at 8:30 p.m.

A Toast to Happiness by Sana Hashmat | Directed by Scott Harris | Featuring Jason Crow and Landon Hachey. 

A Q&A with playwright Sandra Kell

Sandra Kell is making her NotaBle Acts debut this year with her play #Momlife. Sandra was born and raised in Fredericton, is a mother of three, and a recent graduate from UNB’s Bachelor of Integrated Studies Program. #Momlife is her first play and we are very excited to feature Sandra and her script as part of our festival. 

We reached out to Sandra to learn what her experience has been like writing this script and seeing it become a featured play at NotaBle Acts’ 2022 Summer Theatre Festival.

You’re making your NotaBle debut! How’s that feel? 

Honestly? Really exciting, but also completely terrifying! I think that anytime you put your work out to the public, there is a certain level of fear of rejection, so I’m definitely working on becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Can you tell us a bit about your play without giving too much away? 

It’s about a challenge that most parents have faced at one time or another: the difficulties of trying to keep your kids asleep when nothing else is going to plan. I think that the show’s director Emily [Darling], and the whole cast have managed to bring such realism to the play, that it may even cause a little PTSD for any parents watching the show.

What was your experience like writing #Momlife? Tell us about the biggest challenges for you as a playwright? 

#Momlife actually started as an assignment for one of my drama courses at UNB. I think the fact I was getting graded on my script probably added a level of stress to the process that wouldn’t normally accompany script writing, but it definitely pushed me to do my best and I ended up with a product that I loved. The biggest challenge however, has actually ended up being one of my favourite parts of the entire process. I knew that once the script was done, it would be out of my hands, and up to how the director and actors interpreted it. I’m someone who likes to be in control of my environment, so when I get to watch rehearsals, I have to focus on “letting go”, and being able to enjoy the different viewpoints that are added to the work. Because of this, I’ve learned a lot about myself, and gotten to witness some amazing ideas come to life that I wish I had thought to put in the script myself!  

Could you comment on the important role NotaBle Acts plays in supporting new and emerging writers like yourself? 

NotaBle Acts not only encourages local, aspiring playwrights, but provides them with the tools to improve their skills by working with fantastic dramaturgs and getting to see our plays performed by local actors. These experiences are crucial to the continued existence of live theatre in our communities and to help create the next generation of Canadian playwrights. For many of us, this is the first time our work is being performed in public, and without NB Acts, it might otherwise never see the light of day. The program not only supports playwrights, but gives aspiring directors, actors, stage crews, etc. a chance to gain experience in other aspects of theatre. I cannot say enough good things about NotaBle Acts and we are so lucky to have this program here. 

#Momlife is one of four ten-minute plays featured in this year’s Taking It To The Streets series of pay-what-you-can outdoor performances. Catch a performance July 24-27 at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery Courtyard beginning at 7:30 p.m.

#Momlife by Sandra Kell | Directed by Emily Darling | Featuring Al Newling, Adrian Saliendra, Hailey Trifts and Gray Miller.