Act I: Background

Writer, actor, producer, professor are all names to describe William Missouri Downs. His plays have been translated and performed world-wide. Yet, he allows for the University of Wyoming to perform such great comedies as “Books on Tape,” which was performed last spring, for basically no cost. 

This summer, Downs is directing one of his plays, “Forgiving John Lennon.” This play is more serious than other plays recently performed at UW. There is comedy, but as Downs said his aim is to have the audience reach the highest form of emotion—to laugh through the tears. 

After the final performance at UW, the set, costumes, props, actors and director will head to the Telluride Playwright Festival. “Forgiving John Lennon” has been selected out of many new plays as the main featured play at the festival, which is a great honor.

The actors, said Downs, have been great to work with because of their talent and dedication. Included in the cast are Jennie Franks, John O’Hagan and Claudine Mboligikpelcxni Nako.

Franks has performed on the West End in London, been a regular on BBC comedy series “Sorry,” and has been active in the Telluride Playwrights Festival for a number of years. Besides acting, Franks is also a photographer, writer and artist.

O’Hagan is an actor and professor in the University of Wyoming Theater Department. O’Hagan said he feels continuing with acting is important because he teaches acting classes and he can answer questions better if he is practicing what he does. Generally, O’Hagan participates in plays during the summer. 

Nako is a graduate from the University of Wyoming Theater Department. Nako is a professional actress who also works with youth in theater productions and workshops. 

Act II: Behind the Scenes

It was the second day of rehearsal. Like all the other plays of the UW Summer Theatre series, the cast and crew only have a week to rehearse, build sets and figure out technical cues. As if that wasn’t enough pressure, the writer of the play is directing the play. 

The first day of rehearsals was a 14 hour day. The second day was only half over when Downs took time out of the busy rehearsal schedule to allow an interview with him and the actors. 

Working with the writer as a director is unique in this day and age. Many playwrights would produce their own plays back in the Shakespearean era. However, not all playwrights have the opportunity or skill set to direct today. Being able to work with the writer as a director allows for flexibility that is not normally allowed such as rewriting of scripts and asking the director exactly what he had in mind when he wrote a certain line. On the other hand, it can be quite a challenge because the playwright knows what he was imagining when he wrote the script, so there may be added complexities and a need for the director to produce what he imagined to the last dotted i or crossed t.

Downs said he told the actors on the first day of rehearsal to pretend that he has been dead for 70 years and that the copyright to the play is expired. Downs takes these opportunities to improve and rewrite scripts with ideas pushed around in rehearsals. Nothing is perfect when originally written and working with other people helps him see flaws and perfect what is already there. With this talented cast, Downs receives great feedback and is able to tinker with ideas. The actors have the ability to show Downs what he was imaging, yet they are also able to tell him from experience what they feel works and doesn’t work and offer up suggestions.

O’Hagan said working with a director that is also the playwright is more emotionally taxing, but it is a rewarding collaboration.

Downs said his plays are meant for more than entertainment. The purpose of writing is to conjure up conversations, Downs added.

Nako said the play is more in your face than other productions of Downs’s. Although the play might have been written for an academia-audience, Nako said, the subject matter can be transmitted and will impact all audiences no matter their background.