INSIDE SPEAKEASY

Director

Pascale Florestal

What made you want to direct this production?

I have always been a big fan of Jackie Sibblies Drury plays; and after I first read the script, I was taken aback by the story and thought I would do anything to direct this show. I started doing research on how the piece came to be, and from that, I knew it was a play I had to do. I think so much of why I direct theatre is to have a conversation with the audience about the world we live in. As a black queer woman, I love seeing plays that show the black experience in a way that we have never seen before. I love plays that challenge us, make us uncomfortable, and make us want to change in some way; and I think Fairview does that in a way you'd never expect.

What is your advice to audiences about to experience Fairview?

It is an honor and privilege to get to work on a Jackie Sibblies Drury play. Her ability to have us all -- audiences, actors, designers, directors etc. -- engage in conversations that we are too afraid to have ourselves is remarkable. This play begs us to listen, lean in, and pay attention. I encourage you to give the actors all of your focus and be open to receiving this show. Be open to change, to discomfort, and to doing something you never thought you would ever do.

In the words of the great Nina Simone: “An artist’s duty is to reflect the times.” Look through the mirror, the Facebook post, Instagram story, Tik Tok. See the image the world is depicting, and then I beg you to question what is real and what is not, what is truth and what is fiction. We all love stories, especially the ones that may not be the truth.

What are your role and duties as the EDI Consultant on this show?

Edi Consultant Kira Troilo

In the corporate world, where people can go to work as themselves and leave as themselves, EDI looks different. It's different in theatre where we ask artists to step into the skin of other characters, to speak words that they might not ever say themselves. As an EDI consultant specializing in the nuanced, creative world of theatre and the arts, I recognize that the needs for each production are fully dependent on the diverse group of people assembled in each rehearsal room and the specific script we are working with.

For Fairview, inclusion to me looks like 'psychological safety'. Any show that asks artists to create and perform from a place of racial trauma is a show that requires EDI support. Even if we’ve taught audiences something, or opened up the theatre community to crucial conversations, my work as EDI consultant hasn’t been successful if the artists don’t feel safe and supported throughout their difficult work.

Building a system of trust from the very beginning, especially on shows like Fairview, is crucial. In the rehearsal room, we collaborated to create a brave space for difficult conversations about race and identity. As a consistent resource for the team, I helped set up ground rules and guidelines for artists to feel safe while freeing themselves to play and create within uncomfortable subject matter. And as rehearsals and performances go on, I keep a pulse on the environment, and an open door for support and guidance. I find that just knowing there is an EDI resource, knowing that SpeakEasy encourages artists to speak up about their challenges and needs, makes for a more inclusive creative space in which to tell stories like these.

It's a difficult job, but it’s also the simplest thing in the world — people want to be seen, heard, and valued for their unique perspectives and identities. I hold this important work to help free the artists to create the world of the play. And once you see this play, you’ll understand why this work is so important.