The lovely Julius Ferraro has been conducting interviews with some of our SoLow artists. We'll be featuring them here on the blog leading up to and through the Festival. Thank you Julius! And don't forget, you can view the entire lineup of artists in the full SoLow listings!
JEFF DAHMER IN
YOUR LIVING ROOM
Whether exploring
the complexities of hate in The Laramie Project, or the mechanism of fear in his original Stoker’s
Dracula, Philly-based
writer/director/actor Josh Hitchens specializes in the more shadowy bits of
human nature. Guilty But Insane: A Confessional Monologue, Josh’s one-man contribution to this year’s
SoLow Fest, brings to audiences the voice of one of our country’s most infamous
serial killers. We have asked him some questions about adaptation, solo work,
and horror.
SoLow Fest: Is
“Jeff” based on a specific serial killer? What kind of source material did you
use for this show?
Josh Hitchens: Jeff
is Jeffrey Dahmer, although his last name is never mentioned in the text of the
play. In the years it took me to write it I read everything ever written about
him, watched every documentary, and looked at the crime scene photos. About 50
per cent of the text is actually his words, taken from his confession and
various interviews. The lines that people find the most outrageous are actually
from his mouth.
SF: What are you
doing in this show which is unlike anything you have done before?
JH: This is probably
the most challenging role I've ever had as an actor, in terms of the places you
have to go to really be that guy. The audience has to believe that I've done
the things I'm talking about. Unlike the other solo plays I've performed where
I play multiple characters, Guilty But Insane is Jeff alone.
SF: A lot of your
work focuses on horror, murder, mystery, and violence. What is the draw for
you?
JH: I've always
loved a great scary story. I've written three plays that can be described as
horror in different ways, and I'm interested in exploring if you really can
genuinely frighten people in a theater. It's a rare thing. The times I've been
scared watching a play have been few, but when it works there's nothing better.
It's not a movie where you can turn the lights on if you want to, it's
happening in the room with you and you can't escape it until it's over.
SF: What could
change in Philadelphia to help theater artists make a living doing what they
love?
JH: I think
Philadelphia already is a city where theater workers can make a living doing
what they love. There's a lot of opportunity, and great opportunities to do the
work yourself. That's why the SoLow Festival is so great, and why it's so huge
this year. It gives the diverse artists that Philadelphia has a chance to do a
dream project and get all the money from ticket sales. The fact that SoLow is
growing so quickly is a testament to the vibrancy of the community.
SF: What is your
next project after SoLow? Are you taking Guilty But Insane: A Confessional
Monologue on tour?
JH: Next I'm
directing a site-specific production of A Doll's House at the historic Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion,
which I'm very excited about. I've had success touring Stoker's Dracula and A Christmas Carol, and I'd certainly love to tour Guilty
But Insane as well. It's
not easy to invite Jeff Dahmer into your living room though, although he will make
you laugh more than you think. That's what makes him frightening.
Guilty But Insane: A
Confessional Monologue runs June 24 & 25 @9pm. You must email joshlhitchens@yahoo.com to reserve a ticket and receive the address of the venue. PWYC $10
Julius Ferraro is a Philly freelancer. He writes regularly for Art Attack and his blog, Notes on Words.