Play by Y York 
Directed by Mark Lutwak 

“Marty said when I help the birds it will change people’s impression of my shallowness.”

On the Canary Islands in the spring of 1986, an oil spill changes everything. In this enticing new eco-drama by Y York, a rising movie star’s vacation becomes an environmental rescue mission, a long-lost love triangle re-emerges as a quadrangle, and buried family secrets are washed ashore for all to see. Romantic, funny, and deadly serious, the truth will emerge Through the Eyes of Holly Germaine.

1 hour and 50 minutes, including intermssion

For many, the image of the playwright is of a lonely person holed up in some garret or writing studio, tapping away for months at a rickety typewriter until they emerge bleary-eyed clutching a finished script. They hand the script over to a director, and the play is put into production. 

While that picture may contain fragments of truth, the reality is that most playwrights have always collaborated with other theatre workers. Writers in Shakespeare's time (often directing their own work) would write during, and after, each rehearsal. They could hear from others and see for themselves what was working and not working. They could then rework and bash at the script until it achieved its final form. Hence "playwright" not "playwrite." 

Since the mid-1960s, economics have limited this kind of work. Rehearsal time is too precious to spend on "fixing the script." No one produces unfinished scripts out of town. Instead, play development institutions such as New Dramatists, Sundance, New Harmony, and the O'Neill Theater Center have grown up, "dedicated to the playwright." Additionally, theatres of every size have created their own play development programs. Today's playwrights have grown up learning and expecting to use readings and workshops at every step of their writing process. 

Y York and I have worked together and with others in this manner for about 40 years. Being able to hear actors read a new script, whether in an empty room or in front of an audience, is a vital part of how Y creates new work. Each opportunity, whether it is a cold reading around a table or a fully staged workshop, offers perspective and rich information that Y can take back to the cold lonely garret. 

The Chautauqua Theater program gives us actors, a dramaturg (a skilled literary advisor), and a set of designers. More importantly, we get a professional audience -- skilled theatergoers -- who are willing to participate at this raw stage. Their laughter, their gasps, and their very breathing informs every moment. 

You've probably noticed that I haven't yet written a word about THROUGH THE EYES OF HOLLY GERMAINE. At this stage, we're interested in how the script conveys its own information. We don't want to "give anything away." We want to learn how an audience follows the play without being handed the back story. 

However, I will let you know that this play takes place on the Canary Islands during an oil spill in the late 1980s. The Canary Islands, off the Moroccan coast, were colonized by Spain in the early 15th century. The 1980s featured such other events as the Chernobyl disaster, the Bhopal gas tragedy, and the Exxon Valdez oil spill. 

I'll also share that this play had its genesis in a monodrama titled "The Lady Who Inhales Bad Air" that Y performed at Seattle's House of Dames in the mid-1990s. 

Thank you for being here. Thank you for being part of the process. We look forward to your thoughts, your comments, and your breath. 

Mark Lutwak 

Cast 

Holy Germaine – Tori Jewell 

Tyler Morrisey – yao  

Edwina Lilly – Sarah Harlett* 

Simon Lilly – Alex Draper* 

Creative Team 

Director – Mark Lutwak  

Written by – Y York 

Scenic Designer – Donnie Woodard  

Costume Designer – Sean David Castro 

Lighting Designer – Adrienne Miikelle 

Sound Designer – Theresa Ramos  

Production Team 

Stage Manager – Jean E. Compton* 

Assistant Stage Manager – Maria Mills  

Sound Supervisor – John Kolbinski 

Audio Engineer/Board Operator – Kevin Champion 

Sound Asst./Board Operator – Lily Oyen 

Head Electrician – Jack Spears 

Associate Lighting Supervisor – Noemi Barerra 

Lighting Tech/Programmer/Board Op – Sadie Judd 

Props Manager – Hyla Sue Stellhorn 

Assistant Props Manager – Becky Barse-Nye 

Props Artisan – Mer Platt 

Costume Supervisor – Cece Hill 

Wardrobe Supervisor – Marcy LB Fitzpatrick 

Asst. Costume Shop Supervisor/Draper – Cole Wilkowski 

Costume/Wardrobe Assistant – Sophie Millar 

Run Crew – Amelia Kovach 

*The noted Actors & Stage Manager are members of the Actors’ Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States. 

**The noted designers are represented by United Scenic Artists, Local USA-829 of the IATSE. 

Actors’ Equity Association, founded in 1913, is more than 49,000 actors and stage managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote, and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. 

Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO, and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. The Equity emblem is our mark of excellence. www.actorsequity.org. 

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