I Speak, Therefore I Am: Creating a Theatrical Essay

Dramaturgs Sara Bookin-Weiner and Laura Henry sat down with director John Tiffany and playwright Brendan Shea to discuss the creation of I Speak, Therefore I Am, a “theatrical essay” about the human voice developed with the A.R.T. Institute Class of 2011.

Whenever we open our mouths to speak, we announce who we are— and it’s not just what we say, it’s how we say it. Every cough, every “er,” “ah,” or “um” (what linguists call “paralanguage”) carries a wide array of meaning. It’s only appropriate, then, that we present this interview totally unedited and flush with paralanguage. What kind of signals can you pick up between the words?

I Speak, Therefore I Am plays March 25 – 28 at the Loeb Experimental Theater.

Director John Tiffany and playwright Brendan Shea talk with Sara Bookin-Weiner and Laura Henry about the creation of I Speak, Therefore I Am.

Author: Brendan Shea

Publication date: May 24, 2011

Featured Comment: Dramaturgs Sara Bookin-Weiner and Laura Henry sat down with director John Tiffany and playwright Brendan Shea to discuss the creation of I Speak, Therefore I Am, a “theatrical essay” about the human voice developed with the A.R.T. Institute Class of 2011.

Events: I Speak, Therefore I Am

Venue: Loeb Drama Center