OWNING UP TO THE CORN

www.owninguptothecorn.com/

Written and Produced by Sarah McCarron
Co-created/Produced by Nora Berger-Green

Directed by Adrienne Mackey

Performed by Sarah McCarron and David Sweeney

Sound Design by Mikaal Suilaman

Set Design by Lisi Stoessel

Lighting Design by James Clotfelter

Funded through grants from the Leeway Foundation, the Community Education Center, and the Anna Sosenko Trust.

Owning Up to the Corn looks at the moment in American History when land speculators and capitalists from the industrialized North set their eyes on the vast resources of coal and timber in the Appalachian mountains. Through the eyes of a young girl, we meet the Shaw Family, who have lived off the land for generations and are faced with the simultaneous threats and promises of encroaching development. The play features innovative theatricality, bold physicality, fresh sound design, and a riveting vocal score.

The story of the history of the land and culture of the Appalachian mountains is incredibly vital today. As our country struggles to achieve productive dialogue between rural and urban cultures, and as we find ourselves struggling to find a way out of the difficulties posed by dwindling natural resources, we must look at history. We must seek to understand all sides, and celebrate our rich cultural heritage.

My aim as a playwright is to go beyond simplistic notions of “good guys” versus “bad guys”, and to create rich, multi-dimensional characters who manifest the complexity of being alive at this pivotal moment in history.

As a creator, my mission was to work in tandem with the designers, so that the formal elements of space, light, sound, object, and texture had influence on the composition of the script. Each designer had free reign to explore and propose various ideas, which would then be evaluated and, when appropriate, woven into the narrative.

Visit www.owninguptothecorn.com for updates on public readings and invited showings.