Interview: A.P. De La Caridad, Travyz Santos Gatz, and Tor Brown of COLOROPOLIS at Loft Ensemble

The upcoming world premiere play COLOROPOLIS, written by A.P. De La Caridad and directed by Travyz Santos Gatz and Tor Brown, offers a look into a world where individuals are identified only by the color of their clothes. And, as it turns out, this is a constantly growing community, changing with every stroke of The Writer's quill. What happens after setting the stage and providing their characters with "free-will" when The Writer leaves COLOROPOLIS to the whims of its inhabitants?

According to the show's publicity materials, "What follows is an abstract, funny, biting, satirical "lord of the flies" amongst the Primaries and Non-primaries in their newly developing world. Despite its absurdity and humor, the play tackles a broad spectrum of issues societies face as they develop."

Sounds intriguing, doesn't it? Certainly, we all have our favorite colors to wear. But what if those choices meant more than that? I decided to speak with the writer and directors to get their insiders look at the play, its story, and how it deals with such important social issues of color, equality, power, submission and ultimate control.

Thanks to all three of you for taking the time to speak with me.

For the playwright, A.P. De La Caridad (pictured): What inspired you to write the play and do you identify with The Writer who sets the story in motion?

(A.P.) I grew up the weirdest, artsiest, AHDHest, brownest kid in this tiny mountain town. By the time I escaped for Junior College, I had dealt with a lot of bullying and covert racism, which at the time, just felt like the quintessential small-town experience. In college I began processing my childhood, and started writing observational sketches. Rather than give the characters identifiable races and ethnicities, I assigned them Colors from the spectrum to convey the experience as universally as I could. Flash forward to my Senior Thesis at the University of La Verne, and, heavily influenced by Alice in Wonderland, Dr. Seuss, Monty Python, South Park, Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter, and Molière - I assembled the sketches into a workshop production called All the Pretty Colors in which I played "The Writer." At that time, I related heavily to this absent-minded creative, desperately trying to make sense of their world as it descends into chaos.

After the "sequel" revival-workshop, (Re) Evolution, merging the two productions into one stage-play, COLOROPOLIS, marinated in the back of my head for fifteen more-ish years while I pursued my career in Television. But, through Donald Trump's presidency, the themes of the play became more relevant and less farcical. When Travyz Santos Gatz, who had seen the original workshop, reached out that Loft Ensemble was interested, I dove back into COLOROPOLIS. But now I found that I no longer related only to "The Writer," but years of mental and medical health issues, identity crises, failures to break in, and the ever-growing weight of debt had turned me into a fragmented version of "All the Pretty Colors."

For the directors: How did the two of you find out about the play, and what made you jump onboard to co-direct it?

Travyz Santos Gatz (TSG) (pictured): I've known of the writer's work since High School and attended the same college as him (only a few years later). I've been attempting to get a production of this script up for 8 years now. I was drawn to this play for its ability to balance both sociopolitical issues within our society while maintaining a level of humor that makes these issues easy to swallow as a galactic gumbo.

Tor Brown (TB) Travyz went to school with the playwright and knew of their work. This piece in particular had been two separate works that were later combined into one full-length piece. When Loft's Artistic Committee selected the show, everyone wanted to direct it because it has so much to say and says it in such a strange and wonderful way. Ultimately, given Travyz's history with the playwright and his ideas about the piece, as well as the great balance shared by Travyz and Tor as collaborators, it just seemed like a perfect fit to co-direct!

How are the colors judged into its society hierarchy? Are the primary colors of red, blue and yellow the leaders since all colors emanate from them?

(TSG) Yes and no, they more just see each other as a community and the secondaries as the "other."

Tor Brown (TB) (pictured): It really starts with power - who wants it and what they will do to get it. There is one color who makes most of the initial judgments about the other colors and sort of imposes their individual will on everyone else. And yes, one of those colors happens to be a primary.

How quickly does the society break down into a "Lord of the Flies" environment?

(TSG) About as quickly as humanity would. It's in our nature to stick to the familiar and other the non-familiar even if at the end we're all the same. It's when a society is built upon these prejudices where things get interesting.

(TB) As with any civilization, it happens over time. It's not any singular event that says "oh here we are, we did a fascism." It's a series of events, manipulations, deprivations, oppressions - the historical imbalance between the haves and the have-nots. Everyone starts out as equals in COLOROPOLIS. But when outside influences start to make their way in, whether they can end as equals is a question we're trying to ask.

The popular teen novel THE GIVER also deals with color as it is reflected in society, in that living in shades of gray is supposed to help wipe out all emotions. Does this plot line come into play during COLOROPOLIS?

(TSG) I've never read "The Giver," but that sounds about right.

(TB) Somewhat yes! The playwright definitely gives us grey as a destination. In this play, grey isn't necessarily a result of denying feelings, but moreso a representation of what is lost in the quest for power and influence.

How did you decide to cast the show? (Pictured L to R: Brian Allman, Matt Lorenzo, Sarah Sommers. Photo by Jennifer Brofer) Are any actors with whom you have worked before? (Featured in the cast alphabetically are Brian Allman, Ben Anderson, Lemon Baardsen, Cassandra Carmona, Silas Jean-Rox, Sydney Jenkins, Jordan Klomp, Matt Lorenzo, Maia Luer, Matthew Monaco, Ignacio Navarro, Jazmine Nichelle, Bree Pavey, Mitch Rosander, and Sarah Sommers.)

(TSG) I have been a frequent collaborator with Jordan Klomp, Mitch Rosander, Lemon Baardsen, and Brian Allman. Jordan and I have been doing sociopolitical theatre almost yearly since we've graduated (we both went to the same college). I met Brian Allman through a small theater company and since then we've worked multiple times with Sacred Fools on both the late night "Serial Killers" and the Fringe Festival hit "Come Back!" Mitch was recently the lead in the first show I wrote at Loft prior to the pandemic. Lemon and I have worked together as actors and are both also members of Sacred Fools. The rest of the cast I have only been able to see on stage, but it was upon seeing them that made me want to bring this play to this company.

Pictured L to R: Ignacio Navarro, Brian Allman. Photo by Jennifer Brofer

(TB) Loft is a membership company and we cast primarily from within the company. So yes, between the two of us we've worked with all of these artists before. Sometimes it's about who's perfect for a role, and sometimes it's about who will be challenged by a role. We also look at what someone might bring to a role that would be wholly unexpected. Casting is hard to explain because sometimes you just know who should play what - it's a feeling. But in any configuration, we are so grateful for an enormously talented, generous, collaborative cast. These folks have worked so hard and overcome a lot of challenges to get this show up and we are thrilled with their work. We can't wait for audiences to cheer them on!

Pictured L to R: Sarah Sommers, Maia Luer. Photo by Jennifer Brofer

What message(s) do you hope audiences will walk away with and incorporate into their own lives to improve our current society?

(TSG) We live in a society that has learned to glorify the hustle culture while many of us are putting in more than 40 hours a week to survive. It's my hope that, in addition to taking in the issues tackled within this play, the audience takes a good hard look at the work they do and learn to take back their time. The anti-work movement has been picking up steam since the pandemic and this play falls right in line with that.

(TB) That empathy, community and creativity combine to work as an antidote to corruption and greed.

Pictured: Maia Luer. Photo by Jennifer Brofer

It must have been quite rewarding and challenging to be coordinating all the technical aspects as well directing the production. Can you share about that?

(TSG) I designed the sound. It's something that I've picked up as a director and it's been beneficial in my process to hear the play even when I don't have actors' voices to accomplish that.

(TB) I am the lighting designer for nearly all of Loft's shows and Travyz is a frequent sound designer as well! For us, it actually helped as we were in rehearsals to be able to track early how we wanted to craft a moment by knowing what lighting and sound elements we would and could incorporate.

Pictured L to R: Matt Lorenzo, Mitch Rosander, Jordan Klomp. Photo by Jennifer Brofer.

I noted the play has Danielle Ozymandias as its education and outreach coordinator. What is her role in the production?

(TSG) One of my goals while on the artistic committee was to propose plays that had some impact on our audiences whether it was politically or socially. Upon proposing the season, we wanted to create an educational component to all the productions so even if the audience had no idea what was going on, they'd be able to walk away with something. Danielle has taken this idea and moved full throttle into organizing these exhibits. For this production we will be having a free store so you can bring or take whatever you want...for free, 'cause we need to rethink our approach to capitalism.

(TB) This season we are including an education and outreach component for every show. Danielle works to coordinate what that material will be and how it will be presented. This typically consists of some variety of lobby display featuring information and artwork inspired by each show to educate our audiences and help set the tone from the minute patrons enter the theatre. We also like to partner with charities and other non-profit groups to help raise awareness of work being done in our community.

Pictured L to R: Silas Jean-Rox, Mitch Rosander. Photo by Jennifer Brofer

I am sharing production photos by Jennifer Brofer with this interview. It must be an interesting challenge to decide on what to reveal and what to keep secret in photos.

(TSG) I'm more concerned at what draws an audience's attention than keeping a secret. Give me what looks best and hope it doesn't reveal any spoilers.

(TB) Choosing press photos is definitely always the hardest part!

I am intrigued about The Loft Ensemble hosting a "free store" in the lobby where any type of goods can be left or taken at will by the community. Was this a direct reflection of the play itself or just how our society needs to be kind to each other always? Are all items accepted, such as food and clothing, even for pets?

(TSG) Yes, our biggest societal issue is that we refuse to reevaluate and restructure things that don't work. I have friends in the DSA that have created free stores in Long Beach that do just that. So my thinking is with such an anti-capitalist play as this, what's better than utilizing our space to do the same? Bring anything you want as long as it can be reused by another, please bring goods and not trash.

(TB) Yes! We're inspired by the history of pre-capitalist, community care-based cultures. Both for this show and Loft as a creative family, we try to focus on how we can create an environment of care and support for all.

The world premiere of COLOROPOLIS, written by A.P. De La Caridad, directed by Travya Santos Gatz and Tor Brown, opens Friday, February 11 at 8pm and runs through Sunday, February 27 only at Loft Ensemble, located at 11031 Camarillo Street in North Hollywood, 91602. General admission is Donate What You Want including items for the "free store" in the lobby. The regular performance schedule is Friday and Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 7pm. Seats may be reserved online at www.loftensemble.org or by phone at (818) 452-3153. Proof of vaccination and boosters will be required for admission. Masks must be worn indoors at all times.