Interview: Director Debbie Devine of WINTER'S BENCH world premiere at 24th Street Theatre

Anne Gee Byrd
Photo by Cooper Bates

Acclaimed actress Anne Gee Byrd (pictured), joined onstage by flutist Shih-wei Wu, stars in the world premiere of Winter’s Bench, a lyrical and deeply human new play by Olivier Award-winning British playwright Mike Kenny. Commissioned by 24th Street Theatre and directed by artistic director Debbie Devine, performances run September 5 through October 25 at the company’s home, a converted carriage house in L.A.’s West Adams historic district. In keeping with 24th Street Theatre’s commitment to serve the surrounding community, all performances will feature Spanish supertitles.

Set in a park where only one ancient tree remains, Winter’s Bench follows Gladys, an elderly woman who has spent a lifetime believing the tree spoke to her when she was a child, and who waits, even now, to hear its voice again. Blending storytelling, live music and imagination, it’s both a memory play and a meditation on nature, aging and hope. And at a time when forests are disappearing and loneliness is on the rise, audiences are invited to consider what we lose when we stop listening to nature, to one another, and to the stories that shape us.

Director Debbie Devine, artistic director of 24th Street Theatre
Photo credit: Karen Knauer

I decided to speak with Debbie Devine, 24th Street Theatre’s artistic director who directs Winter’s Bench, about her vision for the production and why she thinks its message about nature, aging and hope speaks to modern audiences.

Thanks for speaking with me, Debbie. This is your third collaboration with playwright Mike Kenny. What makes his writing such a natural fit for 24th Street Theatre?

Thanks for taking the time. Mike writes for family and multi-generational audiences, believing that each person can experience the story from their unique age and personal sphere of life. That well-worn phrase “he doesn’t talk down to children” is the opposite of what he does. He talks “up” to them. He believes, as we do at 24th Street Theatre, children are smart and capable of experiencing challenging material that allows them to have a catharsis and process important feelings. The same things we want adults to experience.

The play asks audiences to imagine a tree communicating with humans. What drew you to that central idea, and what do you hope audiences hear beneath its metaphor?

Mike and I both read Peter Wohlleben’s remarkable book The Hidden Life of Trees. We imagined together, what if a tree was able to speak, what might it say to us? The story emerged from exploring how a child would react to that moment. And how might it affect her life from then on. It became a story about an old woman who discovers that through her life she has armored herself, stopped listening, and has returned to the tree to determine if maybe she just imagined it. I hope the folks who see this piece will listen more closely to each other and to the world around them.

Shih-wei Wu and Anne Gee Byrd
Photo by Cooper Bates

The play explores memory, aging, loneliness and hope. How do you balance those themes without making the production feel heavy?

You hire a delightful, warm and engaging flute player :-) and a world class actor who knows not to sentimentalize the character.

Nature is almost a character in this play. How did that influence your approach as a director?

It was important for me that the piece be very grounded. The tree is “real” and the circumstances of Gladys’ visit are realistic. We must believe, however, that she feels this tree spoke to her.

Gladys has spent her entire life waiting to hear the tree’s voice again. What does her patience say about faith, memory and the stories we tell ourselves?

Gladys heard the tree speak when she was 7 years old. She has held this “miracle” with her for a lifetime. But only in this final visit does she learn that, even as an old woman, she can make a change and be different. Are we really able to remember who we once were? If you’re 14, do you have a grasp of your 7-year-old self?

Anne Gee Byrd
Photo by Cooper Bates

Anne Gee Byrd is portraying Gladys. What qualities does she bring to the role that made her the right choice for this premiere?

Anne Gee Byrd is a world class artist with the capacity to make material that could be approached as a fantasy by a lesser talent into a deeply believable character.

Live flute music plays an important role in the production. How does music help tell this story in ways that dialogue alone cannot?

Music transcends language. I decided to make the flute a character in the production and not an accompanying musician. The flute is the spirit of a dead tree stump. It deepens the story. The flute is not in Mike’s play. (But it may be now :-)

The production reunites many longtime collaborators, including composer Bradley Brough, scenic designer Keith Mitchell, video designer Matthew G. Hill, lighting designer Dan Weingarten, sound designer Nick Foran and Costume Designer Shannon Kennedy. How does having an established creative team influence the way a new work develops?

Simply, shorthand. Everyone of these consummate artists understands 24th Street Theatre’s philosophy about delivering sophisticated work for multi-generational audiences. We ask everyone to “reach up.”

Anne Gee Byrd
Photo by Cooper Bates

24th Street Theatre is known for creating work that speaks to both children and adults. What makes Winter’s Bench resonate across generations?

Because it’s quality theatre.

What conversations do you hope families have on the drive home after seeing Winter’s Bench together?

Let’s listen to one another with more patience and love.

Is there anything else you would like to add about your experience directing the play or the play itself?

I’m happy that we provide Spanish supertitles for all our performances. That means someone must translate the play and then run the supertitles during the show. It’s a big commitment and we are proud it’s a priority. Our community deserves it.

Thanks so much!

Thank you!

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