Inspired from Experience: the process of playwriting with Tim Slover

Is there any place other than a down-in-the-heels, irreputable building to have an epiphany? It was in one of these dilapidated theatres where Tim Slover first saw a Sam Sheperd play and realized he wanted to change his writing process. On Friday, February 5th, the author of the Thalian-Blackfriars and Graduate Acting Ensemble production of Virtue came and spoke to the UGA Department of Theatre and Film Studies about his writing process in the world of academic and professional theatre.

The running theme in Sheperd’s plays is poor father-son relationships, something with which the playwright has more than a little experience. Slover realized he wanted to apply the same principles of autobiography to his own writing.

“I was cursed with extremely caring parents and an extremely happy childhood,” Slover realized after attempting this method. “My own personal biography was boring as hell, frankly.”

Try as he might, Slover couldn’t convert his “ordinary” life into engaging plays, and he was forced to explore for other inspiration. It wasn’t until he read a series of short biographies on obscure people like the person who invented the clock that Slover knew how he could change his writing process. Instead of writing about himself, he could translate other people’s stories.

“History was mine,” Slover said.

His vision for Virtue came in 2009 when listening to an ethereal piece of music complete with chirping birds and a clear soprano voice reciting Latin. Slover was so moved and fascinated by the music that he began to collect not only all the pieces by the composer he could find, but also information on the composer herself. It was in this woman’s life, history, and relationships that Slover discovered the story behind Virtue. After getting inspired, he was then called to the actual task of writing.

There were a couple of rules Slover tries to keep in mind when working with historical pieces, and Virtue was no exception. The first?

“If it’s known and accepted generally, don’t mess with it. You can’t change it.”

Slover explained that in his writing he relies on other people’s published work, music, sources, and blogs for information. He may take leaps of faith with some embellishment, but he doesn’t write anything that contradicts the facts he finds.

Virtue’s playwright also makes an effort to capture historical feelings without throwing obscure and incomprehensible dialogue at audiences. It is difficult to establish a dialect that isn’t “too ye olde-y” without committing a “travesty.” However, Slover says that he is comfortable using contemporary idioms because when the characters were speaking to each other, they perceived their language as contemporary.

In his efforts to avoid writing a historical play, Slover's goal is to create an experience for the audience.

“I was just interested in trying to put you in the middle of it.”

Virtue, directed by John Terry, runs February 8th-10th in the Arena Theatre of the Fine Arts Building. Tickets are $5 at the door.