“Killer Clam Tide,” my 5th one-act play to be performed in three years, is the finale of the Peninsula Players’ One-Act Festival this weekend at the River City Playhouse in Ilwaco.
All plays begin with an inspiration, and the idea for “Killer Clam Tide” dropped in my lap on a Saturday afternoon last November when I was having lunch at Subway. My friends Chuck and Bill were also there, and when Chuck finished his sandwich, he approached my table, sporting a big grin.
“Hey, we got an idea for you. You can write a play about all these crazy clam diggers. Every one of them’s loony. There’s plenty of stories out there on the beach to choose from.” He paused. “It’ll have to be a comedy, though.”
I like to think that comedy is my forte.
Now I usually don’t cotton to writing from someone else’s concept of a good idea, but after we kicked it around a bit I tucked the information away for another day. In April, with the deadline for this year’s One-Act Festival looming closer, I went over the notes I’d taken. Sure enough, I found the seed of inspiration had sprouted, and “Killer” was born.
Consider this your personal invitation to come see my play, and the plays of four other local playwrights, at the River City Playhouse this weekend. Showtimes are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday night, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets for this local talent festival are only $5 and are sure to sell out, so get yours early.
Please be sure to stop and say hello. Connecting with the audience is the best part of the whole playwriting experience. And if you’ve got an idea for a good play? Well, I happen to be teaching a 5-week one-act playwriting class in September and October. Contact me for details!