I've been mesmerized watching rehearsals of 'Hair Like the Sun.' I spent over three years with this script, but seeing it in the hands of actors, being guided by the director, make me feel as if I never really knew my own script. What I'm seeing, from the director's understanding of the script, to the actors' interpretations of the characters, goes far beyond my mere words. That's when I understand this harsh, but necessary truth.
The playwright is the least important person involved in the play.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the playwright is unimportant. After all, that's who created the play in the first place. No, it's not that this person doesn't matter, it's just that the actors, directors, set builders, costumers, and crew are more important. They are turning the words on the page into something magical. The make it real.
