Featured Post

1100 Playwright Interviews

1100 Playwright Interviews A Sean Abley Rob Ackerman E.E. Adams Johnna Adams Liz Duffy Adams Tony Adams David Adjmi Keith Josef Adkins Nicc...

Nov 5, 2019

I Interview Playwrights Part 1066: Diana Burbano





Diana Burbano

Hometown: Neiva, Colombia, emigrated to Cleveland, Ohio

Current Town: Long Beach, CA

Q:  What are you working on now?

A:  I always work on a few things at once.

"Ghosts of Bogota", a very, very personal play about three siblings, who return to their parents’ birth country when their grandfather dies. It’s about abuse and anger and it’s a comedy! It features a very unlikeable heroine and a Jesus head in a Jar. My family is going to kill me for writing it. Or maybe they won't notice. Either scenario is possible.

“Gargoyles” is in that “late draft but I hate it with the heat of a thousand suns” stage. It’s a historical drama, a la Sirk about a man who lost his face in WWI and a woman who makes monsters for the movies. It’s a romance, which is not what I was expecting when I wrote the thing, but they fell for each other and what can I do? I don’t control the characters, they walk all over me. It’s had a couple of readings and is begging for rewrites.

Sapience is about a woman, a primatologist on the autism spectrum, who has spent most of her life trying to hide it. The play is an exploration of what it means to have language, to be heteronormative, and the challenges for people on the autism spectrum to form relationships and navigate a world that isn’t built for them. The play is centered around female characters of color and the roles of AJ and Elsa can and should be played by actors who are not neuro-normative. This play question how a person can be whole when they are hiding an essential component of themselves from the world.

Q:  Tell me, if you will, a story from your childhood that explains who you are as a writer or as a person.

A:  Impressions from my childhood: Cleveland is brick and grey, Buffalo was snow and “There were three Jolly fishermen” In San Jose, the principal used to climb into the trash can to squash it down (gross). 

I went to 8 different schools before HS, not because we were military or moved, but because I was a terrible student. I was that “You’re so smart why are you such a failure at education?” So I never made a lot of friends or connections at school. I very VERY fortunately found Children's theatre when I was 12. I was one of those obnoxious children who raised their hand when the director asked who could do something, so I got to do a lot. My first show, I got 3 different parts because I was the one to say “I can do that” Super OBNOXIOUS. 

I loved that company. We rehearsed in a run down art deco palace that threatened to collapse at any minute and smelled of mold and paint. The director threw shoes at us if we screwed up. Everyone smoked Camels, kids included, and a LOT of stuff happened under the stage that the mom chaperones would have killed us for. There was the rich kids cast, and the talented cast, and we all knew it even if the adults tried to pretend that wasn’t the case. We ate mozzarella sticks at Dennys and I made out with a TON of cute boys in my station wagon (why would my parents give me a make out machine?) It was bliss, and those folks are still my friends 30 years later.

Q:  If you could change one thing about theater, what would it be?

A:  That we neglect kids from middle school and up and lose our audiences. TYA can be completely awful, pandering, childish and boring. Middle schoolers are a TOUGH audience, and writing for them will teach you a lot about how to craft a story. They are absolute bullshit detectors and will let you know when they think something is stupid. I think they are a MUCH better gauge of a good play than the typical adult audience.

And speaking of the typical audience… How in the hell do theatres expect to bring in diversity if they don’t ACTIVELY diversify their staff? Let’s be honest. They don’t want to do it. It is not comfortable to hear that your hot, new play theatre is actually not bringing in diverse audiences because the diverse audiences just don’t WANT to step foot in your square and staid and frankly still very racist institution. Be real. And don’t get offended when your token person of color leaves because you couldn’t tell them apart from the other token person of color. (True story) Change your ways. Rip that bandaid off and be bloody bold and resolute. 

And listen. LISTEN. DO not tell your Latinx actors that they are too emotional, too colorful. That they are over the top. I hear that our Latinidad makes you uncomfortable. We are not here to be your cute cleaning ladies and victims of trauma. We are not here to be your spicy hot mamas. We are pretty pissed. Very pissed. Listen to us. 

Hmm… I spend a LOT of time being calm, educating, and I’m so, so tired. I ask that people take off their blinders and see color, and understand that race is a the huge elephant in the room that needs to be addressed to move forward. You want fresh audiences, it’s not going to be pretty.

Q:  Who are or were your theatrical heroes?

A:  Tom Stoppard is someone who takes my breath away. He’s an immigrant writing in his second language, and I connect to that. I find his work magical. My first real new play experience with Latinx playwright was as an actor when I did Man of the Flesh by Octavio Solis. It was my first time feeling seen, connected and understood. Octavio is a wizard of language, vivid and poetic and painful. José Cruz Gonzalez is a master of humanity in his scripts, they are so very real and full of feeling. 

I love language. I went to London as a young woman and went to a play every night and that shaped me as a theatre artist. Theatre is a job. You do this often wild and loud and magical job, then you hang out at the pub with pals and there is no pretense, at least not with the people I was able to meet. There is a delicious normality to the great english actors that I so appreciate. Janet McTeer, Fiona Shaw, Anthony Sher. They were humble working folk. That definitely shaped me. I can’t possibly take myself as seriously as some great artiste! It’s a lark! We get to play for a living. We get to live in imagination land. If that feels like torture or work, well, please, go do something else and leave the playground for play.

I really love language plays. My next big project is to tackle redeeming Tamora Queen of the Goths in verse. Iambic pentameter, natch, but Latinx. So now that I wrote this out I have to do it!

Q:  What kind of theater excites you?

A:  Language, theatricality, large expansive, could not possibly be a movie, theatre. I like being made to work at listening and learning. I want it to be difficult, visceral and challenging. I’m pretty bored by TV script theatre. The harder and less “accessible” the better. And it better have women in exciting roles, otherwise I just shut off. I like SPECTACLE but the story has to be amazing too.

Q:  What advice do you have for playwrights just starting out?

A:  Write the crappy first draft, let it exist. Don’t be a perfectionist. Believe in your own view of the world and don’t ever try to fit into anyone else parameters. Beware the formula, and the “only way to do things” Join writers groups and circles to listen, learn and write, but stay true to your own vision. Write. A lot. Submit to everything that you can but read the call and don’t be indiscriminate. Be impulsive sometimes. Don’t hold your work back from an opp because it’s not perfect yet. Just frikkin’ do it. Life is short and you may as well run into battle with your sword out. And hang out with other playwrights. They’re awesome. Yeah, sometimes you get jealous and cranky. That’s ok. acknowledge the feeling and then let it go. Work harder, befriend people who challenge you. Tell the truth, ask for help, but show up and be supportive. It really is a community.

Q:  Plugs, please:

A:  Alter theater will be producing my Ghosts of Bogota early next year in San Rafael.https://www.altertheater.org/current-season The play will also get a production at Actors Theatre of Charlotte, where it won the NuVoices festival this summer. I’ve got a piece in Climate Change Theatre Action LA https://nhm.org/calendar/climate-change-theatre-action-la-intersection and Policarpa will be produced at Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster PA in the spring of 2020.

Policarpa is also getting archived by Texas State University San Marcos. Which is very cool and makes me want to go find my HS school principal and say “Haha. See, you were wrong.”

My plays are currently available at YouthPLAYS https://www.youthplays.com/search.php?quicksearchbox=burbano


and my website http://dianaburbano.com/index.html


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enter Your Email To Have New Blog Posts Sent To You

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Support The Blog
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mailing list to be invited to Adam's events
Email:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adam's Patreon

Books by Adam (Amazon)

71 comments:

pubg mobile said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
office.com/setup said...

I thanks to author for sharing this post, its is knowledgeable and helpful i also like to share some useful links here

office.com/setup

Mcafee.com/activate said...

Great information ! I thankful to author of this blog who sharing such a useful information, I also subscribe your blog for all future post. I have also share some useful links here.

Mcafee.com/activate

Mcafee.com/activate said...

Great information ! I thankful to author of this blog who sharing such a useful information, I also subscribe your blog for all future post. I have also share some useful links here.

Mcafee.com/activate

norton.com/setup said...

Great information, i was searching of this kind of information, thankyou very much for sharing with us. i also like to share some useful links here

norton.com/setup

alexathomson said...

To make your HP printer hassle-free, get support from the experts at HP printer customer support. Get one-stop solutions for all HP printer related issues and troubleshoot them within no time. The certified professionals offer 24/7 services just to deliver quality and instant resolutions for all the technical problems. Whip out your phone and dial the toll-free number of HP printer support.

Bellsouth email login in said...

Log into Bellsouth email and enjoy its wide variety of features. It not only provides you platform for the emailing but you will love to work on that due to its ease of usability. It is very simple to use even a newbie can use this without any help. For Bellsouth email login in simply, you have to create an account by opening its home page and providing username and strong password then you can avail its all features by logging your account anytime.

Bellsouth email login
Bellsouth Login

John Smith said...

Thanks for giving this great information with us.

If you have any issue regarding Norton Antivirus then visit on our website or dial our Norton Helpline Number for instant solution.

Norton Customer Service
Norton Support
Norton Support Phone Number
Norton Tech Support
Norton Customer Support Number

John Smith said...

Great Post. If You are a new Norton user? Don't know how to Norton login my account and you want to activate your Norton subscription then this step-by-step guide will assist you in activating and redeeming your Norton license. Then visit on our website for complete guidance to Norton Antivirus Login.

Norton Login
Norton Log in
Nortonlogin
Norton Sign in
Login Norton
Norton Account Login

John Smith said...

I really happy found this website eventually. Really informative and inoperative, Thanks for the post and effort! Please keep sharing more such blog.

Norton Setup
norton antivirus setup
norton setup product key
norton setup enter product key
install norton with product key
Norton Set up

John Smith said...

If you are using Cashapp for online transaction and sometimes your Cash App Transfer Failed then don't worry we are here to provide complete guidance to recover your amount.

cash App Payment Failed
Cash App Failed for My Protection
Cash App Payment Failed for My Protection
Cash App Failed Payment
Transfer Failed Cash App

John Smith said...

If you want to Add Money to Cash App Card but you don't know that How to Add Money To Cash App Card then don't worry visit on our website for complete guidance.

How to Put Money On Cash App Card
How to Add Money to Cash App Card in Store
How to Add Money to Cash App Card
Add Money To Cash App

John Smith said...

If you have face any problem in Paypal then contact Paypal Customer Service or solve your issue.

Paypal Support Number
Paypal Customer Support
Paypal Phone Number Customer Service
Paypal Support
Paypal Help
Paypal Phone

John Smith said...

A PayPal Cash Card is a great way to make the most of your PayPal account. In fact, with recent changes, you'll need one for some of the most basic uses of PayPal, including transferring money into your PayPal account. So want to know Paypal Card Activation so visit on our website or read full article for that.

Paypal Prepaid Card Activation
Paypal Activate Card Debit
Paypal Debit Card Activation
Paypal Activation
Paypal.com Activation Card

John Smith said...

Sometimes users want to know why Zelle Login Failure
Zelle Log In Failure
Zelle Pay Login Failure
Zelle App Login Failure

Sophia Taylor said...

Cash app is one of the most preferred wallets to transfer, receive and send online money. Although, the app is also in talks for its sloppy performance, resulting in Cash App Transfer failed. But applying the right measures, one can get its money back in its account.

cash App Payment Failed
Cash App Failed for My Protection
Cash App Failed Payment

Sophia Taylor said...

Cash app is one of the most preferred wallets to transfer, receive and send online money. Although, the app is also in talks for its sloppy performance, resulting in Cash App Transfer failed. But applying the right measures, one can get its money back in its account.

cash App Payment Failed
Cash App Failed for My Protection
Cash App Failed Payment

Sophia Taylor said...

We can simply say the Cash App is an extremely direct and straightforward app in many ways. I am going to describe How to Login Cash App here you go. It allows you to make an account with your email or a mobile number that you possess previously.

Login Cash App
Cash App Login
Cashapp Sign In

Sophia Taylor said...

Zelle pay login provider has long been known in the easier to send money to someone in the world as an effective way for organizations to improve transfer of money online security while solving password management and user access issues.

Zelle Login Failure
Zelle Sign In Failure
Zelle App Login Failure

Sophia Taylor said...

If you have been looking to reach Paypal customer support team with their official number, then you have come to the right place. We have penned down how to talk to PayPal customer service executives.

Paypal Support Number
Paypal Phone Number Customer Service
Paypal Customer Support

Johncruz said...

Facing Trouble In your Arlo Camera Contact US
Arlo Login
Arlo Pro Login
Arlo Signin
Arlo Camera Login
Arlo Netgear Login

Helyj21 said...

Wow ! I like your post, Thank you for share Such kind of information
Find Microsoft Office Product solution which is available here 24/7 .
Here is Some useful query related to Microsoft Office product given below -
office.com/setup
office.com/setup


John Willson said...

Cash is peer to peer money transfer app. Now users can send money to thier frined sucesfully using cash app. If you face any issue regarding cash app like: cash app transfer failed, cash app direct deposit, closed cash app account & how to activate cash app card and many more.....Go through given website cashapp.com for getting in touch with cash app customer service number. Theese webpages have diy solutions to fix cash app issues.
If you lose your money due to cash app transfer failed than you can apply for cash app refund and according to cash app officialy you will get respond within 10 working days. Or you can find cash app support number for instant help.

SBCglobal said...

SBCGlobal is one of the most demanded email services all across the world. Though the email service providing company offers several features and functions such as security, easy account recovery, spam protection, etc., but sometimes, despite all the numerous attributes, SBCGlobal creates certain issues related to sign-in, password, sending/ receiving emails, etc. Well, to help users in such a case, the sbcglobal email phone number support is one of the best mediums to overcome the error. For any query call us 1 (800) 331-0500.

www.norton.com/setup said...

Very impressive blog post, I subscribed your blog for your future post. I also have some useful link to share here mcafee activate |

mcafee.com/activate |

norton.com/setup |

norton setup |

office.com/setup |

sarashepard2808 said...

Alaska Airlines Reservations has topped JD Power and Associates' traditional airline customer satisfaction list for over a decade. Alaska Airlines Reservations is committed to providing quality customer service, and those who call Alaska Airlines Reservations Number are generally satisfied with the assistance they receive.
Now get an Alaska Airlines Reservations Phone Number, Book your Flights with these simple steps. Our customer service 24*7 available.

Devanshi Singh said...


Are you starting a new business and need a ebest email marketing service, or looking to change your existing email marketing provider? Reflekt Visual offers a wide range of features and solutions for your business, making the right choice can be tricky. A range of advanced features is also on offer for those who want to access them, including lead scoring and web tracking.

james said...

In our daily life every day we experience new things and learn about new technologies which are very helpful for our future.
mcafee.com/activate

office.com/setup said...

I ask that people take off their blinders and see colour, We get to live in imagination land. If that feels like torture or work, Thanks for great information..

David Martin said...

Thanks for the information you have shared regarding the question and their answers which might be asked in an interview.

office.com/setup

office.com/setup said...

Miss Diana Burbano seems very informative and successor of her life. She is very bold and knows what she is talking about. She has a long background of experiences which has helped her to reach at this stage.

office.com/setup

Seth Von said...

Cash App is an uncommon online stage that grants you to send or get money from your friends and family. Regardless, to a great extent you unintentionally send money to another person that you haven't the faintest idea. At the present time, I should reliably encounter the rebate methodology rapidly to avoid such an adversity. Here is our guide on the most capable technique to get a Cash App Refund.

https://www.cashcardmoney.com/cash-app-refund/

office.com/setup said...

Honestly these ghosts or whatever supernatural things always scars me. I have fear of them. I don't even like somebody even talks about it in front of me. But anyway Thanks for sharing your blog with us.
office.com/setup

searchkarlo said...

how to cancel norton antivirus auto renewal

how to find wps pin on a hp printer

hari dhameliya said...

Thanks for posting this info. I just want to let you know that I just check out your site and I find it very interesting and informative. Now sharing some information about Spectrum TV App for PC

arlologin said...

Arlo Netgear Login

hằng said...

Good web site you have here.. It’s hard to find high quality writing like yours these days. I seriously appreciate people like you! Take care!!
sàn ngoại hối uy tín

Officecomsetupdownload.com said...

This is a very good blog post, you have good content writing skills, I subscribed to your blog for an upcoming post. here are some useful links you must follow.

office.com/setup
www.office.com/setup

Nancy Angel said...

Best method to create your primevideo mytv enter code account through the activation process by primevideo.com. You need to follow the instructions to activate www.amazon.com loin mytv. If you are viewing Amazon Prime Video on your device go toamazon.com enter code.

Anonymous said...

Download latest version of Pof App and find your life partner.

Frank Corley said...

Thank you for a good interview. Diana is a fairly well-known and successful playwright, so it was interesting for me, as a connoisseur of theatrical art, to read it. By the way, the photo of Diana that you attached to the post looks gorgeous! I advise you to post this photo on Instagram, where tens of thousands of Diana's fans can appreciate it. From time to time I see photos of famous playwrights there and noticed that most often such photos get more than 37 thousand likes! I am sure this is because their authors use the services of https://soclikes.com/buy-instagram-likes to increase their number.

primevideo.com/mytv code said...

To be able to watch Prime Video on a Smart TV, the TV must have the application pre-installed in your device. Otherwise, you must have a similar

platform to the App Store or Play Store on Google, so download the application from the website. Devices Compatible with Prime Video. Exclusive

content and Amazon Original series Enjoy exclusive movies and TV shows on your device.
primevideo.com/mytv

Unknown said...

Appreciate this post. Let me try it out
Tín hiệu forex

jacksoncooper said...

Want to know some troubleshooting steps to get over the Kindle won’t connect to wifi issue? Then you are at the right place. Our dedicated team will guide you and provide you with the accurate solution within the shortest time span. To know more visit Ebook Helpline.

lucynelson said...

Searching for the best solution to solve the canon printer won't connect to wifi error? Then your search ends here. Our team is very experienced and they are available 24/7 to help you. So you can avail our services anytime and visit Printer Offline Error to know more.

Unknown said...

Appreciate this post. Let me try it out
ichimoku toàn tập

nguyễn hợp said...

Great, thanks for sharing this article.Really looking forward to read more.
đầu tư forex có an toàn không

Unknown said...

I loved this content. Thanks for creating it. I’m a big supporter of your stuff.
thị trường con gấu là gì

Cơ Forex said...

Appreciate this post. Let me try it out
sóng elliott trong forex

Unknown said...

Great, thanks for sharing this article.Really looking forward to read more.
non farm

Unknown said...

I really enjoyed this blog post, thank you for sharing it. I’ll return for more. See you soon!
lý thuyết dow pdf

highlandboiz010 said...

I loved this content. Thanks for creating it. I’m a big supporter of your stuff.
tìm hiểu forex

먹튀검증 said...

I was browsing the internet for information and found your blog. I am impressed with the information you have on this blog 먹튀검증

jony said...

Now you can Easily Activate Amazon by Amazon.com/mytv. It is a registration portal of Amazon Prime from which members can watch thousands of movies and TV shows for free from their device some features require a premium subscription. The instant video service can only be watched after registering your device with a simple subscription code. The website for registering on Amazon prime is amazon.com/mytv. Amazon Prime Video is one of the most amazing and interesting platforms to watch. With Amazon Prime you can stream unlimited movies and TV episodes on Amazon prime video app. You can Easily Fix Troubleshoot by visiting here.

amazon com mytv

nguyễn hợp said...

Good web site you have here.. It’s hard to find high quality writing like yours these days. I seriously appreciate people like you! Take care!!
cách đọc biểu đồ nến

Unknown said...

Appreciate this post. Let me try it out
xác định điểm vào lệnh

flemiong said...

W
ait for the download to complete; then, open the file on your device, follow the screen prompt to install.

After the general overview, let’s see how to install the norton.com setup on different devices.
Safety For Mobile Devices
norton com setup enter productkey

Help block programmers from your gadgets, keep your online movement hidden and secure your character, across the board. It's rarely been simpler
Cloud Computing With Norton

Gadget security helps block programmers and Norton Secure VPN encourages you keep your online action hidden.

flemiong said...

Using your browsers, type
After the page opens, tap on the setup icon
Move to the search option to fill in your printer type
Tap on the Go option, then click the start button
Prepare your printer per the instructions on the screen
Wait for the download button to appear
Now, tap on the download icon
Wait for the download to end
Double click to open the file
Click yes when the control panel opens
Here comes the start set up window
Now, that you’ve downloaded the Cannon printer driver to your Mac computer,
let’s figure out how to install it.Enter your printer model
Click on the Go icon
Tap on Start
Now check if your printer is powered to make it ready
Click on the download to start downloading
Wait for the download to complete then open the ‘exe’ file
Once the account control window opens, tap on the
Yes button to proceed to set up the process

jony said...

nbc.com/activate Generally, you can activate NBC news on many devices. These include Android TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Xbox One, among others. After the activation, you will gain access to a gamut of entertainment. you will first have to activate the NBC streaming app. It is only through the activation that you can watch all the available content.

nbc.com/activate
www.nbc.com/activate

jony said...


amazon.com/mytv watch amazon prime video is through your smart TV. If it is not installed, you can enter the TV application store to download it. Once you have it, proceed to log in with your username and password to start enjoying the programming you have. and click on the enter button. Then you see your Amazon prime account activate and you can easily watch your web shows, movies and videos amazon.com/mytv It is perfectly possible to use Amazon Prime Video services from an Android or iPhone mobile device, to tablets. To do this, it is necessary to have a good internet connection.

amazon.com/mytv
amazon.com/mytv Enter Code

Lanh.santienao said...

I really enjoyed this blog post, thank you for sharing it. I’ll return for more. See you soon!
các sàn bitcoin uy tín

먹튀검증 said...

I'll come often. Great work! Guess I will just bookmark this site. 꽁머니

먹튀검증 said...

best by introducing verification and verification companies.It's always coming. This blog is great. 안전사이트

office.com/setup said...

very good Q/A session with Diana Burbano . loking forward to more question answer sessions of yours.

camila smith said...

Nice Post thanks for sharing you can also check some other post related to cash app customer support

minsoo333 said...

I’m still learning from you, while I’m improving myself. I certainly enjoy reading everything that is written on your website.Keep the posts coming. I loved it!
먹튀검증

Colton Brown said...

Do you know that you can post your interviews in video formate on tiktok. Now the video is much more popular than other formats. If you worry about followers check this post https://criticsrant.com/are-you-a-beginner-tiktoker-what-support-can-you-get-from-a-promo-company-that-sells-packs-for-online-development/

Unknown said...

Issues with AOL email might be repaired by obtaining AOL email in a subsequent moment. You may likewise attempt making use of AOL standard Mail to look at mails as it doesn't need a quick website. Get fine solutions for AOL mail problems.

aol email login
aol mail login problems

Robert Hook said...

Dlinkap.local Setup

hằng said...

Hey there! I just want to give you a huge thumbs up for your great information you have got right here on this post. I am coming back to your website for more soon.
đồ gia dụng thông minh

ross pearl said...


I'm truly dazzled about the information you give in your articles. I should state am exceptionally overpowered by your entire story. It is difficult to get

AccAccess your most recent Norton products and services
Go through each product description to know what suits your fancy
Select your preferred package

Gadget security helps block programmers and Norton Secure VPN encourages you keep your online action hidden.
After reading the license agreement, tap on the download button



After the general overview, let’s see how to install the norton.com setup on different devices.Open your browser

Type Norton com setup sign in or the URL
Sign in to your Norton setup account

Hit on the download button

Check the license agreement before clicking the download

Select the option per your browser

Tap on the ‘Run’ icon

Now, the account control window opens

Click on continue
norton.com/setup
www.norton.com/setup







Select your preferred package
Choose a payment option and enter your details to complete the order
If successful, the Norton setup product key will arrive in your email box
Keep it safe
Gadget security helps block programmers and Norton Secure VPN encourages you keep your online action hidden.
After reading the license agreement, tap on the download button






norton setup

<a