Meet David Blue of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Blue.

Hi David, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
One of the first things I do each morning is make a cup of coffee! Then I go to my desk to start research and writing. I am a playwright. At any given time I’m usually writing two full length plays while researching ideas for plays yet to come. Sometimes this involves learning about previous adaptations of novels such as THE GREAT GOD PAN by Arthur Machen or CARMILLA by J. Sheridan Le Fanu. Other times it involves historical research. I do a lot of historical research, not least so I know when I’m “changing” details for my own purposes. Plus sometimes I simply do a search for inspiration, from genres or paintings, etc. Sometimes it is a matter of finding the right music with which to listen while writing.
I’d say 75 percent of my working time is research with 25 percent actual composing of my plays.
Every few weeks I also go see live theatre and must write reviews for my blog NIGHT TINTED GLASSES.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Aren’t there always struggles?
Personally, I did not re-discover myself as a playwright until 2013, after starting writing reviews here in Los Angeles and also in the wake of my fiancee’s sudden death in 2005. That left me disorientated, trying to make sense of the world, trying to find purpose.
I have done theatre most of my life, from childhood into getting a BA in Theatre Arts from the University of West Florida, then graduating from the National Shakespeare Conservatory in NYC. This last gave me a wildly deep grounding in scene study and acting technique. In fact I’m quite a good actor, but I don’t love acting enough.
Have come across a question in many writing groups–why are you a writer? My answer is always “because I have no choice.” That is something I realized in middle age.
I’d say the biggest challenges I’ve faced in terms of playwriting were first, finding mutual support. I finally found a theatre company devoted to developing plays, called Fierce Backbone, as well as a meetup group called The Sandbox. Second, getting my plays produced! Or at least considered! That is ongoing, requiring a lot of patience and research, as well as networking.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As noted, I am a playwright. I have written about twenty plays, ranging from ten minutes to full length. I can honestly say I’ve been produced all over the USA and once in New Zealand, with five productions here in Los Angeles (mostly ten minute plays).
My individual plays written since college which have been produced number seven, three adaptations (Carmilla, Dracula, War of the Worlds) and four original works. I suppose you can see a theme here. I often write in a specific genre or two. For example AFTER THE LIGHTHOUSE FELL is a ghost story, but it is also a commentary about American society in general, akin to Chekhov’s major plays. I wrote it in many ways as a mystery. When people ask me what kind of plays I write, my (pretentious) answer is “mythic.” Not just the classics, although I did write a play in verse about Medusa, but exploring our personal modern mythology. For example, I wrote a one act of which I am extremely proud which touches on how we perceive the Civil War and those surrounding it, in terms of the meeting of two historical figures who as far as I know never were in the same room together.
I am increasingly proud of the plays I am writing or will write. Because practice really does make better.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I suppose I’d like to say that since arriving in this city in July 1999, it has become my home. In many ways, my first home.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://davidmblue.wixsite.com/davidmacdowellblue
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/david.macdowell.863476
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidMacDowellBlue
• Other: https://newplayexchange.org/users/1142/david-macdowell-blue

Image Credits
The images are mockups and/or covers of my plays which I created using Photoshop and free images online.