Passport, Passport, who needs passport?

“Edison” started as a simple joke: to write a play about inventor and visionary Nikola Tesla but name it after his American rival, Edison. I have been working on “Edison” for the past two years, digging deeper into the complexity of Tesla’s life. The play has curved and bumped in the process of writing it, so much so, it has branched into unexpected themes and variations. This creative odyssey of many, many months, days, and hours spent has transformed from a three act, two and a half hour exploration of Tesla’s journey and the rivalry with Edison, into a 60 minute piece. The shorter piece expands the ideas to include not just the immigrant Tesla’s plight, but immigration in the present day. The multiple acts are now condensed into a presentation not unlike a hybrid of a late night infomercial and an hour with a huckster television evangelist. And the play is also now more than ever, a reflection on our nation, the United States, in 2017. Much of the work on the play is now behind us, as we prepare to cross the Atlantic. The fact I put off making arrangements for my all-too-important passport until just days before departing may not be surprising. I waited, and waited, and waited until I was in danger of not getting it. Excuses would be easy to concoct (too busy, got to work…). The truth? I am terrified of the trip. I do not speak another language, other than English. And the work I have written and rewritten and work on with others is going to be showcased across Europe on the fringe theatre circuit. Outweighing my petty fears, however, is the fact the my peers and I - a group of American university students and recent graduates hungry to make art - are about to engage in a journey across Europe. I am excited (and scared) to travel, but I am even more excited to continue working with the cast, crew, and production team to feed our hunger and share “Edison” with new audiences.

The piece will be in other countries seen by people and we are an American group of students and recent graduates who are hungry to make art.

We leave on Wednesday, and not many people would be surprised I waited until today to get my passport. I waited and waited and I could give you countless excuses why I refused to fill out the paperwork but I will sum up the deepest layers of my procrastination. I am terrified. I don’t speak another language. And my work is going to be showcased across Europe on the Fringe theatre circuit.