Oliver VanBuskirk debuts brand new play in collaboration with the MFT
For third-year Mt.A student Oliver VanBuskirk, his hometown of Rothesay, N.B.has long felt like “the perfect place for a murder mystery.” Last semester, the sociology major and drama minor realised this idea by writing his one-act play titled The Current. With support from the Motyer-Fancy Theatre (MFT), VanBuskirk completed an independent study (DRAM 4951) and brought The Current to life. VanBuskirk’s vivid writing highlights both personal experience and observation, as he calls attention to stereotypes of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, specifically within Maritime provinces. Through the playwriting process, VanBuskirk recalls carrying the mindset of “you know what? Why don’t we just try writing a play.”
The Current is a dark comedy following “a newly wed couple [who] is welcomed to the neighborhood with a night on their neighbours’ yacht” says the drama department in a post on Instagram. The continue highlighting that the plot thickens, “as the sun sets and the couple become more familiar with each other, their facades begin to slip and their true values rise to the surface.” The show is described in the same post as a “commentary on Maritimer high society, and questions the relationship between class and identity.”
In an interview with The Argosy, VanBuskirk details the process of writing the play, and the later presenting of a staged reading of the original work. A notable theme within The Current comes with its commentary of 2SLGBTQIA+ relationships, specifically in Maritime provinces. “I think a lot of it came …myself being queer and from Rothesay,” says VanBuskirk. “[I] grew up in this hockey culture in this very conservative town.” He was interested in the way 2SLGBTQIA+ community members are talked about in the Maritimes and “how ostracizing it is” he says. VanBuskirk uses this experience and observation to highlight “the hypocrisy and like irony of these behaviors and perspectives” he says, noting that “some of the most homophobic people you meet are actually struggling with their sexuality themselves.”
When asked about influences that inspired the writing of The Current, VanBuskirk describes having “just watched The White Lotus season three” and being “a huge fan” of the show. He felt content such as The White Lotus and American mystery film Knives Out, both fall in the “kind of realm” he wanted his play to live in. Vanbuskirk highlights his love for reality television, noting some character inspiration taken for the hit series The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. As for the Maritime setting, VanBuskirk recalls “a neighbourhood in my hometown that I used to work” where he describes the residents as “snobby,” making it the perfect setting for darkness and comedy to ensue.
VanBuskirk recalls a need to “trust the process and push [him]self” during the writing process, taking the core influences of The White Lotus, reality television, and Rothesay, N.B., and trying to “make a play out of this,” he says.
Throughout the project, VanBuskirk was guided by Mt.A professor and playwright Jay Whitehead, who “served as someone to bounce my ideas off of,” says Vanbuskirk. He continues to highlight how Whitehead “would challenge certain ideas and really push me to keep thinking.” Asking critical questions that solidified the trajectory of The Current. VanBuskirk says the best advice given by Whitehead was the encouragement to “be open-ended [and] go against the grain,” as well as the idea of playwriting is to “know the rules to break them,” says VanBuskirk.
A significant development of the playwriting process occurred during the workshops held by VanBuskirk with the help of Whitehead. “I only did one workshop [with the actors] in advance, that was about the halfway point,” says VanBuskirk. To further his understanding of the work, VanBuskirk gathered actors to read a draft of his script and provide him with insight regarding character, setting, and storylines. He recalls preparing questions for his actors such as “what did you like about your character,” and “what did you find challenging to portray in your character?” Through these discussions, VanBuskirk was able to make connections with the actors and find “subconscious influence[s]” that he could apply to his second draft.
VanBuskirk ends his project with immense gratitude, highlighting having opportunities to act, stage manage, and now write a play through the MFT drama department. He says, “I don’t know what creative venture is next for me and the MFT, but we will see.” He appreciates the independent study program highlighting “with the DRAM 4951, the staff and faculty all really want to learn and help you learn.”
“I think being able to have two workshops and have a play at the end that is read in front of an audience in a theater is a pretty insane and unique experience” says VanBuskirk.When asked about advice for aspiring playwrights hoping to create their own works, VanBuskirk recalls his own experiences saying, “I took a chance, I was passionate about it, and the drama department was super happy to give me the opportunity and work with me.”
For more information about the independent study programs offered at the MFT, visit their website!
https://mta.ca/current-students/drama-studies-program/drama-studies-courses-and-programs