Playwright’s new work highlights self-acceptance
Mark Phillips Schwamberger considers himself a sissy — and he’s proud of it.
The actor-writer, who is managing artistic director of Evolution Theatre Company, shares his life story as a gay man in “The Sissy Chronicles” as part of the first collaboration between Evolution and Abbey Theater of Dublin. The two will co-present the new hour-long solo piece, streaming Thursday through Sunday.
“Mark’s fascinating story can resonate with just about anyone,” said director Joe Bishara, Abbey’s producer. “Mark is a gay man and I’m a straight man, but I related so much to (his play). Everyone has felt ‘less than,’ felt the sting of being picked last for sports or being verbally abused by peers . ... Seeing Mark get pushed down and get back up again is an inspiring, touching story of resilience.”
Schwamberger’s comic drama spans his childhood, schooling, New York years and return to the Midwest, but also reveals “the abuse, humiliation, taunting, insults” he got because he didn’t play baseball or watch sports with his father, he said.
“Yes, that hurt,” said Schwamberger, 60, a Cincinnati native who grew up in Kentucky and moved to Columbus in 1982. “I acted different than what’s considered ‘normal’ for a boy. But this new play is about every person having a right to be who they are, and be proud of who you are.”
The theme is reflected in the play’s title.
“It’s been such a derogative term, but being sissy isn’t a bad thing. It just means you’re different,” Schwamberger said.
The actor plays 10 characters in the 60-minute one-act, including his mother, father, brother, teachers, principals, coaches, other students and directors.
“It’s a menagerie, brought to life with different voices, physical stances and mannerisms,” Schwamberger said.
Before the pandemic, he hoped to stage it with Bishara at the Columbus Performing Arts Center. Switching to an online version benefits from Bishara’s experience streaming nine previous shows in Abbey Theater’s Virtual Theatre
Project series, conceived to keep theater alive during the pandemic.
“I’ve been learning as I go,’ Bishara said. “It will feel like a play taped before a live studio audience. We had multiple rehearsals, but the final video was like filming a real-life play in one continuous shot ... with Mark under theater lighting and mics visible,” he said.
This is Schwamberger’s first fulllength and streaming play; he has written five shorts.
“All my plays are contemporary comedies that end on a hopeful note, and all have gay themes or gay characters,” he said. “The common theme is self-acceptance.”
But the managing artistic director of Evolution, an LGBTQ theater troupe, said he couldn’t have written this one even a decade ago.
“Now I can stand up and say: ‘Yes, this is me. I’m a sissy and I don’t care who knows it.’” mgrossberg1@gmail.com @mgrossberg1