An interview with playwright Michael Hollinger, part 2

Our summer intern Natalia had the chance to ask playwright Michael Hollinger some questions about Ghost-Writer. Here’s part the second part of the two-part interview. Click here for part one.

Is the ending meant to be ambivalent? Would you care to share some light on what Myra is so furiously typing? Are we to believe the novel has been finished? (Confession: these are really things I happen to be very curious about!)

The play is designed to make the audience question Myra’s relationship to Woolsey and the work they produce together, and this perspective changes throughout the play.  I’d rather not comment specifically on the ending, so as not to reveal too much.

What do you want the relationship between Myra and Woolsey, both pre- and posthumously, to indicate, if anything? What are your thoughts on what passes between them?

Clearly, Myra and Woolsey have shared not only space and time but also a deeply intimate relationship.  Like an artist’s model, Myra has been present for and integral to the process of creation, and, as we see in the play, she comes to impact the outcome of Woolsey’s work in a many ways, both large and small.

Why do you think the Arden is a good fit for this play?

The Arden’s mission focuses on the telling of stories — something I strive to do well in all my plays, and particularly in this one, which reflects storytelling on a variety of levels.  In my experience, the Arden’s audience is intelligent, cultivated, and adventurous, and I trust they’ll enter this play with openness and curiosity.

Ghost-Writer is on stage at the Arden through November 7.