A Friend in the Moon
The last show of our 2024/25 season is the world premiere of Billie and the Moon by Wren Brian! We asked Wren about her inspiration for Billie’s character, working with MTYP’s Creators’ Unit, and her own memories from summer camp!
Q: Your latest play comes out of MTYP’s Creators’ Units. Can you talk a bit about your experience working on this and (hopefully) how the group encouraged you to do your best work.
A: The creation process of Billie and the Moon was very different to the way I typically write plays, and wouldn’t have happened without the Creators’ Units facilitated by Rick Chafe and Andraea Sartison which I was a member of from 2016 to 2021. From the initial spark generated in November
2017 to workshopping the first draft in May 2019, the units were hugely influential. Lots of gratitude to Rick and Andraea for that early support and running the units, as well as a very special thanks to 2017/2018 unit member Dora Carroll, and all members of the Creators’ Units. It was a blast to work in a more devised way and sound ideas off of many different people during the initial writing of it. I hope it’s made the play more relatable to more people.
Q: What gave you the idea to write about an introverted child at summer camp? Does any of this come from your own experiences?
A: Billie is very much based on me as a child…and honestly, me now. Introversion isn’t something you grow out of! When I approach work for young audiences I try to think of stories I would have enjoyed at that age and/or things I wish I’d been exposed to earlier. It took me until my mid-20s to come to terms with my introversion and learn the difference between being alone and being lonely. It would have helped me a lot to see a story addressing this when I was younger.
Q: Billie forms a relationship with the Moon which helps them to navigate some of their other relationships at camp. Why did you choose the Moon in this role?
A: I find being out in nature, and in particular looking up at the night sky to be really grounding. I even recall being at Girl Guide camp walking to the latrines at night (with my buddy) and enjoying a moment of looking up at the sky. Even now I find there’s something really powerful about looking at the moon, and if given long enough, I do feel I can cut out all the anxiety and connect with my deeper self. So it felt natural for the Moon to help bring this out in Billie. That said, it was also important that the Moon is more of a peer with Billie. Often our deepest discoveries aren’t through a teacher/mentor telling us the lesson, it’s through genuine conversation, where we feel we are being listened to, and both Billie and the Moon grow through this relationship.
Q: Who do you think will benefit from experiencing this show? What are some of the ideas that you want audiences to leave with?
A: Honestly, I hope everyone can find something in this show that helps them feel seen and perhaps think of things in a different way. I love it when people say “I’m a Billie” or “I’m a Sam”. We all fall somewhere on the introversion/extroversion spectrum. However, the world, and especially spaces for children, are geared towards extroverts, which does make it really challenging for introverted kids, by and large I didn’t enjoy being a child because of it. I hope the play gives kids and caregivers ideas on how we can listen to each other and negotiate so everyone’s needs are met.
Billie and the Moon opens May 2 and runs until May 11. Get tickets online or call our box office at 204.942.8898!
