Behind the scenes of our performance prep, we had a chat with our directors, Emily and Georgie, and asked them a few questions about their co-authored play “Broken Strings” and the process of putting it on stage.
Q: When did you decide to write a play together?
E: It all started about two years ago—I remember us sitting in Gerold’s Garten. I asked, “Hey, do you want to write a play together, pitch it to the BPM, and direct it?” Georgie said yes!
G: We’d known each other for a few years already and had ideas for collaborative projects, though nothing serious. Writing a play was always something we wanted to do. Specifically, we wanted to pitch something tailored to the BPM, that kind of represents the diversity within the BPM itself. We thought Broken Strings would be a perfect fit—and now, here we are!
Q: What was the initial spark that started the play? Did you take inspiration from any other pieces of media?
E: The basic idea came from imagining a story about a band, entirely set on their tour bus. Initially, it was just a spin-off from another passion project we were working on. Eventually, we realized it could work really well on stage since it’s set in a single location. From there, we sat down, figured out our characters and the central conflict, and that grew into Broken Strings.
G: A great part of working together is sharing inspirations. Real-life band drama definitely influenced us, as did fictional stories like I Was Born for This by Alice Oseman, Scott Pilgrim, and Daisy Jones & The Six. It’s nice to blend different ideas.
E: Funny enough, I was also inspired by a Tumblr post complaining about celebrities flying in private jets instead of taking tour buses—where the real drama happens.
Q: Did either of you have personal experiences or any real-life conflicts that helped shape the script?
G: Definitely. Personal experiences inevitably shape our writing and the characters we create. We aimed to represent our perspectives without directly recreating specific events from our lives. Sometimes we took a small personal experience and gave it to a character who might handle it differently.
E: As a concrete example, we’re both aromantic and asexual, so we put some of our experiences into Billie, our aro-ace character. But Billie’s story is still very distinct from ours.
Q: Given that fact, was it difficult to write romance in the play?
G: Yes and no. I actually enjoy writing romantic subplots—living vicariously through the characters. But there were definitely moments we struggled with—asking ourselves, “Would they kiss here? What would they even say?”
E: For me, directing romantic scenes was challenging. We always bring in an intimacy coordinator, but this time it was essential to make scenes feel organic. Initially, we just awkwardly directed actors with placeholders like, “You kiss now?”
G: Directing romance turned into a bit of an inside joke. We’d say, “Can you two do something more… couply?” and the actors would laugh. Thankfully, they’re great at bringing their own ideas to the scenes.
Q: As co-directors, how do you decide when to push the actors toward a specific style of line delivery versus letting them chart their own path?
E: Generally, during rehearsals, we initially let actors perform scenes without much direction, then gradually shape it together. The first attempts often look chaotic, but as we guide them, actors naturally develop interesting details, especially in background interactions. We typically set the broader vision or specific line deliveries, but actors have room to add their own touches.
G: Since it’s our own play, we can easily adapt the script. Actors sometimes suggest changing or adding lines, and we’re always open to discussion. That flexibility helps lines feel authentic.
E: But occasionally, we do need to firmly direct actors or reject suggestions if they don’t make sense or don’t fit the vision.
Q: Have there been any unexpected, especially dramatic or funny backstage moments that could rival the onstage antics?
E: Definitely! Today, for example, we did a “director’s version” of Broken Strings—
G: Just the four of us performed the entire first scene, playing all 13 characters. It was absolute chaos. The Actors jokingly shouted instructions like “volume” and “articulation” at us, realizing it’s not personal when we do it—just necessary feedback. Plus, it was fun.
E: We also enjoy doing improv and “cut scenes” with the actors, creating prompts for scenes happening between or after main events. It helps the actors develop their characters more deeply, which enriches their performances.
Q: Did it change any part of the production itself?
E: Yes—sometimes improv ideas become permanent. For instance, Ophelia officially writing fan fiction started as an improv joke, and now she mentions it on stage.
G: As an ad-lib!
Q: Which actor in the cast is most like their character in real life? Was that something you noted while casting, or happenstance?
E: Definitely Larissa, who plays Buddy. She’s genuinely sweet and wholesome and even loves baking—especially gluten-free, just like her character. We didn’t intentionally typecast her; we weren’t even sure she’d audition, but it naturally worked out.
G: Exactly. We didn’t write the role specifically for her. Casting was completely open, but her similarities to Buddy made her a great fit.
Q: Were there characters that were easier/harder to write & direct?
G: Hollie and Buddy were easy to write. They’re straightforward characters—they love baking and each other. Their drama is simple and easily resolved, making them joyful to write.
Tamar was more challenging. He’s close to my heart, the type who pretends everything’s fine when it’s not. Initially, we worried he might seem passive-aggressive or unlikable, but we learned it’s all in the actor’s delivery. We focused on casting someone who could portray Tamar’s inner conflict sympathetically.
E: When we first read Tamar’s scenes aloud, we realized he could be likeable if portrayed as genuine rather than passive.
Q: What’s your favorite line in the play?
E: Mac’s line in Act 2, Scene 3: “Every time I saw them, they just moshed away.”
G: Mine is Van’s line: “I know you don’t have social media, but BeReal with me.”
Q: What aspect of the production design was the most fun to put together?
G: We didn’t directly design most elements—it was a big collaborative effort. Personally, I’m excited about the costumes. Even though we didn’t have much direct input, seeing the little details come together was amazing.
E: I’m most excited about the music—especially hearing it performed live. We wrote the play’s music style specifically for our head of music, who specializes in rock and metal.
The tracks we’ve heard so far sound fantastic, and seeing the band play live is something I really love.
Q: Do you have musical backgrounds of some kind yourselves? How does that influence the way you bring the band’s story to life?
G: I’m a classically trained flutist, so I’ve played classical music in orchestras and ensembles. This play’s music is outside my comfort zone, but I found exploring new styles very enjoyable. We included a flute in the band as a fun nod, though honestly, I’m still unsure about the exact music genre the band has!
E: I played piano for a long time, and my dad is a professional classical musician and composer, but again, classical music differs greatly from this project. My love of rock music for sure influenced the play, so it features songs we’d genuinely enjoy.
G: Honestly, working on this has made me want to be in a band myself—even if the play doesn’t always depict band life positively!
Q: If you could join a touring band yourselves, which role would you most like to take on?
E & G (in unison): We’d love to play drums!
E: Drums just seem fun—you get to hit things and look cool.
G: Exactly! Plus, female drummers have a fantastic vibe. Although bass guitar also seems great—even if it unfairly has the reputation of being for people who can’t play anything else.
E: Shredding a guitar could be amazing, too.
G: Maybe we just want to do everything.
Q: If you were to go on an extended road trip, what character(s) from Broken Strings would you most like to bring along?
E: Definitely Hollie and Buddy, so they could bake delicious gluten-free cookies—I have celiac disease. Also, Van, because they are a reliable driver.
G: Van would also be a fantastic friend on the road.
E: Within the band, I feel I’d vibe best with Izzy. He’s chill and genuinely loves his friends.
G: Izzy’s definitely fun. So, our ideal group is Hollie, Buddy, Van, and Izzy.
Q: Were there scenes you imagined differently, or moments when you disagreed? How did you resolve it?
G: Not often! Usually, we agree. It’s funny when Emily gives a note, and I realize I wrote the exact same thing down. We’re pretty in sync. There was one minor disagreement we couldn’t resolve easily, so we played rock-paper-scissors—I won, so we did it my way.
E: I’m still upset! Just kidding, I don’t even remember what it was.
G: Ironically, we ended up partly using your idea in the end. I think the delivery turned out to be a good balance of both approaches. Still, I did win.
E: I guess Georgie’s officially the ultimate director, having won the boss battle.
G: The Alpha director!
E (laughing): Please don’t put that in.
Interviewer: Oh, I’m definitely leaving it in.
Blueprint Masquerades 