Retrospect(ive): Hughes

What was your first CP year?

1998! The Origin Story. I was living in Chicago, and at that point in our young lives Clare Mottola had directed every play I had ever written, so I asked her if she wanted to come to Chicago and direct a reading of my new play. She suggested adding some readings of other plays (Greg Owens, Jiffy Iuen!) and showing some artwork in the lobby and doing the readings in both Chicago and NYC. Thus, Cherry Picking was born.

What has been the most memorable CP play you have seen or worked on and why? 

That first year was magical. Several of us from Chicago were doing our first show in New York City. The plays were fun, the people were amazing, old friends, new friends, art, collaboration, sleeping on the floor, opening doors, Picking Cherries.

So you win the cherry pie, who are you sharing it with? 

Clare, Morgan, Matt Hahn, Ericka Kreutz, Chris Tomaino.

CP gives me the courage to…

Experiment.

What have you learned during quarantine that you’d like to carry with you in the future? 

Geez. So many things. New recipes. New appreciation of Time. Some basic carpentry skills. Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts.  New ways to communicate. New appreciation of Family. New appreciation of Friends. New appreciation of Work. New appreciation of Play.