Some time ago, I began a play, The Origin of the Seasons. Loosely based on my memoir, Living Between Danger and Love, about a young woman student of mine who was murdered by her boyfriend, the play also explores the Demeter/Persephone myth. But I set the writing of the play aside for more than a year, while finishing work on my last book, Diving for Pearls: A Thinking Journey with Hannah Arendt. Then, another year disappeared in the process of publishing and marketing Pearls. Finally, last summer, I re-connected with Mike Levin, a drama teacher at Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy (FALA), who was a summer scholar in 2012 in my NEH seminar on Arendt at Bard College.

For his seminar project, Mike began a play “On Thinking,” based on Arendt’s writing and life. After what Mike described as “a year of thinking about thinking and thinking about what a play about thinking would look like,” he produced On Thinking last year to wide acclaim—it was nominated for a prestigious Viola Award by the Arizona Arts Council. I had a feeling collaborating with Mike would be a productive, creative experience and I couldn’t have been more right.

In 2013, Mike read an early version of Origin. Along with a playwriting course I took in London while still living in the UK, Mike’s advice helped me reshape the play’s structure and add to its substance. Following the hiatus mentioned above, I dove back into the play, completed a revised draft, and sent it to Mike, who workshopped it with his advanced writing students last fall. Their comments were “spot on,” as the British say! Another revision, and the play went back to Mike and his advanced acting class in early December. The cast of six (Aria, Jesse, Dylan, Izzi, Sunday, and Grace) was drawn from this group, who will perform Origin under Mike’s direction.

That’s the short version of how, this Spring, I became a “playwright-in-residence” at FALA! I spent a week with the cast in early January doing table work, taking apart each scene, and analyzing the characters’ actions and the play’s dramatic arc. This important work led to final revisions, and the final (if anything is ever final!) version of the script is now in the cast’s hands, as they ready for February rehearsals.

Joining the production team was an extraordinary musician, Alex B., who scored the entire play with original music, which will play live at the March 27 and 28, 2015 performances at the Coconino Center for the Arts in Flagstaff. Because the play deals with the issue of domestic violence, we are also working with the Northland Family Help Center, which will co-lead post-performance discussions.

What an amazingly dedicated and talented group of young people to work with! I am in awe of their dedication and seriousness. And of the extraordinary work of their super drama teacher, Mike Levin.

A few weeks ago, when I read about the Tonys having created a new award to recognize Excellence in Theater Education, I immediately thought of Mike. We are now in the processing of nominating him for this much deserved recognition.

If you are near Flagstaff, please come see the show in March!