Jesse Bliss, the founder and artistic director of the nonprofit The Roots and Wings Project, has spent a lot of time sitting and praying by the American River in Sacramento. It is her favorite place on the planet, and it inspired her to write her new play, “Realm of the River,” opening at The Rosenthal Theater at Inner-City Arts, running from Sept. 18-27.
“It took me nine years to develop because it wasn’t for a commission, it came from my heart,” Bliss shared. “I kept getting commissioned pieces that I would set it down for and then finally last year, I couldn’t take it anymore. It was not convenient. I’m a single parent. I run a company, and we’re constantly in production. I said, I don’t care. I’m going to do what it takes.”
Bliss woke at 4 a.m. and found herself writing in weird places at weird times. She completed it, and when she finally heard a run through as part of her organization’s Women at Work new works reading series, she realized just how much she believed in the piece. . . .
Read the entire article at LA Downtown News.
Jessica Koslow 