Strays

Written by Kim Katzberg
Directed by Raquel Cion
Produced by Kim Katzberg in collaboration with Nora Woolley and Raquel Cion

Nominated for: Outstanding Original Short Script, Kim Katzberg

Photo by Marina Zamalin

About the Production
Strays explores the ideas of self-reflection through a fascinating theatrical device.  Performers Kim Katzberg and Nora Woolley play all the same characters. The story of a zoned-out-suicide-prevention-hotline operator and exotic-dancer-turned-pet-detective provides plenty of opportunity to delve into the “fluidity and plurality” of an individual’s identity. 


Performer and Playwright Kim Katzberg shares her thoughts on this unique, campy, noir-esque, piece.

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What attracted you to this project?

Kim: Prior to Strays, which is a two-person play, I had exclusively written solo plays. I was excited to share the stage with Nora Woolley, who is an incredible performer, where we both play multiple characters. Strays is kind of like a solo show with two actors.

What was your favorite part of working on this production?

Kim: My favorite part of this production was deepening my relationship with my collaborators Nora Woolley and Raquel Cion. There were definitely blood, sweat and tears that went into the two year process of workshopping, developing and producing this play. The process reached a crisis moment where Nora and Raquel had to be brutally honest with me that the final scene was not working. I was in denial and they cut through the bullshit by not holding back their real thoughts and feelings. We were a week out from opening night. I felt that we were having a real conversation about the work in a way that we hadn't up to that point. I cried because it hurt to hear the truth. And of course the show was so much better for it.

Photo by Marina Zamalin

What was the most challenging part of working on this production?

Kim: The most challenging part of working on this production was dealing with deep self-doubt and intense fear that it would fail.

What was the strangest thing that happened during the production?

Kim: We had a cat-making party where my wife and I invited friends over and had an evening of making 12 stuffed cats for Terry's apartment. And once the show closed, we also brought home the green neon "Cats" sign that was part of the set and mounted it on the wall above our kitchen table. We now call our eating nook the "Cat Cafe." Our two real cats work there!

What is it like working with Nora Woolley and Raquel Cion?

Kim: Working with the stunningly talented Nora Woolley and inimitable Raquel Cion pushed me to grow in ways that were painful and exhilirating. Nora and Raquel pushed me to go beyond what I thought were my limits as an actor, writer, collaborator and human being.