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| Philip Peker 11th grade, Livingston Senior HS |
2. What did you enjoy most about writing this play?
This was the first play I have ever written,
so everything felt new and different to me. I really enjoyed seeing the words
that I punched out at home by my computer literally come to life on stage. The
transition between "written word" and "performed word" is
terribly fascinating, especially when the work is your own. However, the thing
I most enjoyed about writing this play, is that I continue to "write"
this play everyday. The scenes in the play are almost exact replicas of what
goes on in real life at the dinner table with my grandparents. Seeing my life
acted out by actors on a stage, and then coming back home and seeing almost the
exact same things being said by the people that the characters are framed after
is a very surreal experience. I guess that's the beauty about writing; you can
create parallel universes and different copies of yourself through
writing.
3. In your bio you mention that you are a classically
trained guitarist who has delved into other musical genres. What are some of your
favorites?
Oh man, well, I listen to practically
anything that makes sound. However, for the past few years, I have been heavily
vested in the Jazz genre. Every single thing about Jazz is terribly exciting.
The spontaneity, the brilliance of the instrumentation, and the rawness of it
really make it incredibly appealing to listen to and play. At the moment, my musical
interests branch from the Jazz genre. I have started listening to tons of soul,
funk, and old-school hip hop, and then also I continue to listen to a lot of
classical, world, and gypsy music. I grew up listening to Russian folk music,
and so that gave me a huge base for appreciating all types of musical genres.
Oh, and dance music can be pretty sweet, if the occasion is right. I can go on
for hours talking about music; darn you for asking this question!
4. You also have a band, Castles, and compose your own
music. What kind of music do you play? What musicians or musical movements
influence your work?
Ah yes. Well, we tend to play most of our
songs as "jams," and keep them as raw and natural as possible. As
genres go, however, we tend be categorized as progressive or math rock. We
incorporate tons of different styles, from hard rock/blues, to jazz and funk.
For us, music is whatever sounds good, so we tend to throw definitions and
genres out the window when we play. As a band we were originally influenced by
groups like King Crimson, Pink Floyd, ELP, and Yes, but we also really
dig a lot of modern stuff like Portico Quartet, Minus the Bear, BBNG, Pat
Metheny, E.S.T, and the Mars Volta.
5. What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Mocha Chip!
You can find Philip's bio, as well as bios for the other high school playwrights from 2013, on the NJ Young Playwrights Festival at http://www.ptnj.org/miscpage/2013-new-jersey-young-playwrights-high-school-bios
You can find Philip's bio, as well as bios for the other high school playwrights from 2013, on the NJ Young Playwrights Festival at http://www.ptnj.org/miscpage/2013-new-jersey-young-playwrights-high-school-bios
