Jacob Zack is a Dramatist Guild playwright who has an extensive catalog of produced plays. BPF’s Miriam Bazensky will be directing Jacob’s absurdist comedy Merryborough. Jacob responded to a series of questions posed by BPF Board Advisor Larry Lambert to discuss the play, his writing and his motivation.
L – What’s the basic premise of Merryborough and why did you decide to write about this subject?
J – Merryborough is an absurdist comedy about a sleepy town under siege by a monopolistic superstore. My artistic mission is to craft comedic meditations on language, alienation, and the human condition. My work draws on humor as a critical lens, which I use to uncover societal tensions and provoke reflection on uncomfortable truths.
L – How long did it take you to create this play, and why did you decide to make it an absurdist comedy?
J – I wrote Merryborough over the course of three years. I only know how to write absurdist comedies, and I would be miserable writing anything else!
L – Does the premise of Merryborough touch on anything you have personally experienced?
J – I wrote the first draft of Merryborough in 2019 while living in Bolivia, a wonderful country with a vibrant history of popular protests in response to government policies. I was fascinated by the idea of a well-meaning bureaucracy gone awry and how people might impose their own checks/balances when the system fails to do so.
L – How long have you been writing plays and why did you choose this medium?
J – I’ve been writing comedies for eight years; I love how theater brings people together to create something unique. Every performance is a one-of-a-kind collaboration between the playwright, artistic team, and audience.
L – What would you like for your audience to take away from Merryborough?
J – That is up to the audience!
L – Where do you go from here? Any special subjects or themes?
J – I am currently participating in the Uncovered Scenes from Ukraine festival, led by Town Square Productions with participation from New York’s Ensemble Studio Theater, Vinnytsia Mykola Sadovsky Music and Drama Theater and New York City’s Ukrainian Institute of America. As part of the process, I had the opportunity to connect with a member of the Ukrainian artistic community and write a play inspired by her experience. The play is in the final stage of development.