Staging the Stonewall Uprising 50 years later: Hit The Wall in Iowa

For my MFA Directing Thesis Production, I was thrilled to direct Hit the Wall by Ike Holter. Centered around the LGBTQ community that came together to fight in the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, this play tells the nearly untold story that has, up until now, largely been allotted to cis white gay men. This 90-minute rock concert/docudrama is packed with queer struggles, gay hierarchies, lesbian coalitions, transgender love stories, a seven-minute riot sequence, hot-and-heavy dance numbers, and police brutality – all with a live rock n’ roll band. Through a detailed discussion of the production process — play analysis, personal research, design, rehearsals, performance and opening night celebration — this thesis identifies the strengths and weaknesses of this production, as well as ongoing challenges in my work. I explain how the lessons I learned in the casting of transgender and gender non-conforming actors, collaborating with designers, and running rehearsals can be applied to future productions of Hit the Wall and in my subsequent work as a director.