Interview

57. INTERVIEW: Paul Michael Thomson

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Hey listeners! We had the amazing opportunity to chat with the one and only Paul Michael Thomson. He is an actor, playwright, and co-artistic director of The Story Theatre. He had so much to say about playwriting, theater, and what it means to be an artist. We also got a chance to talk about his hilarious and page-turning play “The G.O.A.T., or Who Is Ximone?”. Be sure to look out for it on New Play Exchange!

LISTEN TO EPISODE 57. INTERVIEW: Paul Michael Thomson HERE

Paul Michael Thomson HeadshotPaul Michael Thomson is an actor, playwright, and co-artistic director of The Story Theatre in Chicago, IL. As an actor, he has worked with Steppenwolf Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare, and Windy City Playhouse, among others. His plays have been produced by Avalanche Theatre, The Impostors Theatre Company, Other Theatre, Arc Theatre, and The Story Theatre, of which he is a founding ensemble member. He holds a BFA in Acting and a BA in Africana Studies from The University of Arizona and is passionate about new work, intersectional feminism, and rereading the same books over and over and over again.

PAUL MICHAEL THOMSON’S FAVORITE PLAYWRITING EXERCISE:

Close your eyes and think about a person you can’t stand. Maybe this person has wronged you, or else they’re just ALWAYS doing things that seem to be DELIBERATELY trying to annoy YOU. This person should make you have a physical reaction: flushed face; tight neck; heavy breathing.
Now, place them in a space, any space, with one other person. They want something–a physical object or an emotional need. The other person in the space has the thing that they want, but they don’t want to give it to them.
Set the timer for ten minutes. Write the scene. Don’t pick up your pencil until the timer goes off.

To learn more about Paul Michael Thomson, be sure to visit his website www.paulmichaelthomson.com

To learn about the amazing work The Story Theatre is doing, check out the website www.thestorytheatre.org

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