An “Interview” with Playwright Carl Andrew Johnson
Welcome to another “interview” with the playwrights featured in the PlayGround’s 29th Festival of New Works! Unlike traditional playwright interviews, we asked our writers to reply to our questions with either a single word, an image, an obvious lie, or a rhyming couplet (or whatever they wanted if they weren’t in the mood). And if you’re looking for tickets to the festival, you can find them here.
So here’s our “interview” with playwright Carl Andrew Johnson Puller whose play Twas the Launch Before Christmas will be part of Best of PlayGround(SF) ’25, on May 24-25, directed by Tanika Baptiste
1. What is your hometown?
New London, Connecticut
2. What is a song that represents your play?
“99 Red Balloons” [by NENA]
3. What is a piece of art that represents your play?
(see above)
4. What do you do creatively other than writing?
Drawing and sketching.
5. Give a teaser for your play.
Silent night. Holy night. All is calm until the radar goes bright.
6. Give us an out-of-context spoiler for your play.
Make a list but check it twice.
7. What was the seed of your play?
(Dr. Strangelove)
8. What artists (theatre or non-theatre) inspire you or your play?
(James Earl Jones)
10. Describe where you were when you wrote this play.
I was sitting at my computer after just a few month after James Earl Jones died. I’d recently watched the film Dr. Strangelove, which he appeared in. His role in this film inspired me to write this. His character was calm and focused despite facing an uncertain fate.
Carl Andrew Johnson, he/him, is a recent addition to PlayGround-SF, with a passion for writing satire, speculative fiction, and comedy. While taking screen and stage playwriting courses at Berkeley City College, he was encouraged by his instructor to submit his work to local theater groups. His writing often draws from personal experiences, blending humor and thought-provoking elements, with the goal of ensuring that audiences leave with both a smile and something to ponder. His play Twas the Launch Before Christmas will be part of Best of PlayGround(SF) ’25, on Ma7 24-25, directed by Tanika Baptiste. More…