Two stunningly powerful pieces about racialized police violence set the stage for this episode with DeLane McDuffie & Steve Harper. Moderated by Lower Depth Theatre Founding Member & Artistic Associate, Veralyn Jones. 

This month: 

• Screenwriter & playwright DeLane McDuffie and TV writer & playwright Steve Harper read from two pieces that both examine racial violence. 

• DeLane delves into his interest in poetry and history, and how he combined those two passions to write his poem, “Run On”. 

• Steve talks about how “What I Know” came from a play that explores contrasting perspectives on racial violence.

• Both writers chat about their favorite genres to write in.

• Steve discuss truisms & mission statements in real people translate into 

• Steve compares his writing process to eating.

• DeLane explains how writing can be a catharsis and allow you to say what you need to say.

• DeLane expresses the simultaneous discomfort and excitement he feels when he doesn’t know what is coming next in the story.

• Steve & DeLane share where they will find motivation when coming out of the pandemic. 

• The writers bond over dealing with characters that just stubbornly refuse to go where they want them to go.  

• Both writers give advice for upcoming writers. 

*Music for this episode was composed by Maritri Garrett.

Pieces Read

• Run On, poem by DeLane McDuffie

  • Inspired by the string of police shootings and murders of black people in the spring of 2015. 

• Monologue from “What I Know” by Steve Harper

  • One half of a play called Black Lives / Blue Lives that explores opposite perspectives on racial violence

DeLane McDuffie is a LA-based writer, cinephile, jazz head, and bookworm. A Southern transplant from the Carolina marshlands, he’s a screenwriter, playwright, and poet. He graduated from Morehouse College with BA in English; attended Royal Holloway, University of London; and earned an MFA in film from the University of Miami. His most recent original plays have been produced or slated for production in Los Angeles, Houston, and Seoul, South Korea.

Find him at delanemcduffie.com.

STEVE HARPER is a TV writer, playwright and actor. Recent work: A Few Short Plays to Save the World at Northwestern University, and Three People for #WhileWeBreathe (creative protest online). His play The Political Machine was read as part of Lower Depth’s BIPOC Voting Plays. He collaborated on Black Lives / Blue Lives (with Bill Mesce Jr.) at The Theater Project (NJ). TV writing includes Stargirl (CW), God Friended Me (CBS) and American Crime (ABC). His web series SEND ME garnered a 2016 Emmy Nomination. (YouTube). Graduate of Yale, The A.R.T. Institute at Harvard and the Juilliard playwriting program.