In Search of Elaina: Interview with Playwright Kara Ayn Napolitano
“In Search of Elaina” is a new play by a theater company known as Drift In Act Out that is celebrating its world premiere. Written by Kara Ayn Napolitano, “In Search of Elaina” is about facing the past — skeletons and all — in order to embrace the future. Performances will run through September 22 at The Steve & Marie Sgouros Theatre at The Players Theatre in Manhattan, New York.
“In Search of Elaina” focuses on Annette who is living comfortably in a city when she learns that an old friend from her youth has passed away. Annette, who has worked hard to put her past behind her, journeys to her hometown to attend the funeral and faces feelings of regret and grief while also reconnecting with old family and friends and ultimately finding her way forward.
Aside from being a writer, playwright Kara Ayn Napolitano is an environmental educator who performs in an ongoing Storytime event at Bryant Park and managing educational programming for a New York City recycling facility. She serves as the Artistic Director of Drift In Act Out — a theater company that she cofounded — which aims to bring new work to the stage. Kara is also a professional singing teacher, an amateur puppeteer and hula hoop dancer. She recently discussed her career and new play via an exclusive interview.
Meagan Meehan (MM): What prompted you to get into theater and what prompted you to create your own company?
Kara Ayn Napolitano (KAN): I first performed when I was eight or nine. I think I liked spaces where I could be a ham. Like, I could be over the top and people seemed to approve of it. I liked performing, storytelling, holding people’s attention, taking them on a journey and experiencing their reactions. I guess I still do. I started Drift In Act Out with a dear friend who was also an incredibly capable and driven woman. We had just finished undergrad and we wanted to make theatre. We were ready, and hungry, and we wanted to improve our crafts through practice. We started the company to provide opportunities for us and those around us to make art and improve our abilities to do so.
MM: How did you come up with the name “Drift In Act Out” and what is the main mission of the company?
KAN: We felt we were stronger together. As artistic individuals we drift together. We form an ensemble. We support each other, build each other up, form strong voices, and as a group we ACT OUT! The mission of the company has always been to provide a medium of artistic growth, but we also want to provide a space for theatre artists who are passionate about the work to just make theatre.
MM: What inspired IN SEARCH OF ELAINA and how long did it take you to write?
KAN: IN SEARCH OF ELAINA is inspired by my friend, Elaina. She is the only character truly based on one person from my life. She had a big personality and left an impact on me, but we lost touch. I knew she was struggling with drug use, and after not seeing her for years I became fearful that if I really looked for her, I would discover she was dead. This fear became overwhelming and made me avoid looking for her, which seems so sad now. That is the feeling I wanted to explore and that inspired me to start writing. How can we be so afraid of a past that we completely shut it out, even if it is a big part of us and even if we do actually WANT it back?
Years ago I did end up finding Elaina. I told her I wanted to write the play about her and use her name. In her gruff, cigarette-stained voice she gave me her blessing, then turned to the random person sitting next to her at the restaurant bar and said, “Hey, this is my friend Kara. She’s writin’ a play about me.” Sadly, Elaina and I have lost touch again. This play is for her. I have been working on IN SEARCH OF ELAINA on and off for ten years. I took a big break in the middle there but used the pandemic to dive back in and complete my rewrites. I have been back at it since the spring of 2021.
MM: What is your favorite part of the play and why?
KAN: I mean, I love the ending, which I won’t share because…come see the play. The nice thing about writing your own story is you get to decide how it ends. I also love each of the characters so very much. Watching them come to life has made me love them even more.
MM: How did you secure a venue for this play and what kinds of feedback have you gotten so far?
KAN: I was submitting the play to whatever opportunity fit throughout the country. I submitted to The Players Theatre’s Self Producing Artist Residency and noted that it would be a good opportunity for me. I have worked as a producer and have produced my own work before, AND this opportunity is in NYC, hometown. I submitted and then forgot about it, like you do. The Players Theatre accepted my submission and offered “In Search of Elaina” a run. And here we are. I have appreciated the feedback so far. The play is sad and goes to some dark places. Many audience members have been willing to go there with us and expressed appreciation for us taking them. Audience members also recognize their people in the play. I wrote a play about my people. I put the people I know on stage. Turns out, they are not just my people. They are a lot of folk’s people.
MM: You also work as a puppeteer so how did you get into that and how does the medium influence your theatrical work?
KAN: I love puppets. They bring me joy. What a fun method of character building and storytelling. I think the fact that I like to create characters, especially characters with silly voices or accents and big personalities, that fits well with puppets. I haven’t written a full length play with puppets yet, but I have experimented with making puppet videos and I have used them quite a bit in my work as an educator.
MM: You also work as an environmental educator and run art projects. How do you think the arts can benefit go-green initiatives?
KAN: I do a lot of different things in this life. Some of them overlap, some do not. I definitely use my theatre skills to be a better environmental educator. If you want to communicate a concept to anyone, you need to tell the story well. You need to understand your audience, and ideally be engaging while you do it. Being a theatre person and a performer has been incredibly valuable in helping me be a stronger educator. I haven’t yet brought environmental education into my work as a theatre artist though, other than making sure everyone in the rehearsal room knows what is and is not recyclable and that recycling is absolutely real and exactly how waste and recycling work and that reducing and reusing are actually a million times better than recycling. If you want to know more about this, come see me at my day job. @BalconesBK on insta or BalconesRecycling.com, check out the Brooklyn location. I do the tours.
MM: How did you get to work at the famed Bryant Park and has that opened any doors to the theater community?
KAN: Awe — I love that it is the famed Bryant Park. What a great space. I so appreciate their central location and all their FREE programming, and I love working there. A dear friend and collaborator had been working for them for some time as a storyteller and performer. The park needed to hire another performer, and he believed in me and recommended me. Thank you, Dan Kitrosser! Now I’ve been dressing up like a cat in front of kids for the past 14 years. It takes a lot of energy and every year reminds me that I am getting older, but it is incredibly fulfilling to inspire kids to be musical, confident, and to READ! Not sure if it has opened any doors, but it sure has been a positive ride.
MM: What has been the best part of working in the arts/theater scene and what are some of your big dreams for the future?
KAN: I write about human connection because it mystifies me but is so important. Working in the theatre has given me some of my favorite friendships and strongest connections. I love making stuff. I love telling stories, but I also deeply appreciate the relationships we build while doing so. Finding people you can trust and rely on, people around which you can be honest and vulnerable, that’s really something. I think that’s one of my favorite parts.
MM: Where do you hope to be in your career within the next ten years?
KAN: I’ve got my eyes on the park system. I am hoping to work outside more, possibly with the state or national park system if they would have me. I’m a pretty solid worker so hopefully they see that at the right time. I will absolutely keep writing, but I prefer to do that on my own schedule so I can continue enjoying it. IN SEARCH OF ELAINA is the second play in a trilogy about female friendship. “Leah in Vegas” explored forgiveness and rebuilding one’s life after making a controversial mistake, “In Search of Elaina” explores facing old demons and dealing with parts of yourself you may not be crazy about, and I am currently working on “Samantha Stayed Home,” exploring the choices we make and how they are influenced by societal expectations. Hopefully “Samantha Stayed Home” along with some other pieces will be out in the world within the next ten years. Actually, after all the big feelings of IN SEARCH OF ELAINA, I think I’m going to need to write a kid’s musical about dinosaurs and geology.
MM: Is there anything else that you would like to mention?
KAN: I can’t express enough how grateful I am for the team that made IN SEARCH OF ELAINA. Everyone on board is talented and passionate and brought an essential and beautiful piece to the story. I feel very lucky. Biggest thanks to the team.
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“In Search of Elaina” runs through September 22 at The Players Theatre (115 MacDougal Street, New York NY 10012). Tickets are $62 — $87. For tickets and more information, visit www.insearchofelaina.com.