Meeting with Sandi Henschel, the Director

Sandi Henschel (director) and Nina Alvarez (playwright)

I met with Sandi today to go over the current script, make some changes, and plan the audition invitation. And the synchronicity of our tastes got me thinking to how this whole thing started.

When I wrote "The Life of Leo Wool," it was October 2011. I sat on my front porch, inspired by the vision of my friend Jack Simel on stage at MuCCC the night before. His character was sitting at a writing desk and I suddenly saw Jack playing an aging, distinguished writer.

I didn't know why the image moved me, but eight hours later I had a one-act play about a writer looking back on his life. I revised and revised, then showed it to Jack. Because I'd written it with him as my muse, and because he is a great guy, he agreed to play the lead role. Not only that, but he got his long-time friend Sandi Henschel, a local director with an incredible theater resume, to be my director.

As a poet, playwright, and former English teacher, Sandi resonated with the literary themes of "Leo." And I have asked the universe for just that: someone who would understand my play.

Having Sandi on my side has been an incredible boon. I am leaning so much about what it takes to actually put on a production, add drama and movement to a play that is very intellectual, and how to make the most of the time and resources we have. You have no idea how much of a disaster this could have been without the help of these people who actually know what they are doing.

Learn more about Sandi.