Drowning in the Same Sea
Thirteen Conversations in the Hereafter with Emily Dickinson and Saint Francis

A conversation between Emily Dickinson and Saint Francis? What a treat. This play leapt out full blown from my pencil. I was literally writing as fast as I could to keep up. The original idea just popped into my brain one day as I was e-mailing my daughter. I had been doing research on a play about Giotto and Saint Francis and all of a sudden the play took a 180. Saint Francis, yes. I had studied about him and become passionately involved since college, but Emily Dickinson? The two immediate problems I had was: 1. SHE was the wrong century by a long mile and 2. I didn’t understand her poetry one wit. Then this little voice inside me said, "but that’s perfect"...

I’m passionate about this play. I feel like it was a gift that was given to me. How many such gifts are we given in a life time?? That being said, a play is only words on a page until it’s staged. Check out Field Reports to follow this play's journey from manuscript to full production. I think you will be surprised by the twists and turns as much as I.

If you're interested in coming to readings or preproduction productions open to the public, e-mail Christina at lighttouchtheater.

—Christina O'Reilly