Artistic Director Megan Carney talks intimacy design with Chicago Sun-Times
The first time I got to work with an Intimacy Designer for a significant amount of time in a process was when I was directing The Gulf for About Face. In that story, the characters expressed passion, tenderness, and rage closely together. That dynamic presented some unique challenges for staging, especially because the play took place in a literal boat.
In order to fully tell that story, I wanted more specific and technical approaches that would enable the actors to go to some extremes in a thoughtful, repeatable, safe way that they could deliver night after night during the run. Enter Gaby Labotka who joined our team as Intimacy and Violence Designer. Gaby worked closely with our whole team to craft some absolutely epic moments that brought the story to life.
Kelli Simpkins and Deanna Myers in AFT’s The Gulf (2020)
That was about four years ago. When I had the chance to talk with Stefano Esposito of the Chicago Sun-Times recently, I realized how much working with Intimacy Designers (or Coordinators) has changed how I approach production and even reading plays. Their expertise enhances the work of the whole production team to help interpret the most delicate and vulnerable storytelling moments on stage.
I’m excited for the promise of their growing presence in the field and hope to see more of their influence in rehearsal rooms as well as training programs for actors and directors. The emergence of Intimacy Designers is part of a culture shift toward increasingly healthier, consent-based processes in the theatre industry that all of us deserve.
Megan Carney
About Face Theatre Artistic Director