Behind the scenes with FringeArts’ Underground Railroad Game
Actors Scott Sheppard (left) and Jenn Kidwell star in and are co-creators of 'Underground Railroad Game' (Photo by Kate Raines/FringeArts)
Performers in this year’s Philadelphia Fringe Festival have practiced their craft long and hard to make what they do on stage seem effortless.Actors Jenn Kidwell and Scott Sheppard star in and are co-creators of “Underground Railroad Game,” a festival premiere at Christ Church Neighborhood House on Sept. 4.
The play is based on a controversial game Sheppard played in history class in 5th grade. Students learned about the function of the Underground Railroad in 19th century America as they secretly shuttled black dolls to safe boxes — it was a way to reenact, if you will, the routes taken by slaves to freedom.Since most of us aren’t privy to what goes on behind the scenes in the making of a never-seen-before play, we asked Kidwell and Sheppard to keep audio diaries during a span of three and a half weeks leading up to opening night.Here are some of their entries that aired on WHYY’s Morning Edition.
Underground Railroad Game is a production of Lightning Rod Special.
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