For a teenager, a diary can be a safe haven. It is a place to share thoughts that one would never speak aloud. But brings those intimate details to light. Based on the teenage journals of four women who are now adults, the play asks questions about self-censorship and the boundaries between adults and young people.
Diaries cover everything from the monumental to the mundane. From tests and papers to crushes and self-esteem, it's all in there.
Hi! What's up? Nothing here! I haven't written in a diary in so long it's unbelievable! I really missed it. I am fourteen years old now, and a freshman in high school. Tomorrow is exam day. English, Econ and Algebra. But I have another problem. Matt Whitley. -The Diary Play
This honesty of experience is what sparked director and co-producer Trey Morehouse's interest in diaries. He's also interested in the lack of communication and the fear of communication that they expose.
There's a lot of things said in a diary in terms of 'I wanted to say this, but I couldn't say this or I didn't feel comfortable saying this.' -Trey Morehouse
One of the writers told Morehouse that, as a teenager, her diary was more than an outlet; It was a companion.
Her diary was like a friend and she could imagine it was a friend who had gone through the same kinds of things she had gone through. -Trey Morehouse
Mouth of Babes theater company presents the world premiere of The Diary Play: Four Teens Tell Their Story on May 22nd at in Raleigh. The show runs through May 25th.
Host Frank Stasio talks with director and co-producer Trey Morehouse. Actors Gretchen Struckmeyer, Elise Kimple and Emily Rose White perform live.
