1 00:00:15,033 --> 00:00:19,383 Jay Ray: On this episode of Queue Points, we welcome Idris Goodwin. 2 00:00:20,043 --> 00:00:24,483 Idris Goodwin is an award-winning creative driven by a passion 3 00:00:24,483 --> 00:00:26,043 for impactful storytelling. 4 00:00:26,953 --> 00:00:30,673 Currently serving as Artistic Director of Seattle Children’s Theater, 5 00:00:31,163 --> 00:00:36,163 Idris writes, directs, programs and /or produces relevant content 6 00:00:36,173 --> 00:00:38,113 for intergenerational audiences. 7 00:00:39,203 --> 00:00:43,563 Recognized as a culture bearer who celebrates community values and cultivates 8 00:00:44,153 --> 00:00:50,443 histories with care, Goodwin’s impact spans generation and artistic mediums, 9 00:00:50,643 --> 00:00:56,613 with well over 60 original plays produced coast to coast, from Oregon Shakespeare 10 00:00:56,623 --> 00:00:59,803 Festival to The John F Kennedy Center. 11 00:01:00,983 --> 00:01:05,103 Several of these works are published, as are his forays into poetry and 12 00:01:05,103 --> 00:01:09,973 prose, including the collections Can I Kick It and These Are The Breaks. 13 00:01:11,513 --> 00:01:15,283 Harper Collins Clarion released his 1st picture book, Your 14 00:01:15,283 --> 00:01:17,513 House is Not Just A House. 15 00:01:18,873 --> 00:01:23,583 A performer and recording artist, he’s created original video content for 16 00:01:23,633 --> 00:01:30,653 and/or appeared on Wondery, Nickelodeon, HBO Def Poetry, Sesame Street, NPR, 17 00:01:30,693 --> 00:01:33,133 BBC Radio, and the Discovery Channel. 18 00:01:34,153 --> 00:01:39,163 Before stepping into his current tenure with SCT, Idris served as Artistic 19 00:01:39,163 --> 00:01:43,903 Director of StageOne Family Theatre in Louisville, as well as Executive 20 00:01:43,903 --> 00:01:48,943 Director of The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 21 00:01:49,153 --> 00:01:53,303 where he also taught as a professor in The Department of Theater and Dance. 22 00:01:55,343 --> 00:01:59,893 As Board President of Theater For Young Audiences/USA, he is a champion 23 00:01:59,903 --> 00:02:04,783 for theater makers and institutions with a stated focus on cultivating 24 00:02:04,883 --> 00:02:06,833 the arts patrons of tomorrow. 25 00:02:07,843 --> 00:02:13,243 King Of The Neuro Verse, his 1st novel, will be released in 2025. 26 00:02:14,173 --> 00:02:19,683 We spoke to Idris in December 2024 as he was preparing for his newest play, 27 00:02:19,873 --> 00:02:22,173 Doctor De Soto, to hit the stage. 28 00:02:23,023 --> 00:02:27,713 Doctor De Soto opens at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta on January 18th 29 00:02:28,053 --> 00:02:31,248 and runs through March 2, 2025. 30 00:02:32,417 --> 00:02:34,127 DJ Sir Daniel: Jay Ray, guess what? 31 00:02:34,827 --> 00:02:35,357 Jay Ray: What's up? 32 00:02:35,447 --> 00:02:39,257 DJ Sir Daniel: Today's queued up guest is no stranger to Queue Points, right? 33 00:02:39,687 --> 00:02:40,877 As a matter of fact. 34 00:02:41,782 --> 00:02:47,662 I got to experience his magic when I attended a magical production of 35 00:02:47,662 --> 00:02:52,612 his stage play, The Boy Who Kissed the Sky, here at the Alliance 36 00:02:52,622 --> 00:02:54,852 Theater in Atlanta about a year ago. 37 00:02:55,332 --> 00:02:58,842 And Jay Ray, we also had the pleasure of interviewing the co 38 00:02:58,842 --> 00:03:03,932 musical directors, IV, last year. 39 00:03:03,962 --> 00:03:09,552 And now, bringing it all back, we have the honor of speaking with 40 00:03:09,552 --> 00:03:14,292 the author, Playwright and MC. 41 00:03:14,502 --> 00:03:15,742 We're going to find out about that. 42 00:03:16,812 --> 00:03:20,812 I'm talking about none other than today's guest Idris Goodwin. 43 00:03:21,102 --> 00:03:22,162 Welcome Idris. 44 00:03:22,442 --> 00:03:23,552 Idris Goodwin: What's going on, y'all? 45 00:03:23,982 --> 00:03:24,822 DJ Sir Daniel: How are you feeling today? 46 00:03:24,822 --> 00:03:26,512 I just want to do a quick checking with you. 47 00:03:26,782 --> 00:03:27,812 How are you feeling? 48 00:03:27,832 --> 00:03:31,942 And, um, you know, you're in the moment, you're in the moment right now, 49 00:03:31,952 --> 00:03:35,112 getting to play this, this new stage play that we're about to talk about. 50 00:03:35,492 --> 00:03:38,942 You're in the midst of that, but how are you doing in this, at this moment? 51 00:03:39,572 --> 00:03:41,782 Idris Goodwin: Oh, you know, it's always good to be in Atlanta. 52 00:03:42,212 --> 00:03:46,142 Um, I was, uh, you know, my, my, I grew up coming here a lot. 53 00:03:46,142 --> 00:03:47,902 I got hella family out here. 54 00:03:48,352 --> 00:03:50,412 Uh, I was actually just back here a couple of weeks ago. 55 00:03:50,412 --> 00:03:50,922 Cause great. 56 00:03:50,922 --> 00:03:52,702 Granny turned a hundred years old. 57 00:03:53,112 --> 00:03:53,562 DJ Sir Daniel: Oh, 58 00:03:53,657 --> 00:03:54,507 Jay Ray: granny. 59 00:03:54,592 --> 00:03:56,822 Idris Goodwin: yeah, so I'm very comfortable here. 60 00:03:56,822 --> 00:03:57,632 I'm very familiar here. 61 00:03:57,632 --> 00:03:59,542 Working at Alliance is always a treat. 62 00:04:00,117 --> 00:04:01,647 Uh, they treat me well here. 63 00:04:01,647 --> 00:04:04,797 I've had a few shows here before, like the Boy who Kissed this guy that you 64 00:04:04,797 --> 00:04:09,777 mentioned, as well as, uh, adaptation of Jason Reynolds ghosts as well. 65 00:04:09,777 --> 00:04:12,057 I've been here a lot of times for conferences and other things. 66 00:04:12,057 --> 00:04:15,677 So, uh, I'm doing quite well, man, and we're in the room where it happens. 67 00:04:15,677 --> 00:04:18,647 We're, we're, we're rehearsing starting to kick the tires. 68 00:04:18,677 --> 00:04:24,337 I've been revisions, so yeah, just, uh, and a and, but a great, great, um, 69 00:04:25,177 --> 00:04:29,197 to take a break to get to talk to you brothers about, uh, about this piece. 70 00:04:29,407 --> 00:04:29,937 Jay Ray: Yeah. 71 00:04:30,302 --> 00:04:30,452 DJ Sir Daniel: it. 72 00:04:30,502 --> 00:04:33,002 I just also want to check in quickly with you. 73 00:04:33,002 --> 00:04:35,942 You know, um, we can't get around it. 74 00:04:35,982 --> 00:04:42,062 Um, we recently lost, um, who is, well, we had now have a new ancestor, right? 75 00:04:42,062 --> 00:04:43,392 And Nikki Giovanni. 76 00:04:43,832 --> 00:04:50,322 And as a playwright and author, you know, what impact has her work had on you? 77 00:04:50,322 --> 00:04:56,922 Yes, there 78 00:04:57,377 --> 00:05:00,077 Idris Goodwin: Ego Trip and, or Ego Trip. 79 00:05:00,467 --> 00:05:00,947 Um, 80 00:05:01,085 --> 00:05:03,272 Jay Ray: Yeah. 81 00:05:03,377 --> 00:05:06,497 Idris Goodwin: um, and you know, I am in that lineage of 82 00:05:06,497 --> 00:05:08,347 griots, black arts movement. 83 00:05:08,761 --> 00:05:12,971 um, I had the pleasure to actually, um, curate an event. 84 00:05:13,631 --> 00:05:17,171 that featured Nikki Giovanni back in the day at the Hothouse in Chicago. 85 00:05:17,661 --> 00:05:19,281 Um, and it was an amazing experience. 86 00:05:19,281 --> 00:05:20,031 I'll never forget it. 87 00:05:20,031 --> 00:05:22,851 I remember my mom and one of her homegirls drove all the way up 88 00:05:22,881 --> 00:05:25,141 from Detroit to see, to see it. 89 00:05:25,161 --> 00:05:28,661 Cause, uh, you know, Nikki was, was, was always on our shelves growing up. 90 00:05:28,661 --> 00:05:32,741 So Nikki Giovanni, Maya Angelou, like, you know, we go down the line. 91 00:05:32,751 --> 00:05:34,051 So yeah, yeah. 92 00:05:34,051 --> 00:05:36,871 Rest in, rest in poetry, um, Queen Nikki. 93 00:05:36,891 --> 00:05:39,400 Yeah, 94 00:05:39,445 --> 00:05:44,935 Jay Ray: Um, once again, thank you so much for the work that you do. 95 00:05:46,695 --> 00:05:50,855 I am curious, before we jump into this upcoming work for Doctor De 96 00:05:50,855 --> 00:05:59,005 Soto, um, can we talk a bit about the importance of music for children? 97 00:05:59,005 --> 00:06:02,785 Because that's like a consistent thing that we see in your work, 98 00:06:03,025 --> 00:06:04,385 particularly your work for kids. 99 00:06:04,385 --> 00:06:06,775 Can you talk about the importance of that? 100 00:06:07,841 --> 00:06:10,481 Idris Goodwin: Oh, well, I mean, look, first and foremost, the first 101 00:06:10,481 --> 00:06:15,891 kind of writing I did as a, as a young Thundercat was, was lyrics. 102 00:06:16,351 --> 00:06:20,711 Um, I drew comics and I started writing lyrics to rap songs, 103 00:06:20,741 --> 00:06:22,081 you know, rap songs and whatnot. 104 00:06:22,501 --> 00:06:25,311 And that, that. 105 00:06:26,336 --> 00:06:27,476 always spoke to me. 106 00:06:27,476 --> 00:06:31,376 I found out later that it's become a lifelong struggle 107 00:06:31,376 --> 00:06:34,856 with neurodivergency, ADHD. 108 00:06:34,906 --> 00:06:39,426 And, you know, and it answered a lot of questions for me about challenges I had in 109 00:06:39,426 --> 00:06:42,436 school growing up with the written word. 110 00:06:42,566 --> 00:06:45,396 And, um, And some of this is the subject. 111 00:06:45,396 --> 00:06:50,386 I have a, I have a, uh, a novel coming in, in, uh, 2025, uh, called king of the 112 00:06:50,386 --> 00:06:54,626 neural verse, which is it's fictional, but it's very much based on, uh, that, 113 00:06:54,636 --> 00:06:56,386 that challenge in that time of my life. 114 00:06:56,416 --> 00:07:00,806 Um, but anyway, uh, so the, but the music always 115 00:07:02,826 --> 00:07:09,026 gave me clarity, uh, you know, very intuitively, um, I was, I was wired in and 116 00:07:09,026 --> 00:07:10,826 there was always music in the household. 117 00:07:11,216 --> 00:07:17,946 Um, and the music, especially like, you know, pre internet, know, music, more 118 00:07:17,946 --> 00:07:23,136 particularly specifically black music, had, it carried so much history in it, 119 00:07:23,356 --> 00:07:26,281 you know, it carried, So much in it. 120 00:07:26,281 --> 00:07:29,071 It was so jam packed, much like our food. 121 00:07:29,451 --> 00:07:33,011 You know, it is, it has got layers and levels and richness to it because 122 00:07:33,011 --> 00:07:34,871 it's doing, it's doing all this work. 123 00:07:34,881 --> 00:07:36,371 It's, it's carrying the history. 124 00:07:36,371 --> 00:07:37,621 It's the word on the street. 125 00:07:37,631 --> 00:07:39,481 It's the, you know, it's all of it. 126 00:07:39,481 --> 00:07:39,891 Right. 127 00:07:40,251 --> 00:07:43,421 And it also is trying to make you move and feel good too. 128 00:07:43,441 --> 00:07:43,781 Right. 129 00:07:43,791 --> 00:07:49,046 So it is ethos, pathos, and You know, all of that, all of those is, 130 00:07:49,465 --> 00:07:49,655 Jay Ray: Yeah. 131 00:07:49,916 --> 00:07:51,396 Idris Goodwin: you know, in one. 132 00:07:51,406 --> 00:07:56,906 So for me, um, I think for the performing arts, for theater, you know, it's 133 00:07:56,916 --> 00:08:02,606 storytelling, but it's live storytelling and, you know, and, or like, you know, 134 00:08:02,606 --> 00:08:06,156 it's, it's in the tradition of the black church, like it's the living word. 135 00:08:06,496 --> 00:08:08,876 And there is a, there's, it's a dialogue, like 136 00:08:09,005 --> 00:08:09,365 Jay Ray: Mm hmm. 137 00:08:09,736 --> 00:08:11,886 Idris Goodwin: live performance is a dialogue. 138 00:08:12,176 --> 00:08:15,436 Um, you know, I just watched the, um, the Jamie Foxx special last night. 139 00:08:15,585 --> 00:08:16,035 Jay Ray: Mm hmm. 140 00:08:16,451 --> 00:08:20,331 Idris Goodwin: Um, which, which was shot here in Atlanta, uh, on, on the stage 141 00:08:20,331 --> 00:08:22,261 where Boy Who Gets the Sky, uh, was 142 00:08:22,335 --> 00:08:22,535 Jay Ray: Yes. 143 00:08:22,951 --> 00:08:24,151 Idris Goodwin: So I was like, oh snap. 144 00:08:24,191 --> 00:08:25,831 I can say I've shared the stage with Jamie 145 00:08:26,015 --> 00:08:26,255 Jay Ray: Yeah! 146 00:08:26,271 --> 00:08:27,171 Idris Goodwin: Um, yeah. 147 00:08:27,375 --> 00:08:27,935 DJ Sir Daniel: you go. 148 00:08:28,001 --> 00:08:28,631 Idris Goodwin: I'm lying. 149 00:08:28,691 --> 00:08:29,301 Tell me I'm lying. 150 00:08:29,535 --> 00:08:30,005 DJ Sir Daniel: Heh heh heh heh. 151 00:08:30,141 --> 00:08:33,596 Idris Goodwin: I love about his performance, is that to me, it 152 00:08:33,596 --> 00:08:35,976 just reminds, it was such a, it was, it was like a revivalist. 153 00:08:36,056 --> 00:08:37,386 Like he's doing testimony, 154 00:08:37,625 --> 00:08:37,985 Jay Ray: Mm hmm. 155 00:08:38,146 --> 00:08:39,676 Idris Goodwin: songs, he's telling jokes. 156 00:08:39,916 --> 00:08:42,106 The audience is, is a scene partner with 157 00:08:42,375 --> 00:08:42,975 DJ Sir Daniel: Yes. 158 00:08:43,346 --> 00:08:48,006 Idris Goodwin: And to me, like that is a distinctly, you know, you 159 00:08:48,006 --> 00:08:51,716 know, I think that is a very African thing, but it's definitely a, a, 160 00:08:51,786 --> 00:08:54,596 a black American, uh, aesthetic. 161 00:08:54,775 --> 00:08:55,165 Jay Ray: Yes. 162 00:08:55,446 --> 00:08:56,496 Idris Goodwin: how we get down. 163 00:08:56,526 --> 00:09:01,746 And so for me, know, my work as a playwright, it was like, cool, I'm 164 00:09:01,746 --> 00:09:06,056 going to follow the fundamental tenets of Western drama, right? 165 00:09:06,056 --> 00:09:06,956 Of narrative. 166 00:09:07,366 --> 00:09:12,636 But within there, there is room for me to, uh, sprinkle in or 167 00:09:12,636 --> 00:09:17,556 bring in any, any, any, any of the things I got in my, in my toolbox. 168 00:09:17,556 --> 00:09:17,856 Right. 169 00:09:17,856 --> 00:09:21,916 And so, because I started with lyrics, uh, in the rap tradition, 170 00:09:21,936 --> 00:09:25,466 which is, which is on the branch of the blues, which is, you know, make 171 00:09:25,466 --> 00:09:27,236 it, make it plain as the pastor says, 172 00:09:27,425 --> 00:09:27,905 Jay Ray: Mm hmm. 173 00:09:29,236 --> 00:09:31,466 Idris Goodwin: make it plain, make it memorable, make it funky. 174 00:09:31,796 --> 00:09:35,466 And so that is, uh, to me, the role of, I mean, listen, I 175 00:09:35,466 --> 00:09:41,266 approach plays or really any of the living word, the time based word. 176 00:09:42,376 --> 00:09:44,936 it, um, like it's all music. 177 00:09:44,936 --> 00:09:46,046 It's all falling. 178 00:09:46,126 --> 00:09:47,026 It's all rhythmic. 179 00:09:47,046 --> 00:09:48,256 It's all, it's falling. 180 00:09:48,326 --> 00:09:49,456 Like it's not behind you. 181 00:09:50,751 --> 00:09:51,621 It's not behind you. 182 00:09:51,621 --> 00:09:52,541 It's not in front of you. 183 00:09:52,541 --> 00:09:54,221 It's just right here in front of you. 184 00:09:54,221 --> 00:09:55,121 It's just now 185 00:09:55,385 --> 00:09:55,795 DJ Sir Daniel: Mmm. 186 00:09:56,291 --> 00:09:59,831 Idris Goodwin: and it's and if it's on the one, um, you know, it's 187 00:09:59,831 --> 00:10:01,681 gonna make the body react and do 188 00:10:01,775 --> 00:10:02,015 Jay Ray: Mm hmm. 189 00:10:02,165 --> 00:10:02,865 Amazing. 190 00:10:02,991 --> 00:10:07,071 Idris Goodwin: So, so to me, I always jokingly say I don't write musicals. 191 00:10:07,091 --> 00:10:08,591 I just write musical plays. 192 00:10:08,961 --> 00:10:15,251 Um, uh, but it really is like that, but that's just how I exist in the world, man. 193 00:10:15,251 --> 00:10:18,661 Like I just, It's always, the music is always there. 194 00:10:18,661 --> 00:10:19,891 I'm always listening to it. 195 00:10:19,891 --> 00:10:24,351 I'm always, you know, it's always, it's how I approach a lot of things. 196 00:10:24,725 --> 00:10:27,595 DJ Sir Daniel: So tell us about Doctor De Soto. 197 00:10:28,200 --> 00:10:33,060 Opening January 18th, uh, here at the Hertz stage at the Alliance Theater. 198 00:10:33,610 --> 00:10:38,520 And, um, what can, I know this is a kid's play, like for starting for six 199 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:43,810 and up, but what can adults learn from this production of Doctor De Soto? 200 00:10:44,450 --> 00:10:45,810 Idris Goodwin: That's a great question. 201 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:50,510 Um, so Doctor De Soto is a book I loved when I was a kid. 202 00:10:51,710 --> 00:10:54,360 It's picture books by William Stieg. 203 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:57,920 William Stieg's biggest claim to fame is he wrote the book that 204 00:10:57,920 --> 00:10:59,600 the Shrek series is based on. 205 00:10:59,900 --> 00:11:03,490 So, um, but he's got a whole body of picture books. 206 00:11:03,540 --> 00:11:07,950 Um, and he is, he is, um, I, I consider him, he's like, um, 207 00:11:08,680 --> 00:11:12,760 of more of a contemporary, like Grimm's brothers kind of vibe 208 00:11:12,890 --> 00:11:13,310 DJ Sir Daniel: Okay. 209 00:11:13,310 --> 00:11:17,720 Idris Goodwin: he, he was never, he's not afraid to, put his heroes in real danger 210 00:11:18,530 --> 00:11:19,000 DJ Sir Daniel: Yeah. 211 00:11:19,060 --> 00:11:19,710 Idris Goodwin: and peril. 212 00:11:19,710 --> 00:11:23,470 And there's always like, You know, they're not, they're not like super, 213 00:11:24,300 --> 00:11:27,430 you know, create, you know, out there like that, but like he would, he 214 00:11:27,430 --> 00:11:30,410 wouldn't, you know, you'll, you'll see, you'll just see what I, what I mean. 215 00:11:30,850 --> 00:11:34,430 So, um, but he reminds me also of like Aesop as well. 216 00:11:34,430 --> 00:11:39,360 So like, you know, animals like predators and prey interacting, that kind of thing. 217 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:44,215 So Doctor De Soto, Is about, um, uh, a husband and wife team, they run a 218 00:11:44,215 --> 00:11:49,125 dental office and because they're mice, they can climb inside the mouths of 219 00:11:49,125 --> 00:11:54,095 larger animals and do a really good job, intricate job cleaning their teeth. 220 00:11:54,745 --> 00:11:55,755 And they're the best. 221 00:11:55,755 --> 00:12:00,915 Everybody loves the, the sodos, but but they have a sign that says, no, 222 00:12:02,055 --> 00:12:04,155 no, we will not treat any carnivores. 223 00:12:04,570 --> 00:12:05,190 DJ Sir Daniel: Hmm. 224 00:12:05,195 --> 00:12:10,405 Idris Goodwin: like if you, if you out in the streets, gobbling up smaller mammals. 225 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:10,940 DJ Sir Daniel: Right. 226 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:11,940 Idris Goodwin: keep pushing. 227 00:12:12,810 --> 00:12:14,080 keep, take it down the road. 228 00:12:14,900 --> 00:12:17,100 one day a fox shows up, 229 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:18,170 DJ Sir Daniel: Hmm. 230 00:12:18,680 --> 00:12:21,620 Idris Goodwin: you know, in, in just pain, just, just whimpering, 231 00:12:21,630 --> 00:12:23,270 just, just, just a mess. 232 00:12:23,730 --> 00:12:26,770 And they take sympathy on this fox and they say, come on up here. 233 00:12:26,770 --> 00:12:27,580 Come on, come on. 234 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:30,860 And they, and they, and they put, they, they, um, they say 235 00:12:30,870 --> 00:12:32,100 you got a rotten by cuspid. 236 00:12:32,450 --> 00:12:36,910 And so, um, they put the fox under and when the fox is under. 237 00:12:37,330 --> 00:12:38,540 It's like muttering to us. 238 00:12:38,540 --> 00:12:40,840 It's like, yeah, they're going to be delicious. 239 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:41,130 Right. 240 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:41,930 DJ Sir Daniel: Hmm. 241 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:45,780 Idris Goodwin: De Soto and his wife are in a conundrum now. 242 00:12:45,780 --> 00:12:46,120 Right. 243 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:49,510 Because, you know, they, they have this model when they, when 244 00:12:49,510 --> 00:12:51,100 they start a job, they finish it. 245 00:12:51,910 --> 00:12:54,520 they pull, they pull the tooth out, but then the fox got to come 246 00:12:54,530 --> 00:12:56,370 back to get the new tooth put in. 247 00:12:57,730 --> 00:13:00,890 And, and so they're like, what are we going to do? 248 00:13:00,890 --> 00:13:05,245 Like on one hand, You know, he was, he was under, we may 249 00:13:05,245 --> 00:13:06,475 not have heard what we heard. 250 00:13:07,125 --> 00:13:10,375 Seems like a nice enough Fox, certainly well dressed, you know. 251 00:13:11,145 --> 00:13:12,965 So what is we to do, right? 252 00:13:12,975 --> 00:13:15,865 Do we, do we turn this Fox away in the middle of this job? 253 00:13:16,540 --> 00:13:22,530 just because of our fear, do we figure out how we, how we can 254 00:13:22,530 --> 00:13:23,770 have it both ways, so to speak. 255 00:13:24,250 --> 00:13:30,460 So, so, you know, it's a very simple, lovely, story in, in its, 256 00:13:30,510 --> 00:13:32,750 in its, in its, uh, printed form. 257 00:13:33,050 --> 00:13:37,330 And I think what I responded to as a kid was just like the simplicity of that, 258 00:13:37,340 --> 00:13:42,000 like, you know, it's like the small and the large, but you know, to now get very 259 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:48,615 egghead y about it, um, What it, what it's ultimately about is something that 260 00:13:48,615 --> 00:13:52,615 is very real that we as adults deal with all the time too, which is like these 261 00:13:52,615 --> 00:14:00,685 tough calls when our, when our values of collide with, you know, our needs 262 00:14:00,685 --> 00:14:03,915 to survive or, or our fears really, if we're keeping it a buck, right. 263 00:14:03,935 --> 00:14:08,095 It's like, you know, what is, what is good, you know, good 264 00:14:08,095 --> 00:14:11,335 sense versus, um, what's right. 265 00:14:11,530 --> 00:14:11,940 You know, 266 00:14:12,015 --> 00:14:12,175 Jay Ray: Mhm. 267 00:14:12,175 --> 00:14:13,265 Mhm. 268 00:14:13,290 --> 00:14:17,250 Idris Goodwin: I think that is 100 percent what I think the role of theater 269 00:14:17,250 --> 00:14:22,080 is in the lives of, of young people is to, is to show them choices and 270 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:25,780 to show them difficult choices that different kinds of characters approach 271 00:14:26,150 --> 00:14:29,610 good, bad, or otherwise, you know, and that's, those are the tools for life. 272 00:14:29,610 --> 00:14:31,170 It's like, you will have a choice. 273 00:14:31,170 --> 00:14:32,640 You will need to make a choice. 274 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:36,420 And whether you make the right one or the wrong one. 275 00:14:36,860 --> 00:14:40,450 You then have to deal with the constant, you know, the aftermath of those 276 00:14:40,450 --> 00:14:42,320 choices, good, bad or otherwise, right? 277 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:44,080 So you're constantly making choices. 278 00:14:44,490 --> 00:14:48,890 Um, you know, on another level, though, what, what was really appealing to 279 00:14:48,890 --> 00:14:53,305 me as a theater maker and a theater person was, you know, In the book, 280 00:14:53,315 --> 00:14:55,255 you see this, they play with scale. 281 00:14:55,395 --> 00:14:59,965 And so in the opening pages of the book, it's like everybody was rocking 282 00:14:59,965 --> 00:15:04,375 with the de Soto's, like other mice and gophers and other small animals, mammals. 283 00:15:04,585 --> 00:15:09,105 But, but, but like the hooved community was rocking with them big time. 284 00:15:09,105 --> 00:15:13,835 So like, there's a image of, Doctor De Soto's wife, like cranking him 285 00:15:13,855 --> 00:15:17,845 up on this pulley to like be in the, in the inside of this mule's 286 00:15:17,915 --> 00:15:18,125 Jay Ray: Yeah. 287 00:15:18,295 --> 00:15:21,225 Idris Goodwin: like as big old mule, this big old cow with the mouth open. 288 00:15:21,225 --> 00:15:22,295 And I'm like, wow. 289 00:15:22,295 --> 00:15:23,505 Like, how do you do that on set? 290 00:15:23,515 --> 00:15:25,345 How do you do scale on stage? 291 00:15:25,345 --> 00:15:25,605 Right. 292 00:15:25,605 --> 00:15:29,315 Like, how do you play with, know, these, these perceptions of big 293 00:15:29,315 --> 00:15:32,395 and small, uh, on, on, on stage. 294 00:15:32,395 --> 00:15:34,085 So that is like the Genesis. 295 00:15:34,085 --> 00:15:37,145 And so, you know, I, I like to think of myself as, as 296 00:15:37,145 --> 00:15:38,485 writing for multi generational 297 00:15:38,785 --> 00:15:39,105 Jay Ray: Mhm. 298 00:15:39,405 --> 00:15:39,995 Idris Goodwin: kids don't. 299 00:15:40,790 --> 00:15:43,280 don't come to the theater by themselves 300 00:15:43,610 --> 00:15:50,295 DJ Sir Daniel: Well, yeah. 301 00:15:50,345 --> 00:15:50,615 Jay Ray: Right. 302 00:15:50,750 --> 00:15:51,090 Idris Goodwin: time too. 303 00:15:51,090 --> 00:15:53,180 Cause the fundamentals of good storytelling are age. 304 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:57,770 That doesn't matter what age you are, you know, Kung Fu Panda four was fire. 305 00:15:57,810 --> 00:16:01,790 You know, my wife and I used to go on dates and see Pixar movies 306 00:16:01,980 --> 00:16:03,230 before we even had children. 307 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:05,540 So like good stories are good stories. 308 00:16:05,540 --> 00:16:06,860 And it does, it really doesn't matter. 309 00:16:06,860 --> 00:16:10,490 And it's a very human thing to like identify with another human being. 310 00:16:10,530 --> 00:16:14,160 So what we, what what we're making right now and shout out Director, uh, 311 00:16:14,190 --> 00:16:20,240 Mark Valdez and Chris Moses, um, and Tanasha for, um, know, our wonderful 312 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:21,440 artistic directors of the Lions. 313 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:22,250 All the support. 314 00:16:22,250 --> 00:16:23,270 We got a huge team. 315 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:27,200 It's gonna be a really cool feast of cool costumes. 316 00:16:27,510 --> 00:16:31,360 puppetry, shadow puppetry, you know, lights inside, you know, and we're 317 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:34,790 going to be in a relatively, the Hertz stage is a very intimate space. 318 00:16:35,150 --> 00:16:38,840 And so we're going to play with this, this, this piece about creatures big 319 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:40,610 and small and a really tight space. 320 00:16:40,620 --> 00:16:45,000 So it's really, about theatricality, which is the other thing I love. 321 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:49,190 I love showing people, especially in this increasingly digital world that, 322 00:16:49,270 --> 00:16:53,515 you know, you can, you can You can do slights of hands and tricks and 323 00:16:53,825 --> 00:16:57,355 play, you can do it in very simple ways, you know, shadow puppetry. 324 00:16:57,435 --> 00:16:59,015 I love because it's just light. 325 00:16:59,075 --> 00:16:59,545 It's just 326 00:16:59,850 --> 00:16:59,990 Jay Ray: Yeah. 327 00:16:59,990 --> 00:17:01,405 Yeah. 328 00:17:01,605 --> 00:17:03,215 Idris Goodwin: it's yin and yang, you know what I'm saying? 329 00:17:03,215 --> 00:17:05,455 It's just light and darkness and just playing with that. 330 00:17:05,685 --> 00:17:08,825 So anyway, um, so yeah, it's got something for everybody. 331 00:17:09,540 --> 00:17:09,960 fun. 332 00:17:09,970 --> 00:17:10,640 It's silly. 333 00:17:10,650 --> 00:17:15,190 There's a lot of like rhyming and music in it inevitably just cause why not? 334 00:17:15,450 --> 00:17:19,920 Um, and, uh, the one change I did from the book is I added, and not the one 335 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:23,390 change, I would say the most significant change is that in the book, it's just Dr. 336 00:17:23,390 --> 00:17:23,750 Mrs. 337 00:17:23,750 --> 00:17:25,710 De Soto in my jam. 338 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:27,750 Uh, there's, there's young De Soto. 339 00:17:28,265 --> 00:17:30,215 Jay Ray: Let 340 00:17:30,260 --> 00:17:33,180 Idris Goodwin: who grew, grows up in this family business and is 341 00:17:33,235 --> 00:17:33,655 DJ Sir Daniel: Okay. 342 00:17:33,805 --> 00:17:36,475 Idris Goodwin: is, is almost like a young apprentice and is, and of 343 00:17:36,475 --> 00:17:38,585 course is ready, is ready to go. 344 00:17:38,595 --> 00:17:40,115 It's like, I'm 10, I'm double digits. 345 00:17:40,115 --> 00:17:41,465 Like, let me, let me get in 346 00:17:41,495 --> 00:17:43,535 Jay Ray: me get up in that cow's mouth and 347 00:17:43,895 --> 00:17:44,655 DJ Sir Daniel: Yes. 348 00:17:44,775 --> 00:17:46,595 this bicuspid out, you know, and pops is like, 349 00:17:47,465 --> 00:17:47,935 Chill. 350 00:17:48,115 --> 00:17:48,675 Slow down. 351 00:17:48,685 --> 00:17:48,735 Laughter 352 00:17:49,015 --> 00:17:51,085 Idris Goodwin: calm, calm the tape, you know what I'm saying? 353 00:17:51,085 --> 00:17:54,965 And, um, and so it's, it's also about that too, about, you know, young De Soto 354 00:17:54,985 --> 00:18:00,335 makes these, These choices that put the whole family and the business at risk too. 355 00:18:00,335 --> 00:18:01,695 So it is also about that too. 356 00:18:01,695 --> 00:18:04,955 It's like to face the music and when your ambition gets, 357 00:18:04,955 --> 00:18:05,885 you know, whatever, whatever. 358 00:18:05,885 --> 00:18:07,915 So anyway, uh, it's a good time. 359 00:18:07,945 --> 00:18:08,675 It's a good time. 360 00:18:08,755 --> 00:18:10,785 We'll get you in and out in an hour or so. 361 00:18:11,555 --> 00:18:16,685 Jay Ray: man, listen, I, I actually, hopefully I will be in Atlanta 362 00:18:16,695 --> 00:18:18,305 during the dates of this performance. 363 00:18:18,305 --> 00:18:19,025 I think I will. 364 00:18:19,225 --> 00:18:24,665 So I'm looking forward to taking this in, but you actually, um, were 365 00:18:24,765 --> 00:18:26,825 talking about this in your answer. 366 00:18:27,445 --> 00:18:30,615 you were talking about all the people that are working that are working 367 00:18:30,615 --> 00:18:33,235 with you to like in the theater to bring this thing to life, right? 368 00:18:33,635 --> 00:18:34,025 Idris Goodwin: Yeah. 369 00:18:34,175 --> 00:18:38,385 Jay Ray: one of the things I was talking to Sir Daniel about was the thing that 370 00:18:38,385 --> 00:18:43,155 really stood out to me, um, and it feels just very Black, is community 371 00:18:43,155 --> 00:18:44,780 taking care of each other, right? 372 00:18:44,876 --> 00:18:45,136 Idris Goodwin: Mm. 373 00:18:45,260 --> 00:18:49,820 Jay Ray: So the Doctor De Soto and his wife are like members of this community 374 00:18:50,140 --> 00:18:54,070 and there's all of these people, right, that are all of these, all of these, 375 00:18:54,100 --> 00:18:57,540 uh, these animals that are different from them in the community that they 376 00:18:57,540 --> 00:18:59,270 are also choosing to take care of. 377 00:18:59,270 --> 00:19:05,480 And I just wanted to get you to wax poetic a bit about the importance of 378 00:19:06,505 --> 00:19:12,055 community in your work, like you, like displaying that in the work, because 379 00:19:12,215 --> 00:19:16,275 we could see that as well in the, the, the boy who kissed the sky to this 380 00:19:16,331 --> 00:19:16,701 Idris Goodwin: course. 381 00:19:16,835 --> 00:19:18,125 Jay Ray: of that, that interplay. 382 00:19:18,461 --> 00:19:18,991 Idris Goodwin: Yeah. 383 00:19:18,991 --> 00:19:19,391 Yeah. 384 00:19:19,391 --> 00:19:22,351 I mean, I, I think there's a thing that was just ingrained in me a little 385 00:19:22,351 --> 00:19:26,771 bit about being, being of service and being, and being like, you know, what 386 00:19:26,791 --> 00:19:31,431 and, and, and, and, and a thing around like, you know, so, so boy, boy, boy 387 00:19:31,431 --> 00:19:38,971 who kissed the sky, uh, is, is very, uh, much inspired by the Jimi Hendrix story, 388 00:19:39,085 --> 00:19:39,705 DJ Sir Daniel: Yes. 389 00:19:39,881 --> 00:19:42,981 Idris Goodwin: Um, I have another play called And In This Corner, Cash is 390 00:19:42,981 --> 00:19:46,611 Clay, which is about Muhammad Ali's young life in Louisville, Kentucky. 391 00:19:47,041 --> 00:19:54,366 Um, and so, there's there's this interest I have these stories about 392 00:19:54,366 --> 00:19:57,936 these great people, these icons, um, at Seattle Children's Theater, 393 00:19:57,936 --> 00:20:00,616 we're producing, I'm not writing this one, but I'm producing it. 394 00:20:01,056 --> 00:20:05,356 Uh, we're, we're doing a story about Bruce Lee's years in Seattle. 395 00:20:05,515 --> 00:20:05,935 Jay Ray: Wow. 396 00:20:05,946 --> 00:20:07,876 Idris Goodwin: there a relative short amount of time, but he's, he's 397 00:20:07,896 --> 00:20:10,006 buried there now as his, his son. 398 00:20:10,356 --> 00:20:14,141 And most people don't, know that story or why people assume he's buried in 399 00:20:14,151 --> 00:20:17,541 Hollywood or Hong Kong, but there was this really interesting time 400 00:20:17,581 --> 00:20:21,501 in his life when he was like about to start college and everything. 401 00:20:21,501 --> 00:20:28,261 So there's something about, there's something about, um, and for me in these 402 00:20:28,261 --> 00:20:32,631 kinds of stories, I often look to who were the mentors, who were the people in 403 00:20:32,631 --> 00:20:34,171 their community, who were their friends, 404 00:20:34,375 --> 00:20:34,765 Jay Ray: Yeah. 405 00:20:35,941 --> 00:20:39,651 Idris Goodwin: it's about how these people influence them 406 00:20:39,691 --> 00:20:41,371 and shape the thing we know. 407 00:20:41,381 --> 00:20:45,141 So we already know, you know, we see these people on the posters and in the 408 00:20:45,141 --> 00:20:50,071 documentaries, we know Muhammad Ali the greatest and rumble in the jungle 409 00:20:50,071 --> 00:20:52,691 and, and you know, uh, uh, what is it? 410 00:20:52,691 --> 00:20:54,931 Conscious, uh, conscientious objector. 411 00:20:55,351 --> 00:20:56,551 Uh, we know about all that. 412 00:20:56,551 --> 00:20:56,771 Right. 413 00:20:56,771 --> 00:21:01,181 But we don't, but not a lot of people know at what age he started boxing and why, 414 00:21:01,525 --> 00:21:02,005 DJ Sir Daniel: Mhm. 415 00:21:02,121 --> 00:21:02,210 Idris Goodwin: um, 416 00:21:02,365 --> 00:21:02,775 DJ Sir Daniel: Mhm. 417 00:21:02,931 --> 00:21:06,441 Idris Goodwin: And, and, and that he was fighting on local TV at age 12 and 418 00:21:06,751 --> 00:21:10,571 that he had two trainers, he had a white trainer and a black trainer, like, you 419 00:21:10,571 --> 00:21:12,591 know, um, we don't know this stuff. 420 00:21:12,591 --> 00:21:16,291 And so, and so again, it is about the way that. 421 00:21:18,111 --> 00:21:21,461 community influences and shapes us, especially when we're young 422 00:21:22,351 --> 00:21:26,661 often present us with those, as I talked about before, those choices, 423 00:21:26,785 --> 00:21:27,365 Jay Ray: Yes. 424 00:21:27,411 --> 00:21:28,661 Idris Goodwin: They influence our choices. 425 00:21:28,971 --> 00:21:30,261 They activate our choices. 426 00:21:30,261 --> 00:21:33,241 They pick us up when we make a choice that knocks us down, 427 00:21:33,501 --> 00:21:34,601 you know, et cetera, et cetera. 428 00:21:34,611 --> 00:21:39,381 So, you know, and then also to take it further theater in and of itself 429 00:21:39,461 --> 00:21:43,101 is for me is about, know, I'm writing. 430 00:21:43,981 --> 00:21:46,051 writing something that's going to gather people. 431 00:21:46,821 --> 00:21:50,881 I'm very conscious of that, that I am writing, not only gathering a creative 432 00:21:50,881 --> 00:21:54,821 team, you know, actors, designers, whatever, but then gathering an 433 00:21:54,821 --> 00:21:59,021 audience as well, and we're going to go on this, this journey together 434 00:21:59,021 --> 00:22:00,631 and have this conversation together. 435 00:22:00,931 --> 00:22:04,565 So I think, you know, intuitively perhaps I am. 436 00:22:06,036 --> 00:22:10,346 In the case of De Soto, it's ironic you say that because I think the, 437 00:22:10,396 --> 00:22:15,236 the, theater writer slash producer in me was like, Oh, this is actually 438 00:22:15,236 --> 00:22:17,646 a very small, like it's, it's Mr. 439 00:22:17,696 --> 00:22:18,136 It's Dr. 440 00:22:18,136 --> 00:22:18,496 and Mrs. 441 00:22:18,496 --> 00:22:19,916 De Soto and then the Fox. 442 00:22:20,526 --> 00:22:21,636 was like, that's, that's pretty smart. 443 00:22:21,656 --> 00:22:23,496 And they're, they're mostly in this one space. 444 00:22:23,496 --> 00:22:23,856 Right. 445 00:22:24,075 --> 00:22:24,445 Jay Ray: Right. 446 00:22:24,856 --> 00:22:29,286 Idris Goodwin: as we've evolved it, you know, it has become about, 447 00:22:29,516 --> 00:22:34,926 um, how they engage with other members of the animal world. 448 00:22:35,025 --> 00:22:35,405 Jay Ray: Yeah. 449 00:22:35,526 --> 00:22:36,596 Idris Goodwin: how important that is. 450 00:22:36,606 --> 00:22:41,116 So even inevitably, uh, you know, these other, these other, you know, 451 00:22:41,326 --> 00:22:43,936 the, the, the, um, the lens widens. 452 00:22:43,986 --> 00:22:44,386 Right. 453 00:22:44,726 --> 00:22:45,076 Yeah. 454 00:22:45,512 --> 00:22:51,202 Jay Ray: Idris Goodwin, thank you so much, brother, for the work that you are doing. 455 00:22:51,622 --> 00:22:55,242 Um, the ability to just kind of spark imagination. 456 00:22:55,242 --> 00:22:56,632 You know, as we get older, right. 457 00:22:56,632 --> 00:22:56,742 As. 458 00:22:56,902 --> 00:22:57,322 adults. 459 00:22:57,322 --> 00:23:02,612 We grow up and our imagination gets just like life hammers that thing out of us. 460 00:23:02,622 --> 00:23:08,732 But you are doing the work to remind adults about the importance of imagination 461 00:23:09,072 --> 00:23:12,652 and to spark children's imagination. 462 00:23:12,652 --> 00:23:15,872 So we all are ready for Doctor De Soto, sir. 463 00:23:15,892 --> 00:23:20,442 So thank you so much for joining us here at Queue Points and doing your work, man. 464 00:23:20,442 --> 00:23:20,742 This is done. 465 00:23:20,993 --> 00:23:22,863 Idris Goodwin: so much my honor, thanks guys 466 00:23:23,272 --> 00:23:24,082 DJ Sir Daniel: Absolutely. 467 00:23:24,992 --> 00:23:27,232 Like I always say in this life, you have a choice. 468 00:23:27,242 --> 00:23:30,492 You can either pick up the needle or you can let the record play. 469 00:23:30,552 --> 00:23:31,782 I'm DJ Sir Daniel, 470 00:23:32,137 --> 00:23:33,257 Jay Ray: My name is Jay Ray, y'all. 471 00:23:33,422 --> 00:23:35,392 DJ Sir Daniel: and this has been Queue Points podcast, dropping 472 00:23:35,392 --> 00:23:37,932 the needle on black music history. 473 00:23:38,142 --> 00:23:39,812 We will see you on the next go round. 474 00:23:39,942 --> 00:23:40,502 Peace. 475 00:23:40,717 --> 00:23:41,297 Jay Ray: Peace, y'all.