Playwright Spotlight: H.E. Dunkle

An interview with H.E. Dunkle, written and conducted by Kith & Kin board officer Selena Milewski.

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Riffing off the storyline of Sleeping Beauty, Bud and Merri explores love and friendship through a queer and asexual perspective. Centering on the comfortable but challenging friendship between a prince and princess determined to be themselves rather than follow the patterns laid out for them, H.E. Dunkle’s work is both down-to-earth and hopeful. Full of witty, heartfelt dialogue, physical capers, and even puppet forest animals, Bud and Merri is a delight for all patrons.

MILEWSKI:

You’ve shared on your website that, through your varied creative writing endeavors, you “keep speaking on the concept of hope in the darkness, the light at the end of the tunnel, because there have been so many moments in my own life where I've clung to art to keep going.” How does Bud and Merri embody this aim?

DUNKLE:

For me, Bud and Merri embodies hope in the darkness by being a joyful showcase of identity discovery, and how being your authentic self will brighten your own life as well as the lives of the people around you. Bud and Merri's journey of discovering their identities mirrors my own in so many ways. The confusion, the self-hatred, the otherness. But amidst all those negative emotions, there's joy to be found! Fulfillment in friendships, devotion to your craft, celebrating the most minute things. Realizing you're different can be terrifying. But once you let that terror pass, you'll find yourself in a beautiful new phase of life. This is the lesson I learned, and it is the lesson Bud and Merri have to learn to conquer their darkness.

MILEWSKI:

You’ve shared that Bud and Merri offers an aromantic and asexual perspective on the Sleeping Beauty fairytale. Can you elaborate on why this particular story worked well for these updates?

DUNKLE:

I would be so bold as to say Sleeping Beauty is one of the most infamous fairytales when it comes to folks wanted to "revamp" it. Not many people are a huge fan of the prince kissing a sleeping stranger, and I'm not a huge fan of kissing in general, so naturally I asked myself, "Well, how would this story look if true love's kiss wasn't the solution?" And the questions continued from there, until I had a brave princess, a timid prince, and a friendship stronger than magic. Thus, my wonderful romp that is Bud and Merri was born!

MILEWSKI:

Friendship is an important concept in your play. If you had to take a big swing, how would you define it?

DUNKLE:

I would define friendship as the backbone of humanity. No matter how old you are, no matter what your role in a family or society, friendship is a constant. Who those friends are may change, but that companionship will follow you to your grave, if you'll let it. Friends comfort, challenge, defend, and delight in you. They love you through the disasters and celebrations, and they give you a community you belong wholeheartedly to.

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A segment of Bud and Merri will be presented during K&K New Plays, which runs October 2nd - 4th at Inspiration Studios in West Allis. Secure your tickets here.