Playwright Spotlight: Karen Saari

An interview with Karen Saari, written and conducted by Kith & Kin board officer Selena Milewski.

---

Written with easeful dialogue and tremendous humor and heart, CHAMP explores the metamorphosis of a young woman whose journeys have existed through the mediation of screens and pages for the first 30+ years of her life. When her dying grandfather instructs her to attend her own graduation in person if she expects to inherit his lottery winnings, she at last finds the courage to face the unknown. A host of local-specific landmarks and characters populate the saga, and along the way, Champ speaks to her hilariously advanced GPS, “Google Lady”…as do we all…right?

MILEWSKI:

Your New Play Exchange bio states that you write “plays with themes of redemption, hope and humor in the face of obstacles. (And sometimes robots and witches.)” How do these three principles intersect and support one another?

SAARI:

Redemption in oneself requires hope. Humor is a by-product of hope. To laugh at our obstacles and our mistakes is a sign that we are hopeful. Humor is also the thing that connects and humanizes us, our need for it helps us see each other's humanity and get through another day when times are hard.

MILEWSKI:

CHAMP is full of Wisconsin-specific references and humor. In your experience, how does writing local-specific work affect the way it is received both in that location and elsewhere?

SAARI:

I have found that people just want a good story told by interesting characters who find ways to surprise them. And often, audiences are fascinated by regions that feel new to them. This play so far has been a finalist or semi-finalist for new works festivals and events in California, Louisiana and Chicago. While it didn't make the next step in those cases, I consider that mostly a matter of the piece needing development and that it was the other playwrights' turn to advance.

MILEWSKI:

The central character of Champ is highly educated, thoughtful, and creative, but has also spent much of her life stymied by insecurities. The storyline of your play represents her striving to break free from by literally driving away from all that’s familiar. What do you think is the inherent dramatic potential of a road trip as a framing device for narrative, and for change itself?

SAARI:

The road is laden with metaphors. Champ goes from two-lane roads to 6-lane interstates full of traffic. Everyone is moving faster than her. She knows she needs to go faster but struggles. One meaningful connection helps her confidence. The farther she goes, the more she knows she has missed. She loses her way until yet another connection leads her directly to find a critical missing piece. Google Lady's helpful voice is no substitute for the relationships that were taken from her. Any adult who has ventured out on their own, on vacation, for a move, a first of any kind, has experienced the strange mix of excitement, fear and longing that Champ does. And who doesn't love a good road trip?

---

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