MTWorks is presenting an evening of short plays around a hot topic that will challenge our everyday perceptions about gun control.  Co-Artistic Directors David Stallings and Antonio Minino malong with the company members of MTWorks, bring this evening to life on May 17th at 7pm.

StageBuddy caught up with Stallings to discuss the selection process and what audiences have in store when they come out to see the new works.

StageBuddy: What inspired the creation for this evening?

David Stallings: We decided that Fireworks would be a 10-minute play competition on hot topics of the day, which would be voted upon by members of the company.  This year we voted for gun control as our hot topic, which the entire MTWorks family came up with and felt passionately about.  We then invited writers who wanted to join the competition to submit a 10-minute play about gun control.

SB: What do you hope the evening will incite?

DS: I hope the evening is not what one expects when they come to see an evening of short plays about gun control. Antonio and I both felt we were drawn to female writers who had a different take on what gun control means to them, and of course there are male writers involved as well but they also were able to tap into emotion as opposed to actual violence.

SB: How'd you pick your directors for the evening?

DS: On the whole, our directors are people we've worked with in the past. Dev Bondarin is a company member who's directed main stages for us; so has Glory Kadigan, and next season we will be working a lot more with Joan Kane.  Neal Kowalsky worked with us on "The Picture of Dorian Gray", which we worked on last year. We work with people we've founded a relationship with as directors.

SB: When putting together an evening of short new works, what is the most important element?

DS: I think diversity of material and the flow of the evening, where to put in a little humor especially with the subject matter.  It has to be the right kind of humor that is respectful while being funny.  Really, the flow of the evening helped to aid in our decision of our seven plays. It's important to treat it like one evening that tells a full story.

SB: Why should audiences come see Fireworks: Gun Control?

DS: I think gun control is a really hot topic, something that is needed in this country.  There isn't adequate gun control. We've asked playwrights to riff on the subject, to explore what gun control means -- what lack of gun control means -- and to write some commentary on that subject.  It's entertaining, lively; there is a lot of fun in these plays. For $10 you get to see some really fantastic new work and you get a glass of wine.  Who can beat that?!

(This interview has been edited and condensed)

BEARING ARMS: THE NEW MILLENNIUM CAMPAIGN by Jack McCleland directed by Isaac Scranton

With Alexandra Cohen-Spiegler and Brandon Ferraro

BEFORE by Penny Jackson directed by Glory Kadigan

With Peter Collier

CHICAGO COLLAGE by Travis Williams directed by Neal Kowalsky

With Paul Notice, Glenn Quentin and Lavita Shaurice

GRACEFUL by Nancy Parker directed by Kathleen O'Neill

With Dana Monagan and Stephanie Schwartz

MARATHON by Monica Bauer directed by Dev Dondarin

With Greg Horton and Madalyn McKay

PULVERIZED! by Judy Klass directed by Joan Kane

With London Griffith, Logan McCoy and Mitchell McCoy

RUFFLES AND ME IN SPACE by Paco José Madden directed by Isaac Scranton

With Alexandra Cohen-Spiegler and Brandon Ferraro