Every summer, Phillips’ Mill presents an original, fully developed, never-before-performed play by an up-and-coming playwright as its “Premiere Showcase.” This year’s play, “The Half of It,” written by Domenick Scudera, MFA, and directed by Griffin Horn, was inspired by the life and work of Bert Savoy, a vaudeville drag artist who was active in the 1910s and early 1920s.
Nearly a century after Savoy came on the scene, captivating audiences with his humorous performances, bold costumes and refreshing authenticity, the fun and folly of his art form has become increasingly politicized and, at times, vilified. Even as drag is enjoying a resurgence in popularity both as entertainment and social commentary, it has also been pulled into today’s culture wars. Some states have even banned it.
“The Half of It” explores themes of gender identity, gender expression, sexuality and celebrity in today’s divisive political climate. Scudera, who teaches a course on the history of drag at Ursinus College, where he co-founded the Theater and Dance Department, came across the scant information about Savoy’s life and wanted to know more. His research uncovered a fascinating story about a drag artist who worked in vaudeville from 1917 to 1923, a fairly permissive time in our history. Savoy died tragically—and dramatically—at the height of his career after being hit by lightning on a beach. Scudera hopes Savoy’s short, illustrious and norms-breaking life lives on in his play.
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So, too, does Griffin Horn, who met Scudera in 2023 while collaborating on a performance together at Phillips’ Mill. Scudera’s short play, “Empty Vessels,” had been selected as a winner of the Phillips’ Mill 2023 Emerging Playwright Competition. Horn, who was MCing the reading of 2023 winning plays, was excited about Scudera’s research uncovering queer experiences from the past, many overlooked or forgotten.
They look forward to continuing the conversations they started in 2023 when they stage “The Half of It.”
Q. What drew you to the story of Bert Savoy, a mostly forgotten drag star of the vaudeville era?
Scudera: Savoy was a gay man, fairly open, in New York City in the 1920s, when things were a little more permissive. It was fascinating to see someone who was able to live a certain life and perform as a woman. Drag was considered fun, family entertainment. Yet now, almost 100 years later, drag artists are under so much scrutiny. The play takes a look at how things have progressed and changed. I wanted to put it out in the world and start a dialogue. What is drag performance?
Griffin: Savoy was this larger-than-life character, who Domenick had thoroughly researched. From the get-go, I was really excited to see how Savoy’s issues were dealt with, and queer issues in general, that don’t get talked about. We were both interested in uncovering queer experiences that may have been overlooked and forgotten.
Q. How did the two of you come to collaborate on a project at Phillips’ Mill?
Scudera: I had submitted a different play (in 2023) to the Phillips’ Mill Emerging Playwright Competition. They were asking writers to submit 10-minute plays. I had written a short play about two drag queens that was accepted. I had already written a full-length play along the same theme when they told me they were looking to produce one for their spotlight production (Premiere Showcase).
Griffin: Phillips’ Mill had asked me to direct their Premiere Showcase last year, and that had been a really neat experience. So I was incredibly excited to be directing Domenick’s play for this year’s Premiere Showcase. “The Half of It” has a ton of heart, and if it reads anything like Domenick’s 10-minute play, which was an absolute delight, it will also be an absolute delight.
Q. As a writer or director, why bring new work to Phillips’ Mill?
Scudera: Writing is a solitary act. By getting my play produced by Phillips’ Mill, I can learn a lot from the rehearsals and performances; they become a part of the process of refining a play and making it better. There is Griffin’s response to the play as the director. Then there is the response to the play from the actors. Finally, you learn from the audience’s reaction, and an even stronger play is often the result.
Griffin: It is an opportunity to ask yourself, “Am I telling a good story? Is the story clear?” It’s not like a new movie where you invite everyone over for pizza and a screening. We get to experience an audience’s live reaction, their laughter and joy. One of the fun things about staging a play at Phillips’ Mill is that you get to hear it as it comes to life. Your play might grow into something you might not have imagined it to be.
Phillips’ Mill also does a talkback with the audience, which is a great opportunity to ask them, the audience, what they might do differently in their own lives after seeing this play.
Q. Have you always been interested in theater as a profession?
Scudera: Growing up on Long Island, I went into New York to see Broadway shows every week. Back then, you could go and see any show, so I literally saw every show! I ended up being a part of the Philly theater scene, and I also got a job teaching theater at Ursinus College. I used to work at the Wilma Theater (in Philadelphia), a great regional theater where I got my start.
While most of my work has been as a director, I have written a lot of plays over the years. I am also a drag queen and perform a lot in New Hope. I would describe myself as a proud and vocal member of the LGBTQ+ community.
If you Google me, you will also see that I adopt two-legged dogs and train them to be therapy dogs. AARP just did a video about me and the dogs. You can watch it on YouTube.
Griffin: I got my start as an intern at McCarter Theatre in Princeton, and as a teaching artist at the Arena Stage in Washington, DC. Today, I am a teaching artist, director and playwright.
