Gather 'round the campfire to experience the sights, sounds, smells, and textures of a vibrant forest in Spencer Lott's newest piece, Campfire, which is now available for licensing through Plays for New Audiences! To celebrate, we sat down with Spencer to discuss his work, the inspiration for Campfire and creating theatre for our youngest audience members.
Spencer Lott is a maker, writer and puppeteer. In addition to playing Samuel on Sesame Street, his puppetry credits include Saturday Night Live, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (starring Tom Hanks), Hello Tomorrow! (Apple +), The Relationtrip (Hulu), Disney’s The Muppets and more.
What inspired you to become a writer? What inspired you to write specifically for early childhood?
I was lucky to grow up seeing lots of incredible theater at the Lawrence Arts Center and the Lied Center of Kansas! As a teenager, I wanted to create my own puppet show that I could perform at libraries and birthday parties, so I started adapting fairy tales for my scripts. It was a great way to find my voice and test out the material as I performed the same show over and over.
As an adult, I started creating with Trusty Sidekick Theater company in New York City and they were developing some wonderful practices around work for early childhood and they gave me the opportunity to write Campfire! I love writing and performing for this age!
Tell us a little bit about the creation process!
I facilitated a number of rehearsals to develop the world of Campfire. I had incredible actors, musicians and designers who spent time with me dreaming up the characters, moments and details of the world. I am so grateful to them and the time we had to play together!
When you are developing a new piece for early childhood, what aspects do you look for in the story?
I think so much of the success of a play for young people relies on the opportunities for the performers to create small moments with individual audience members. My favorite performers are expert facilitators who can invite the audience to join in the fun. For very young audiences, I think the story is less important than the vibe and tone of the world that they get to experience.
What is one thing you always bring with you when camping?
I always pack a lot of hats! I want to have options depending on my mood. It has nothing to do with not having any hair on my head! (It definitely does).
The most useful thing to bring on a campout?
Marshmallows! Say you forget your pillow? Marshmallows! Worried you won’t find your way back to your tent? Leave yourself a marshmallow trail! You can use them as a floatation device! Not to mention, they also serve as great trampolines for snails.
What advice do you have for theatres wanting to implement early childhood programs in their own communities?
It makes a huge difference to get feedback from young people! Partner with a school, daycare, or even create a brain trust of kids who you can workshop ideas as you create! They will let you know when your story is working well!
What is next for you? What should we keep an eye out for?
I’m creating lots of original work with Simple Mischief Studio! We tell stories that celebrate uncommon heroes for theater, film, and even picture books!
