“Writing plays is a mysterious experience for me, it’s messy. The seed for my plays usually comes from a word, a sentence that someone causally says. I listen carefully to the side remarks, the stuff people say that they think is insignificant, that’s where I start to dig for treasure. The first draft is just the surface of the play, I have to dig. I can write a hundred pages before I discover the gold, and say, ‘That’s it, I’ve just found scene one.’
It’s also very mystical. Information is revealed to me about the play. I remember brushing my teeth and the word ‘Annulment’ came into my head. I ran to my computer, and started to re-write Yasmina’s Necklace. That one word changed the entire script. I write plays because it's my way of solving problems. Art, in its many forms, has the power to solve world problems. That’s why I believe we should do everything we can to nurture and protect it.”
Rohina Malik is a Chicago-based playwright, actress and solo artist. She was born and raised in London, England, and draws upon her South Asian heritage to inspire her art.
Rohina’s highly acclaimed one-woman-play, Unveiled, had its world premiere at the 16th Street Theater, directed by Ann Filmer, where Rohina performed to sold-out houses. Unveiled will return to Chicago in March 2010 at the Victory Gardens Theater in partnership with 16th Street Theater.
She has worked with Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Live Bait Theater and Teatro Vista. Her new play, Yasmina's Necklace, will receive a staged reading at The Goodman Theater's New Stages Series, directed by Henry Godinez, in December 2009. |
