Neil Martin is a New England transplant to Maryland via Indiana. His play 80,000 Feathers B.C. will be presented as a staged reading on Saturday, April 25. It will be directed by multi-talented Leslie Byrne.
BPF Board Advisor Larry Lambert connected with Neil to discuss what prompted him to write this play and what has driven his playwriting choices.
L – 80,000 Feathers B.C. is a very unusual play. What prompted you to write this piece?
N – The genesis (no pun intended) of 80,000 Feathers B.C. actually stems from a mistaken memory. My writing instructor from Indiana told me about a short piece he had written about a same-sex couple of male penguins attempting to get passage on Noah’s Ark (or so I thought). For years I had mulled that idea around, thinking it was ripe for two-act treatment. So eventually I asked my friend/mentor for his green light to expand the story. He gave me the thumbs-up but also clarified that his story was about a triad of three upper-class penguins (two males and a female) who were mistaking the Ark for an ultra-posh luxury cruise. So, my concept for Feathers is my own after all (well, sorta)! And yes – penguins do actually form “throuples” in addition to same-sex pairs.
L – How did you enter the realm of play writing?
N – I am a native New Englander who moved to Indiana in 2007 with my lovely wife Kathy, where she pursued and attained both an MS and PhD from Purdue University. Developing a love for playwriting hadn’t even remotely crossed my mind, until in 2015 we randomly attended a 10-minute play performance in Indianapolis. (Kathy, at the time: “They’re only 10 minutes? So if they’re really bad, at least they’re short?” [spoiler: they were very good]).
The showrunner, who eventually became a writing mentor, offered a class in the essentials of playwriting. (BTW, Indianapolis has an absolutely incredible Fringe/DIY theatre aesthetic, which I never would have expected. It’s all just corn and racecars out there, right?) About a year later, I was ecstatic to see my work included in a short play festival. And from there, the bug only sank its teeth in further.
L – What was the first of your plays to be performed?
N – In 2016 my short piece Aperitif, Digestif was included in a 10-minute play festival (and the following year, my one-act Fear of Flowers appeared at the IndyFringe.
L – When was your first full-length play produced?
N – In 2024 I took a trip back to Indy for the premiere of my full-length play Herding Cats, which was produced to near perfection by Theatre Unchained. It was easily the most rewarding and validating creative experience of my life.
L – Are there any recurring themes or subjects that drive what you choose to write about?
N – A theme of overcoming fear seems to have pervaded my writing, although I have not necessarily set out to tackle that concept. But I’ve found that comedy lends itself well to putting characters in dire situations to wrestle out of with some combination of bravery and ingenuity.
L – You mention being a New Englander that moved to Indiana, two extremely different environments. Now you are a Marylander. How was the transition from those locations to a state like Maryland? Are there significant cultural differences that stand out to you?
N – Indiana stood out for having a much more politically conservative vibe than the Northeast or Maryland. And yet as far as the theater scene is concerned, Indianapolis produced some very progressive, edgy material that would play just as well in Baltimore or Boston. Moving to Maryland did feel a bit like “coming home” culturally speaking – and not to mention geographically! New England and Maryland have beaches and the beautiful Atlantic. The Midwest has… corn. Acre upon acre upon acre of corn.
L – What would you like the audience to take away from Feathers?
N – For the most part I want the audience to laugh and have a great time – but perhaps also to empathize with our penguin heroes – put themselves in their shoes (or webbed feet) for a couple hours. There are themes of tolerance and acceptance in the script, but I think they are more subtle than the play’s description might suggest.
L – What’s next on your life journey?
N – Great question! As far as playwriting goes, I would like to pursue a third full-length script centered around animals, to complete a sort of zoological trilogy. In the short term, my wife and I want to get out and explore more of Maryland and Virginia (and she really wants to see the Chincoteague wild ponies)!
L – Last question: where do you do the bulk of your creative writing?
N – Just at one of a small handful of no-frills computer desks. The one constant is Finn, my secretary/muse/shadow. And even though he might sleep on the job, he often manages to catch a mouse.
