I was driving across town and, in my head, I heard the voice of one of my extraordinary muses saying, "It was a beautiful summer day." I recall thinking, "I think that's the first line of a new play." I'd been reading about how frequently and in how many parts of the world the tragedy that happens in the play occurs, and I thought about all the people that are interwoven in the fabric of those tragedies – often completely without awareness.

I reflected on the relationships we have with our neighbors and how dysfunctional that community can be. I was working with an incredible group of actors in the original production, and in the premiere run in NYC.

Because of the journey I had with those actors in the creation and early runs of the play, I'm especially fond of it. It's also had productions in places that I wouldn't have imagined and those groups have used it as a way to raise awareness and strengthen community.

As is true with much of my work, directors should remember that when actors are addressing the audience, the audience is their scene partner. They're not speaking to the other characters onstage. And they should trust that the text will take the audience on the journey, so keep production elements simple.