Playwright/director Stacey Rose was recently awarded a grant from the Arts & Science Council. (Photo courtesy of the artist.)

Last week, Qcitymetro published a piece about the Arts & Science Council naming its 2012 Regional Artist Project Grant recipients. In that article, we spelled out how the ASC awarded grants to 31 artists of various disciplines, including six local African Americans.

Well, this week we managed to track down one of those six winning black artists — playwright/director Stacey Rose (a New Jersey native and UNC Charlotte graduate who, this past June, directed the comedic play “Fabulation or the Re-Education of Undine”) — and found out exactly what she has planned for her grant … and much more.

1. Congratulations on your recent grant. So, how does it feel to be recognized like this?

Stacey Rose: Fantastic! This is my second [grant]; the first was for a workshop series I did called "Sisters of Shakespeare" two years ago, so I feel really honored that I was gifted an additional grant. It’s good to know that the council, having now become familiar with my work as a theater artist, sees something positive in what I do and is willing to invest in its nurturing. Oh, and shouts to all the artists awarded as well!

2. How exactly do you plan to use the grant?

My grant was awarded for the purchase of a new computer — and a new computer I shall have! It’s funny that my last computer was purchased in a similar "miraclesque" situation as well. At that time, a co-worker knew that I was a writer and that my [laptop] was broken. He lent me the money, and told me to take as long as I needed to pay him back. He believed in my work, too. It’s affirmation that, “Yes! This is what I'm supposed to be doing.”

3. That said, what project will you be working on next?

This computer was sorely needed for the development of my new play "The Social NetWorth." It’s about the perils and pitfalls of our online existences. What they mean, what we hope they mean, and what they will mean in the future. I would like this play to unfold on and offline — as well as build in the capability for live audience members to interact with the characters while on stage. Not exactly an original idea, but one that I've been dying to explore. With my sweet new [Apple computer], I'll be able to. I'm also co- directing "Yellowman" by Dael Orlandersmith with Eric Paulk at Johnson C. Smith University February 8-19, and working in health care, and raising a kid ... and ...

4. What is Charlotte's art scene — particular the local theater scene — lacking at this point in time?

U-N-I-T-Y! I would love to see a yearly bonding event like a Fringe [a theater event that takes place at cities across the nation] — which I'm willing to head up folks — take place. I'd also like to see theaters collaborating more in general. I believe amazing work could happen for theater in this city if we pull together.

5. OK, let’s wrap things up with a high-concept question: What’s your dream project?

My dream project is always in flux. Right now, it's grad school. I'd like to take the time to build more discipline (which is quite difficult when you wear four to five hats a day), further hone my writing skills and experiment with new styles of writing for the stage. Beyond that, I would really like to branch out into writing for film and television. I also have a strong desire to create a multidisciplinary piece for the stage in collaboration with Mr. Spike Lee. This will happen. Oh yes, this will happen!

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Editor's Note: This article was created as part of the Charlotte Arts Journalism Alliance, a consortium of local media dedicated to writing about the arts scene.

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