Interview with Grace Wilson and Melissa Herburg

Fanfic, Tiktok, and Long Walks on The Beach… 

We asked Grace Wilson and Mellissa Herburg to fill us in on their projects ‘Pony Club’ and ‘ Generation Me’ debuting this year in the Backbone Festival. 

Grace, tell our dear readers a little bit about yourself.

Grace: My name is Grace and I’m a part time tap dancer, part time playwright and part time social media influencer. I love long walks on the beach only if accompanied by a melancholy soundtrack as I think about my next hit tragicomedy.

Using theatre as a vessel to tell untold stories, Grace’s work tackles head-on the questions and ideas she struggled with growing up. 

Grace: I’m one of those guys who laughs when I get terrible news so writing has become an outlet for me to explore these feelings and personify them.

Melissa, tell us everything!

Melissa: Hi I’m Melissa Herburg. I love immersive theatre, tabletop gaming, and musicals. 

When she’s not creating weird and wonderful theatrical performances, this Stage-Manager-turned-Academic (with a PhD in immersive theatre) works in the escape room industry! 

Melissa: My practice explores new ways to engage audiences in immersive and participatory performance. 

Melissa, how would you describe your new work, ‘Generation Me’?

Melissa: ‘Generation Me’ is Studio 54 meets TikTok: we’re using aesthetics and ideology of the disco era to explore how young people are dealing with the current social and political climate. 

Grace, how would you describe your newest work, ‘Pony Club’?

Grace: Pony Club is about being a fanfiction writer and what happens when you prioritize online fame over real life. 

What do you think audiences will say after watching ‘Pony Club’ for the first time?

Grace: ‘Wow, the playwright must have a really complex and challenging childhood for her to be able to write something as horrific as that. Bravo!’ 

or

‘I think I won’t allow my child to have internet access ever again!’ 

Melissa, any inkling as to how audiences will receive ‘Generation Me’?

Melissa: Equal parts: “I’ve never thought about things that way” and “That was fun!”

What have you loved so far about your residency at Backbone? What are you looking forward to?

Melissa: I’m excited to create something experimental, explore new ideas, and work with Backbone and young artists to create a work that allows them to express themselves and their generation. Gen Z is often overlooked and misunderstood, and I’m grateful to be given the opportunity to help their voices and perspectives be heard. 

Grace, what aspects of your residency have been the most valuable in the development of ‘Pony Club’?

Grace: Definitely the space to create and play, to be fearlessly bold and to explore ideas that I haven’t had the space or time to really indulge. Also, the ability to stage this work at the end or have a public outcome and to get eyes on the work as soon as possible - that will help incredibly when it comes to redrafting.

Grace’s work has been commissioned by one of Backbone’s 2024 Hub Residents, Observatory Theatre.

Want tickets for Pony Club and Generation Me? Hit the links below!