Since our first performance back in 2003, people have been asking me if WTC VIEW, my play about life in NYC after 9/11, is a true story. I was recently asked to write an essay for my friend Ira Sach's website about "Art & Autobiography" on this topic. Ira put together this website over the summer as part of the promotion for his own autobiographical film, KEEP THE LIGHTS ON, which is currently in post-production.
I have always found it interesting how people are fascinated by whether or not a work of fiction is true or not. So I was eager to write about this topic, especially in relation to WTC VIEW. This was a play (and then film) I wrote about a guy who places a roommate ad on the night before 9/11 looking for a roommate in lower Manhattan. On 9/10/01, I placed a roommat ad for my apartment on the VILLAGE VOICE website and this was the starting point for this work. But is the story autobiographical? Not in the way that people would expect.
So please check out my article on "Art & Autobiography", which posted today. Also, take a look around the rest of the site as well. Ira has put together some amazing writers and historical pieces about gay life in New York City, all of which are worth reading.