WTFringe 21 Producer Series: Ali Gautier of “Recipe For Redaction”

We had the opportunity to learn a little more about playwright and producer Ali Gautier (she/her), and we’ve just gotta make the introduction.

Welcome Ali! To get started, what WTFringe show are representing? What is your role on the production team?

ALI: I’m the playwright and producer Recipe for Redaction.

 

Could you give us a brief description of your artistic background? How did you come across the work of WTF?

ALI: I joined my small town theatre community in middle school, doing everything on and off stage that I could. In high school, I began performing stand-up comedy as a way to make opportunities for myself on stage where I wasn\’t finding it otherwise. After college, I shifted focus to improv and storytelling and actually met a member of The National Women\’s Theatre Festival while working on a show here in Louisville, and I was blown away by the organization and the work it was producing and supporting.

 

Wonderful. What is your connection to your WTFringe show? What compelled you to step into a production role for it?

ALI: The show is me! I wanted to take on the challenge of producing it myself to know that I could. I\’ve never been given an opportunity like this before, and it was definitely beyond challenging, but it was also extremely validating. The facts of my life and the way I look have always painted me into corners on stage. I can\’t be the love interest because fat girls aren\’t lovable, and I can\’t be the daughter because the parents are white. With this show, I was finally able to tell my story on–and on my own terms.

 

That is so empowering to hear! With that said, what has been your favorite aspect of preparing for WTFringe 21?

ALI: I\’m used to having to create a space for myself. I\’ve always been too fat, too ambiguous, or too demanding when it came to shows. This experience has changed not only how I view my art but myself as a whole–and that\’s thanks to the support from fellow artists involved in WTFringe 21, who have, without a doubt, been my favorite aspect of preparing this piece. They have taken this leap with me, been at my back lifting the weight of my painful experiences in theatre off my spine, and I will forever be grateful.

Catch the LAST performance of Recipe For Redaction on Saturday, July 24th, 2021 at 7:00 pm EST.

Click here to view the full schedule for the (virtual) National Women’s Theatre Festival Fringe 21 and here to snag your tickets.

All WTFringe 21 tickets are Pay-What-You-Can with a $10 suggested donation per performance.