Theatrefolk Featured Play – Moonbow Miraculous by Kirk Shimano

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight.  Moonbow Miraculous is an absolutely incredible dramedy for middle school and high school student performers that is filled with vivid characters and relevant messaging. A must-read for productions or classwork!

“If someone has a secret they’ve been clutching to their heart, the moonbow’s glow will give them the courage to share their true selves.”

Moonbow Miraculous is a series of vignettes exploring the theme of coming out, reflecting the infinite diversity of experience by adding everything from robots to talking donuts into the mix.

It’s a celebration of choices, courage, and the joy of self discovery.

Why did we publish this play?
We love this play. We loved it from the very first time we read it. It is filled with vivid characters and wild imagination. It has a heartfelt and relevant message. It provides wonderful acting opportunities for all students. Kirk has said about the origins of this play that “At some point in our lives, we will all face the challenge of having to define what we are (and what we are not), and I hope sharing this fun journey makes that process feel a little less lonely.” We stand by this 100%.

Let’s hear from the author!

1. Why did you write this play?
While there are a number of great stories about coming out, they tend to focus on a single person’s experience and their personal obstacles. By juxtaposing multiple vignettes, I wanted to explore the many different ways we find ourselves.

I also wanted a chance to just play in the sandbox of imagination, which is how we ended up with a story with talking donuts and non-binary robots.

2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences.
This play explores that no matter how different we might be, we all have that moment when we discover who we are and declare that to the world. It’s a terrifying process that is ultimately worth the risk.

3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play?
The final moment is a simple holding of hands, but it’s a symbol of the kinship that I hope anyone experiencing this play feels.

4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be?
I hope that this play welcomes theatricality, so I wouldn’t want anyone producing the play to get too caught up in exactly what a robot should look like or how to stage a rainstorm. Instead, I think the key element is to tap into the humanity of all of the characters (especially the ones that aren’t actually human) in order to draw the audience in.

5. Why is this play great for student performers?
Thematically, I expect a lot of students are at a time in their lives when they are exploring their identities in just the way that many of the characters in this play are. Hopefully, they’ll be able to see themselves in these roles in a way that they will find rewarding.

Logistically, there’s an endless opportunity in the number of ways these characters can be presented, so I think any group of students can find a way to perform this show.

6. Do you have any advice for people looking to perform this play online or socially distanced?
Each of these scenes is an interaction between two individuals, so I think the key is to figure out a way to convey this intimacy online. For example, I think taking extra care to make sure their eyelines meet up so that we can see them sharing in a conversation will help to build the sense of a personal interaction.