Signature Stories Issue 13 | Page 8

(left): Annie Baker, Sam Gold, Hong Chau, Christopher Abbott, Lois Smith, and Georgia Engel at the first rehearsal for John, 2015. (below): Tracee Chimo, Deirdre O’Connell, Heidi Schreck, Reed Birney, and Peter Friedman in Circle Mirror Transformation at Playwrights Horizons, 2010. (right): Georgia Engel and Peter Friedman in Uncle Vanya at Soho Rep, 2012. (far right): Matthew Maher in The Flick at Playwrights Horizons, 2013. S: How does the process of writing a play begin for you? AB: I usually begin with a setting, I guess...the image of a pla