994. The Play's the Thing
The guest, playwright Marisa Alaniz, reveals how she transformed the infamous 1947 Black Dahlia murder into a powerful, ethically grounded stage play centered entirely on Elizabeth Short’s life—not her death. Rather than perpetuate the exploitative true crime narrative that erased her identity, Alaniz’s play reclaims her story by casting only women and non-binary actors, avoiding graphic depictions of her corpse, and using live performance to make her 'alive' in the theater space for the first time in 80 years. The play, which took over a decade of research and two full productions in New York City—where Alaniz herself played the lead—was published by the small press 1319 Press, founded to dismantle gatekeeping in theater. She argues that structure should emerge organically from the story itself, not be forced by outlines, and warns aspiring artists about outdated arts education that teaches obsolete industry practices. Her journey—from struggling with Act II to adapting to the rise of vertical shorts and burlesque trivia—highlights the need for craft mastery over rigid formulas in a rapidly changing creative landscape.
Recenter victims of true crime by telling their lives, not just their deaths—Elizabeth Short is portrayed as alive and present on stage, not as a corpse.
Use live theater’s immediacy to make a historical figure 'breathe' in the room—no film or TV can replicate the physical presence of an actor embodying a person.
Structure should emerge from the story, not be imposed by outlines—Alaniz sees structure as a character that reveals itself during writing.
Publishing a play expands the canon and creates lasting access—especially for underrepresented voices like women and authors of color.
Avoid arts programs that teach outdated industry standards—teachers who haven’t worked in the field in decades are a red flag.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
The Birth of a Play from Writer's Block
Pilar opens with a humorous take on unfinished scripts and introduces Marisa Alaniz, whose play 'Elizabeth' is now published and available for licensing.
Why Publishing a Play Matters
Marisa explains how theater’s ephemeral nature makes publishing essential—preserving plays allows future productions and expands the canon with diverse voices.
The Story Behind 'Elizabeth': A Reclamation of Identity
“She gets erased in her own story. Even her name gets removed and being called the Black Dahlia and not being called Elizabeth Short.”
From Research to Thesis: A Decade of Development
Alaniz shares her 10-year research journey and how she made 'Elizabeth' her MFA thesis, overcoming creative blocks with mentorship and structure.
Two Full Productions, One Actress: Playing the Lead
Alaniz performed as Elizabeth in two distinct productions—back-to-back in different venues—requiring a complete reworking of staging and lighting.
“But I really see structure as another character. Okay. In that every single play that I write is going to be structured differently depending on what the play tells me it needs to be.”
“And I found that she gets erased in her own story. Even her name gets removed and being called the Black Dahlia and not being called Elizabeth Short.”
“And the only thing that doesn't change, right? Is, is the art itself.”
Host
Guest
Elizabeth Short
person
Marisa Alaniz
person
Pilar Alessandra
person
1319 Press
organization
Black Dahlia
person
Take It Off Trivia
other
Sarah Grousstra
person
Maker's Ensemble
organization
The Tank
organization
American Academy of Dramatic Arts
organization
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