Art Created at the Intersection of History and Theatre

For Playwright David Bareford, the creation of Borrowed Lives (BL) began with the image of a person gasping awake in someone else’s body. Like all the ideas that evolve into his plays, the ideas that formed BL didn’t arrive fully formed, they were developed as part of a process. That process included collaboration and brainstorming with many talented artists he’s worked with over his 35 years in the theatre. 

David lives in the world of historical times and stories, which leads to the intersection between history and theatre, where his plays are created. And the ideas never stop coming. David writes because he’s compelled to get them down on paper. 

Although he’s written a handful of historical plays, this is his first time writing an audio drama. The thing that excites him about the format is that it can be a collaboration of artists that doesn’t have to be location-specific. Anyone with a laptop and a microphone can participate, and distance is irrelevant. That means he can work with the many talented people he knows who live across the globe. 

Radio dramas were all the rage until the invention of television, but podcasting has brought them back into the cultural zeitgeist. Anyone with a phone can listen anytime, anywhere, and there is no limit to the desire for consumable content. Podcasting is also a very democratic art form. You don’t need to own a studio or a radio station.

David is the Resident Playwright at Love Street Playhouse in Woodland, Washington, as well as a theatrical violence designer and director. Although he resides in Washington now, he is still a proud expatriate of the Chicago professional theatre scene. His work has been seen across the country. His plays span many genres and styles, but nearly always include some historical element, a carryover from his time at Northwestern College, where he was a double major in Theatre and History. 

He is the co-author of Theatrical Violence Design: Safety, Illusion, and Story in Stage Combat Choreography, a definitive work on the creation of theatrical violence for the stage, published by Routledge Press. He is also a professional American Sign Language interpreter for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. On the rare times when he’s not working, he can be found in his woodshop, crafting furniture using traditional hand tools.