The Life of 5: A behind-the-scenes look at the creation process
We are delighted to welcome audiences to the world premiere of 5 by JuCoby Johnson, co-produced by the Jungle Theater and Trademark Theater.
“I’m just sayin’ five sounds better to me.”
This dynamic play and its journey to the stage is an exciting example of what supporting working artists can look like. It is also an example of how much care and work goes into a script’s development and incubation. While every script’s process is different, it can be especially meaningful to see how a play will flourish when given time, resources, and thoughtful support.
5 was first commissioned by Trademark Theater through its new-works-to-production pipeline.
The play was internally developed with Johnson for several years leading up to its first workshop and reading at The Playwrights' Center in partnership with Trademark Theater in 2021.
Top: "Commissions" image created when Trademark first commissioned the piece in 2020
Johnson at the Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference where a reading of 5 was performed in summer '22, photo by Emi-Lei Styers Zysk/Eugene O'Neill Theater Center
Later that year, 5 went on to be a 2021 O’Neill National Playwrights Conference Finalist and a Seven Devils Finalist and went on to showcase in the O’Neill National Playwrights Conference in the summer of 2022.
The play then came back to Minneapolis for another workshop at the Jungle Theater as it prepared for its world premiere at the Jungle in 2023!
We are proud to play a part in this beautiful play’s story and to be able to share this production with you today. We know that this is not the last stop for 5 and we can’t wait to see where it will go and how it will speak to other communities.
Johnson explains, "This play has been so incredibly fortunate to receive the amount of time and support that it has. My hope is that we're only at the beginning of this play's life and that it continues to grow in the hands of each artist that touches it."