Swimming to Spalding is the 70-minute monologue reflecting on Lian Amaris' pilgrimage to the sites in Thailand which Gray evokes in his account of the filming of The Killing Fields. While returning to Gray's traditional story-telling, Amaris also ventures away from the "table and notebook" to embody a year of experiences all over the world- from Bangkok brothels to Baghdad bombings, from Mardi Gras to mental institutions. Part homage, part commentary, Swimming to Spalding reflects on how beauty, grace and art endure amidst the cruelties of war, prostitution, and mental illness... like the very rare orchids that cost a fortune in the States but grow up through the cracks of Bangkok sidewalks.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I never met Spalding Gray. I saw him perform live four times- the first time, I was 18 and the last time was during his last run at P.S. 122. I watched Swimming to Cambodia at least three times a year for the three years I was an undergraduate drama professor- so I knew that piece well. A few days after my last big project in NYC (where I lived for three days in a Victorian-inspired boudoir on a traffic island in Union Square), I approached Richard with my next idea: just as the premise behind Swimming to Cambodia was Spalding's role in The Killing Fields, my premise would be "following Spalding's path in Thailand." I had no idea what would happen, I just knew I would go where Spalding went in Thailand and I would see what I could make from it. After my return, I noticed themes that began in Thailand were reverberating and echoing, different voices were telling converging stories.

As I wrote, I found that my script was often making contact with Swimming to Cambodia. Structurally, I use a similar dramaturgical arc, beginning with a "Thai Stick," winding my way to my perfect moment, and ending with a coda. There are also points in the show where voices are doubled- these are quotations from Spalding's work, including Life, Interrupted. Additionally, in the story I struggle with similar political issues Spalding addressed and I suffer under similar obsessions, vanities, and weaknesses. But as you will see, this story is not just about Spalding, at least no more than a journey is about the guide.

Thank you to Richard for believing, to my parents for paying for that ticket, to Julian for making the connection, and to Erin and "American" Adam - because without you two, I'd only have half a story.

This production is being presented through HERE's Supported Artist Program, which provides artists with subsidized space and equipment, as well as technical and administrative support.

Since 1993, the OBIE-winning HERE Arts Center has been a premier arts organization in NYC and a leader in the field of new, hybrid performance work. Under leadership of Founding Artistic Director Kristin Marting and Producing Director Kim Whitener, HERE has served over 12,000 emerging to mid-career artists developing work that does not fit a conventional programming agenda. Work presented at HERE has garnered 14 OBIE awards, including the 2009 Ross Wetzsteon Award, an OBIE grant for artistic achievement, three Drama Desk nominations, two Berrilla Kerr Awards, three NY Innovative Theatre Awards, an Edwin Booth Award and a Pulitzer Prize nomination. HERE proudly supports artists at all stages in their careers through full productions, artist residency programs, festivals and subsidized performance and rehearsal space. Work at HERE is curated based on the strength and uniqueness of the artist's vision. HERE's Artist Residency Program (HARP) provides development, commissions and full production for up to 20 artists over one-to-three years. In 2005, with the support of the FJC, a foundation of donor advised funds, Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and the City of New York, HERE Arts Center purchased its long-time home as part of a five-year "Secure HERE's Future" campaign. With full-scale renovations to the space concluding in June 2008, thanks to generous support from the City of New York, HERE is poised to continue and expand its role as a downtown haven for the finest emerging art. Offering a comfortable, eclectic setting for artists and audiences alike, HERE features a cafe and two state-of-the-art performance spaces.