Today we’d like to introduce you to Meg Parker Wilson & Lisa Apple.
Hi Meg and Lisa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
Meg Parker Wilson: Before we get too far into Lisa Apple and my creative partnership, it must be said that many wonderful people have been part of our artistic journey, and for them, we are eternally grateful. It also bears mentioning that while Lisa and I grew up very differently, we share the same heart and values. I grew up in South America and graduated with a degree in Speech Comm and Theatre and moved to Texas after interning for 20th Century Fox Features Casting department at the Los Angeles Film Studies Center.
Lisa Apple: I was born and raised in the DFW Metroplex and moved back from Nashville after graduating from Belmont with a degree in Music Business. We’ve both had wonderful opportunities to perform, write, direct, create and collaborate with other DFW artists which has allowed us to hone our own craft.
Meg: We love that the thread that binds us as a team is our love for storytelling which is what brought us together on this special project.
Lisa: The story we decided to tell is true and started twelve years ago. On October 1st, 2010 my brother, James Apple, died of accidental suicide due to an undiagnosed mental illness, the day after his 24th birthday. The most traumatic episode was when he climbed to the top of a billboard in downtown Fort Worth for almost seven hours. He paced back and forth, sat and stood, threatened to jump, and conducted an orchestra he saw in his mind. My family and I were in a trailer while the police and rescue team tried to coax him down.
Meg: Seven years later, 2017, after a traumatic season with a close loved one due to a mental health condition, I was listening to Lisa’s album and a story began to form. I was so touched by the song that Lisa wrote about her brother because I was going through something heartbreaking and similar. It was clear to me that we needed to collaborate on a show and start a dialogue for families going through similar things. I burst into Lisa’s office that day and said, ‘Hey let’s write a musical!’ With Lisa’s songwriting and my playwriting ability, combined with our quirky personalities and work ethic we were a perfect combination to tell this story.
Thus, our most recent collaboration, Boy on Billboard, The Musical was born!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Meg: We wish we could say every day of work was fun and easy, but the truth is, making great art and telling great stories never comes easily! There were days (and many nights) of struggle muscle built up as we worked to get words, characters, lyrics, and notes onto paper.
Lisa: Then, when we thought we were finished, we realized there were lyrics and lines and notes that weren’t quite right, so we pulled out the sticky notes and started again! One of the easiest decisions we ever made, however, was to bring on a third partner to help us manage the LLC as we work toward licensing and future productions.
Meg: Heath Bromley is a local actor and director who also happens to be an engineer and multi-talented! It’s really incredible what you can accomplish when you are willing to collaborate with other people. We met Heath when he came to read for us at our first workshop. Lisa and I loved his energy. He was so supportive of our work.
Lisa: He got it (the show)! And he kept coming back!
Meg: After two major workshops, feedback and rewrites we put up our first major preview in February 2022. In addition to the overwhelming task of writing and producing a full-length musical, working with a partner on a creative endeavor is not always seamless. You both have different ways of coming at the work and how you want to approach the end goal, which can be frustrating at times.
Lisa: It truly takes humility and the ability to compromise in order to get through the process. But at the end of the day, the struggle is what ultimately makes the product worth it because you know it’s the best it can be. We are fortunate to have a strong working relationship and friendship that continues to grow as we grow as artists.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Boy on Billboard is a new musical about Kate Apple and her attempts to save her little brother, James, who is struggling with an undiagnosed mental illness. Based on the true story of Lisa and her family, Boy on Billboard explores the realities of mental health and the impact it has on families and communities. Our audiences thus far, have responded so positively to the beautiful music in the show, which is wonderful because it’s extremely complicated! We are really proud of the way we’ve been able to tell an authentic, true story, in such a way that while devastating, instills a sense of hope in its viewers. We are grateful for the conversations that have come out of this show and are overwhelmed by the openness of audience members who shared their personal experience with mental illness and how they relate to the various characters represented in the play. Our desire is for everyone to feel seen, heard, and understood through the power of music and dialogue. It is truly a compelling story and we feel fortunate to tell it. We are THRILLED that our next performance is booked for May 2023! You can catch tickets this spring at boyonbillboard.com.
What sets us apart is that we are a female-female playwright/composing team and the story we are telling is true. Vulnerability is an understatement when it comes to what we’re about to put out there to an audience, a complete group of strangers, or riskier yet- the people who know us better than anyone-our family.
Our favorite surprise for the viewers, though, is how much laughter and comedy is woven into the show! It’s true, the topic is somber and heartbreaking, but life isn’t just one note…it’s made up of multiple dimensions, layers, and so is this show. A light will shine brighter when everything around it gets darker and although James had a darkness around him that we didn’t see until the end, the light he brought to the world will never go out.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Meg: DFW is a diverse metroplex which allows artist like us to find strong community and opportunities to make our work better! There is a desire to bring good works and new works in the theater community which means we have support from other playwrights to keep pushing to get our work out there.
Lisa: Dallas is one of the most welcoming cities. I love the people here, and there are so many ways to plug in and find your niche. There are tons of eclectic neighborhoods with shops and restaurants that maintain a unique vibe along with entertainment venues! From the Dallas Cowboys to Tex-Mex and barbecue, Dallas has something for everyone.
Contact Info:
- Website: boyonbillboard.com
- Instagram: @boyonbillboard
- Twitter: @megparkerwilson
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/lapple-1
Image Credits
Kelley McLeod Photography
Steve Sickman Photographer
