The Buzz Intro Interview | The Assembly of Phantasms

Respondent: Valerie Lavelle
Position in Company: Creator/Director/Producer
Company: The Assembly of Phantasms
Show Title: The Masque of The Red Death

“I’ve always been a fan of Edgar Allan Poe. Once I read through The Masque of The Red Death, I instantly knew that it would lend itself easily to my vision.”

Why should people see your show?

Singing, magic, drag, burlesque! We have so much to offer in one show. You’d also be supporting a woman creator and a show that hires LGBTQ+ and POC.

What about festivals intrigues you? And why the Atlanta Fringe?

I really love the vibe of “anything goes” at a fringe festival and Atlanta Fringe honors that. I also really like that they emphasize accessibility for all.

What inspired you to create this?

I had some ideas I tried to work on with others but after a few conversations that led to nothing I knew I wanted to move forward and create a show with a dark narrative but still use a burlesque/cabaret format. I’ve always been a fan of Edgar Allan Poe and I looked at a couple of things he wrote but once I read through The Masque of The Red Death, I instantly knew that it would lend itself easily to my vision.

Life has been weird the last few years, to say the least. How has the “real world” affected the art you’re creating?

There were a few years that I didn’t direct anything. I got to a point where I desperately wanted to build a world where I fit in. The need to connect with others and to escape reality has grown exponentially. Last year was bittersweet for me as I had to say goodbye to my dog of 14 years right before we opened the show. It made thinking about anything else seem impossible but I can’t imagine how I would have been if my mind wasn’t also occupied with the show. I was incredibly lucky to have a great group of people supporting me as I tried to navigate my loss. I think overall it has made everything I create for the stage more personal like I am fighting to stay seen.

What have you learned from working on your show so far?

Every show is a lesson on time management, delegating, and then letting go. Creating this show has also taught me to believe in my vision.

A mysterious stranger asks to meet you and your cast and crew after loving your show. In your WILDEST DREAMS, who is it? (Bonus points if your mysterious stranger is an Atlanta celeb.)

Oh gosh anyone who’s a fan is a dream to me but I would have to say Harvey Guillen from What We Do In the Shadows. He once said on a podcast “You’re not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but you are going to be someone’s and they are going to slurp you up!” That has stuck with me not just in my art and performances but in my everyday life as well.

Fringes are the place to really push the boundaries so we gotta ask: are you inviting your family to this show are “Hey, maybe sit this one out you guys…”

I think my parents learned a long time ago about the kind of shows I like to create. I’m very fortunate to have a family that supports me. During our Savannah run last year, my mom and dad came to see the show. They were so close to the stage they might have gotten a little too much fog in their face. My amazing husband, Justin P. Kent, has also been the biggest support. He is the voice of the narrator in the show and built our iconic window set piece.

Will your show change the world?

I don’t know that it will change THE world but I feel that it will change someone’s world and it has certainly changed ours.

AI: the death of our art form or just a new tool to create?

I hate to say both but I can’t deny that I’ve used it a little. I think we’re still at a point where you can tell when something seems inauthentic and that’s where a real artist will always beat AI.