We're only six months apart, yet she's always had years of maturity on me.

Mostly...

But let's go back....My cousin Valerie and I used to play in the back of my Dad's work truck. On the quiet cul-de-sac of the street, in my aunt and uncle's yard, we would climb up the tires of my dad's truck and into the back and climb all over the sheet metal, tools, work equipment and other "dangerous" things (kids dont get to play outside anymore, do they?) and imagine all sorts of adventures until it got dark and Auntie Irene called us back in for dinner.

For dinner, Valerie would ask for Chicken McNuggets. Her mom would say no...then they would push me in..

'Auntie Irene, can we have chicken nuggets?" I would ask.

Happy meal time!
We laugh at that a lot.

Countless Friday nights, I would sleep over and  we would play video games all night longs, then get up and watch saturday morning cartoons.  She once tricked me into watching Pee Wee's Playhouse every saturday by telling me that there was an episode where they played with He Man figures. There were times I even watched it home on my own, hoping for that episode.

by Byrne Harrison- Written for Stagebuzz

Mark-Eugene Garcia is the author of several plays and musicals.  He is happy to be represented twice in the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. He can also be seen as "Javier" in Duncan
 Pflaster’s The Taint of Equality. His written theatrical work includes Facing East, One Night at the Golden Boot,(un)missed connections,Inscriptions, and The Holy Cows of Credence South Dakota. Next up is Standby: as part of the New York Fringe Festival.


How did you first get involved in theatre?

My first foray into the theatre was playing my dream role of “The Baker” in Into the Woods. But when it comes to writing, the musicals Ragtime and Once on this Island  primarily inspired me. I’ve spent the majority of my theatrical writing devoted to writing musicals. So much of my playwriting is influenced by music.
 
Who are your biggest influences?

Aside from musicals, I’m influenced by many gay writers. Armistead Maupin, Marc Acito, William Mann. Each of these writers has something in common, other than the characters being gay. They all write wordy, opinionated characters that have something to say and the nerve to say it.

Originally written for "The Happiest Medium"

Karen Tortora-Lee’s Question
How did you come up with the title for your show?
Mark-Eugene:   We actually had quite a few titles. The play is based on missed connections from Craigslist, so I originally gave it that title of Missed Connections. But the play really about isn’t missing the connection as opposed to finding them. After speaking with Rodrigo, our director, we came up with (un)missed connections.

I'm going to tell you all a secret. It's the secret about how I write...Before I start working on a story I usually say two words in my head and they are...wait....this takes a little buildup, so here goes....

...Sitting in my countrified office filled with Longaberger baskets, hand carved wooden stars, and wooden signs with sayings such as "Love when you can, Cry when you have to, Be who you must, that's a part of the plan," I am reminded of how much of my mother's son I am.  It goes beyond how I decorate my office, or my addiction to running (of which I always attribute to her.) But deeper than that. I have her in everything that I do.

After reading "Little Corner" and listening to "Holy Cows" as well as most of my other projects, people have often asked..

1. The notes played by the ocarina in the opening segment of Zelda: Ocarina of Time on Nintendo 64 give me a soothing sensation on stressful days.

2. When I leave the house in the morning I listen to the beginning of the soundtrack to CONGO and pretend I’m going on an adventure, even though I live in Woodside NY.

3. I don’t and have never completely or habitually read the Bible. But when I have nightmares or worries, I am known to hug it like a teddy bear when I sleep.

4. I have my fathers first name (Mark) and my grandfather’s middle name. (Eugene) 

5. I wrote a 350 page book in high school, and had a group of readers who read it over two years as I released each chapter monthly.

6. I ran the San Diego Marathon, twice