UNC alum and writer explores an age of new stories in theatre

Before he came to UNC in 2016, from the small town of Wadesboro, N.C., Gage Tarlton had a plan: to be an actor. 

Seven years later, he is a writer and director in New York City, and his works have been developed on stages across the U.S, including at PlayMakers Repertory Company and the 2024 Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights at the Barter Theatre in Virginia.

Tarlton first fell in love with performing arts through his town’s community theater program. 

He continued to pursue acting in college and recalls constantly moving around his freshman year, busy with one thing or another. 

He was cast in UNC Pauper Players’ performance of "Cabaret"  in the fall of his first year, where he met some of his current best friends.

In his second semester, he took a class called “Theatre for Social Change,” taught by professor Jacqueline Lawton. In class, he said discussions about social implications within a larger theatrical landscape inspired him to write the stories he wanted to see on stage.

“It goes back to what Professor Lawton says — ‘If you don’t see a story that you want to see, then write it — or find somebody else to write it,’” he said. 

So, he began to write all the untold stories that were right in front of his eyes. 

His junior year, he spent much of his time at Open Eye Cafe in Carrboro writing a script to submit to PlayMakers Repertory Company for a playwriting contest. 

Like most of his work, this play called “sons that wear dresses and mothers that love sweet potatoes” resembled his environment and community in the Triangle.

“I always write about what is just going on in my life at the time,” he said.

The story follows a Black bookstore owner and their family as they lose their business in Durham to the gentrification of their community. 

Five years later, the play was one of six selected for last month’s 2024 Appalachian Festival of Plays & Playwrights — an annual festival showcasing and celebrating the unique creatives and stories from the Appalachian region, according to their website.  

It was the first time he heard the play since his time at UNC.

“I actually haven't worked on it in nearly five years, it just kind of came out of the blue,” he said.

In an age of growing digital media and shrinking attention spans, Tarlton is writing stories and trying to reimagine the structure of theater to incorporate the internet and social media. 

Tarlton, inspired by performance artist Jeremy O. Harris, said that people on TikTok are performance artists but do not realize it. His next project depicts the numerous identities one can portray while on TikTok. 

“On the internet, you can be anyone,” he said.

Another one of his works, which weaves together theatre, film, and mixed media is about an 18-year-old sex worker and explores the attention economy and how internet experiences can “imprint on your body.” The full archive of the digital performance project is streaming on OnlyFans and X until March 31. 

Since working on this project, Tarlton discovered a new love for film and hopes to pursue that path in the coming years knowing that the path could very well change again.

“I had no expectations to be a playwright when I started at UNC — I had no expectations,” he said. “I thought that [playwriting] was my thing forever. And then I found filmmaking and I really love it.”

For now, Tarlton is busy working on his next project. His Notes app remains brimming with ideas, notes and quotes to inspire his next story.

@dthlifestyle | lifestyle@dailytarheel.com