Interview: Michelle Renee Johnson - Extra Dry
Extra Dry is written and performed by Michelle Renee Johnson, an Alaskan-born, Tennessee-raised actor and writer based in New York City. Marking her debut as a playwright, bringing this autobiographical solo show about alcohol addiction to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is a major milestone in her career.
Ticket link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/extra-dry
Venue: Willow Studio at Greenside @ Riddles Court
When: 7th 29th August (not performing on 16th & 23rd)
Could you tell us a bit more about yourself and what the show is all about?
I’m an Alaskan-born, Tennessee-raised actor and writer based in New York City. Growing up acting in local community theatres, I never thought I would be performing on stages in New York, but somehow life led me here (via working on a quinoa farm in France and teaching English in Japan).
Extra Dry is the first show I’ve written, and I couldn’t be more proud of how far it’s come. On the surface, it’s an autobiographical solo show about alcohol addiction. This show dives into the positive reinforcement that the narrator receives, presented through stories retold to her about events she could not remember due to excess drinking. At its core, it’s about wanting to remain in other’s memory, even at the loss of your own.
As a debut play, how long has this specific story been brewing in your mind, and what was the exact catalyst that made you say, "Okay, it's time to put this on a stage?”
I quit drinking on December 14, 2021, and I started writing this show a year and a half later. It started as a simple monologue, drawing from my early experiences in sobriety where I felt excluded by my lack of drinking. But I felt there was more to dive into, so I started writing more and more and the next thing I knew, I had a whole show.
You’re coming all the way from the United States! What was the spark that made you decide you had to bring the show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year?
This is really a response to the second half of question 2, but I had a desire to perform at Fringe since my first visit in 2023. Admittedly, I was not aware of the Fringe prior to that summer. But I was quickly entranced by the vast amount of talent and stories on display; I knew I needed to be a part of it. Extra Dry was written with Edinburgh in mind the whole time…I wouldn’t have the show without my first visit to the Fringe!
You are working with director Lila Rachel Becker (an O'Neill finalist). How did your collaboration with her help shape the staging and pacing of such an intense, fast-paced personal journey?
Lila has been a major driver in Extra Dry’s success, and we wouldn’t be here without her. She joined early on, and I am honored that she saw something in the script that she believed in, especially with this being my first go in the writing realm. She was super encouraging, and explained there was some air in the script that had to be kneaded out in order to make a more coherent story. We worked many many hours to get the script ready for the lights, sound, staging, etc. Her experience helped re-create the script into what it is today.
What do you hope audiences take away from Extra Dry after they walk out of the theatre?
My goal this entire time has been that people don’t leave feeling judged. While a lot of the stories are relatable, I hope people feel seen in a comforting way. We all want to be acknowledged by others, and maybe we go about it the wrong way for a long time. I want others to feel seen, because that would have helped me through many of these circumstances.
If you had to describe the show in only three words to make people absolutely eager to see it, what would they be?
Tattoos are permanent.
