♪.

TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," A NEW REPORT RANKS ARIZONA AS ONE OF THE LEAST AFFORDABLE STATES IN THE COUNTRY.

>>> ALSO TONIGHT, WE'LL HEAR ABOUT A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND STUDY OF MONSOONS.

>>> AND A NEW ONE-WOMAN PLAY LOOKS AT THE TENSION BETWEEN WHO WE PRESENT TO THE WORLD AND WHO WE TRULY ARE.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

.

TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

A NEW REPORT FROM THE COMMON SENSE INSTITUTE RANKS ARIZONA AS THE SEVENTH LEAD AFFORDABLE STATE IN THE COUNTRY WITH HOUSEHOLD COSTS INCREASING FASTER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

HERE IS KATIE RATLIEF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE COMMON SENSE INSTITUTE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

TED: ALL RIGHT, SEVENTH LEAST AFFORDABLE STATE, WERE YOU SURPRISED BY THAT?

>> SORT OF.

MANY PEOPLE MOVED HERE 10, 20, 30 OR 40 YEARS AGO BECAUSE ARIZONA WAS KNOWN AS A VERY AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE.

HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE, LOW COST OF LIVING.

EVERYONE FELT THAT'S CHANGED LATELY.

YOU HEARD IT FROM OTHER GUESTS, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, THINGS ARE GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE, AND IT'S HARDER TO GET BY ON THE SAME INCOME IN ARIZONA, AND THE DATA SHOWS THAT'S DEFINITELY TRUE.

TED: FOR THIS PARTICULAR REPORT, WHAT KIND OF METRICS, WHAT KIND OF MEASUREMENTS?

>> THE LARGEST DRIVER OF AFFORDABILITY RIGHT NOW, THIS IS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE SAW THIS IN ALL 50 STATES.

WE RANKED ALL 50 STATES AND WASHINGTON, D.C., IS HOUSING.

THE STORY OF AFFORDABILITY IS A HOUSING STORY.

HOUSING COSTS HAVE GONE UP 60% IN ARIZONA SINCE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, THAT'S WHAT'S DRIVING THE LACK OF AFFORDABILITY HERE.

TED: HOUSEHOLD COSTS, GROCERIES, GAS.

IT ALL ADDS UP.

DOES IT ADD UP MORE HERE THAN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY?

>> YES, THAT'S WHY OUR RANKING DROPPED.

PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, RANKED 33rd.

MIDDLE OF THE PACK WHEN IT CAME TO AFFORDABILITY, NOW 45th, ONE OF THE LEAST AFFORDABLE STATES.

WE LOOKED AT SIX DIFFERENT BUCKETS.

HOUSING THE DRIVER, WE LOOK AT GAS, GROCERIES, HEALTH INSURANCE, CAR INSURANCE AND CHILD CARE, AND WE ADJUSTED EVERYTHING FOR THE RELATIVE TAX BURDEN AND AVERAGE INCOME ON EACH OF THE STATES AS WELL.

TED: WHEN IT COMES TO CHILD CARE AND GROCERIES, HEALTH INSURANCE, THESE THINGS, WHAT'S THE REASONING?

WHY THE INCREASE AND WHY SO MUCH HERE AS OPPOSED TO OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY?

>> SOME OF IT, THERE'S NOT A LOT WE CAN DO ABOUT.

IT DEPENDS ON SUPPLY CHAINS.

WHERE WE'RE LOCATED, THINGS LIKE GROCERIES.

GAS PRICES, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH CONTROL OVER.

A LOT OF OUR GAS COMES FROM CALIFORNIA, SO POLICY DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE IN CALIFORNIA IMPACT US.

WITH RESPECT TO CHILD CARE, WE'VE SEEN DRAMATIC INCREASES IN THE COST OF CHILD CARE AND THE STATE'S GONE UP 42% SINCE 2018 BECAUSE WE'VE LOST HALF OF OUR CHILD CARE PROVIDERS OVER THE LAST 20 YEAR, A SIMPLE SUPPLY AND DEMAND ISSUE.

AS THE SUPPLY DROPPED, PRICES HAVE GONE UP.

TED: SOCIAL SERVICES OR THE LACK THEREOF ARE IMPACTING THE ECONOMY?

>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

MANY ARE PRIVATE CHILD CARE PROVIDERS WHO HAVE GONE OUT OF BUSINESS OR OPENED NEW LOCATIONS BECAUSE IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE TO DO SO.

TED: WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT HOUSING, ARE YOU FACTORING IN UTILITIES OR IS THAT A SEPARATE SILO THERE.

>> UTILITIES IS FACTORED INTO THE PRICE OF HOUSING BUT THE LARGEST DRIVER OF THAT HOUSING COST IS REALLY JUST THE COST OF RENT OR MORTGAGE OR THE PRICE OF A HOME.

TED: YEAH, AND, AGAIN, SOUNDS LIKE SUPPLY NOT MEETING, INCREASING DEMAND.

IS THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?

>> NOT EVEN CLOSE.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ARIZONA AT ITS MOST AFFORDABLE TIME, LEADING UP TO THE GREAT RECESSION, A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE MOVING HERE, BUT IN THE FIVE YEARS LEADING UP TO THE GREAT RECESSION, WE BUILT 400,000 HOMES, THAT SUPPLY WAS KEEPING PACE WITH THE DEMAND.

IN THE FIVE YEARS FOLLOWING THE RECESSION, WE ONLY BUILD 200,000 HOMES.

TED: I KNOW THE COMMON SENSE INSTITUTE TALKS ABOUT HOUSING A LOT IT.

MENTIONED ALMOST EVERY TIME.

IMPACT OF SLOW PERMITTING, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT, IT WOULD SEEM AS THOUGH PERMITTING EXISTS FOR A REASON.

IS IT EXISTING WITH A CAPITAL E AS FAR AS THE REPORT IS CONCERNED?

>> EE WE SEE A LOT OF POLICIES THAT ARE WELL-INTENTIONED, CREATED FOR A REASON.

BUT OVER TIME, WE LOSE WHAT THE REASON IS, AND IT'S JUST ADDING COSTS AND TIME TO THE HOUSING PROCESS.

BUILDING A HOME, AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS IT VARIES FROM JURISDICTION TO JURISDICTION, SO THERE ARE MANY COUNTIES IN THE STATE WHERE THE CITIES WITHIN THAT COUNTY WILL NEVER ISSUE ENOUGH PERMITS TO CLOSE THEIR HOUSING GAPS IF THEY CONTINUE AT THE CURRENT RATE.

THEY'RE NOT BUILDING FAST ENOUGH AND ISSUING PERMITS QUICKLY ENOUGH TO CLOSE THE GAP.

TED: HOW DO YOU BALANCE, THOUGH?

PERMITS ARE DESIGNED TO SLOW THINGS DOWN TO MAKE SURE Is ARE DOTTED AND Ts ARE CROSSED IN ALL MANNERS, WAY, SHAPE AND FORM.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE THAT WITH GETTING MORE CONSTRUCTION DONE?

>> YOU REALLY HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE GOAL IS.

ARE YOU MEETING THE GOAL OF WHAT THE PERMIT IS CREATED TO DO?

WAS IT INTENDED TO SLOW THINGS DOWN AND INCREASE COSTS?

PROBABLY NOT.

I THINK IT REQUIRES POLICYMAKERS AT THE STATE AND CITY LEVEL, REALLY AT EVERY LEVEL AND ACROSS BOTH PARTIES TO ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE GOALS ARE AND HOW WE CAN BUILD MORE AFFORDABLE HOMES FOR ARIZONANS ESPECIALLY WHO ARE JUST GETTING STARTED IN LIFE, WHO ARE STARTING FAMILIES, TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.

TED: AGAIN, PROBABLY AWAY FROM THE POLICY REPORT BUT WATER, WATER IS ALWAYS A FACTOR IN EVERYTHING.

CERTAINLY A FACTOR IN HOUSING.

IS THAT PLAYING A FACTOR IN THIS REPORT, AND IN OUR RANKING?

>> IT COULD BE A FACTOR.

SO CERTAINLY IN SOME PARTS OF MARICOPA COUNTY, CERTAINLY IN THE WEST VALLEY, THERE HAS BEEN A HOME-BUILDING MORATORIUM PUT IN PLACE BY THE GOVERNOR BECAUSE OF HER AGENCY'S VIEW THERE WASN'T ENOUGH WATER.

AND I BELIEVE A COURT OVERTURNED THAT FOR THE TIME BEING, BUT HOMES DON'T USE A TON OF WATER, SO THEY'RE NOT A MAJOR DRIVER IN TERMS OF OUR WATER SHORTAGES, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU TAKE LAND THAT WAS AGRICULTURAL AND YOU BUILD HOMES ON IT.

THAT'S WHAT PHOENIX HAS DONE OVER THE LAST 60 TO 70 YEARS.

THAT'S WHY WE USE LESS WATER TODAY THAN WE DID IN THE 1960s.

SO IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO KEEP AN EYE ON BUT DID NOT FACTOR INTO AFFORDABILITY RANKING.

TED: INTERESTING.

WHAT DO WE TAKE FROM THE STUDY?

WHAT DO YOU WANT POLICYMAKERS TO TAKE FROM THE STUDY?

>> POLICYMAKERS NEED TO CONTINUE BIPARTISAN EFFORTS TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO BUILD MORE HOMES AND INCREASE THE SUPPLY AND FIX THE STRUCTICAL DEFICIT WE'VE CREATED IN TERMS OF HOUSING IN ORDER TO BRING THE PRICES DOWN, AND THEY NEED TO GET REALLY CREATIVE WHEN IT COMES TO CHILD CARE, WHAT ARE CREATIVE WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE NEW AND DIFFERENT CHILD CARE OPTIONS TO OPEN IN THE STATE.

TED: CAN POLICYMAKERS DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE INCREASE IN CAR AND HEALTH INSURANCE?

>> CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.

COULD BE THE RESULT OF CERTAIN CAR INSURANCE OR HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES IN OUR STATE THAT DON'T EXIST IN OTHER STATES AND OTHER THING WES CAN DO TO DRIVE DOWN THE COST OF HEALTH INSURANCE.

WE RECENTLY DID A STUDY ON THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF SMOKING.

WE HAVE -- WE DON'T HAVE A TERRIBLY HIGH SMOKING RATE IN THE GENERAL POPULATION, WE HAVE A VERY HIGH SMOKING RATE IN MEDICARE POPULATION.

ANYTHING THEY CAN DO TO INCENTIVIZE SMOKING CESSATION WOULD HELP TOO.

TED: KATIE RATLIEF, THE COMMON SENSE INSTITUTE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

.

TED: ARIZONA MONSOONS ARE FAST APPROACHING WITH THE OFFICIAL START OF THE STORM SEASON SET FOR NEXT MONTH.

MONSOONS ARE NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT TO PREDICT, ESPECIALLY LONG-TERM FORECASTS, BUT ASU IS WORKING ON A PROJECT WITH THE U.S.

ENERGY DEPARTMENT TO BETTER PREDICT WHEN AND WHERE A SUMMER STORM WILL HIT.

JOINING US IS VERNON MORRIS, LEAD SCIENTIST AND ASU'S COLLEGE OF INTERDISCIPLINARY ARTS AND SCIENCES.

LOVE TALKING WEATHER, LOVE TALKING MONSOON, AND I GUESS I'M GOING TO LOVE TALKING DUSTY AIM.

WHAT IS DUSTY AIM?

>> DUSTY AIM IS AN ACRONYM, BUT IT'S AN ACRONYM THAT REPRESENTS A LARGE-SCALE DATA-GATHERING CAMPAIGN, AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS DATA GATHERING IS TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF AND IMPROVE MODEL PREDICTION OF THE MONSOON IN THIS REGION.

SO WE'RE OBSERVING METEOROLOGICAL VARIABLES, WE'RE OBSERVING THE DUST CHARACTERISTICS, WE'RE OBSERVING WIND, ALL THINGS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE CAN, THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY TO HELP IMPROVE MODEL PREDICTION.

TED: YOU ARE PARTNERING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ON THIS.

HOW DID THAT COOPERATION COME INTO BEING?

.

>> WELL, THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HAS A MOBILE FACILITY, THE ARM MOBILE FACILITY, ARM ANOTHER ACRONYM, ATMOSPHERIC RADIATION MEASUREMENTS, THE RADIATION FROM THE SUN DRIVES THE ENERGY IN THE ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEM THAT GIVES US THE WEATHER.

SO THIS MOBILE LABORATORY IS AVAILABLE BASED ON PROPOSALS WE BRING TO SITES FOR THE MASSIVE DATA-GATHERING CAMPAIGNS AND WE WON ONE OF THE PROPOSALS.

TED: ASU WEST IS WHERE IT'S BASED, RIGHT?

>> ASU OUT IN GLENDALE.

TED: 43rd AND THUNDERBIRD.

THAT KIND OF THING.

MULTISENSORS.

THIS LAB, WE'RE LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW.

THIS HAS BROKEN GROUND.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT?

LOOK AT THE BALLOONS.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT HERE?

>> THIS IS THE INFLATABLE HANGAR.

THESE ARE PHOTOS OR FOOTAGE OF ANOTHER SITE THAT HOSTED THE ARM FACILITY, BUT THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF THE INSTRUMENTATION, THE MOBILE LABORATORIES ARE IN THE CONEX BOXES THAT YOU SEE THERE, BUT IT'S AN EXAMPLE THE SITE SETUP THAT IS HAPPENING OUT AT THE WEST VALLEY RIGHT NOW.

TED: SO YOU GOT WEATHER RADAR, OBVIOUSLY, BUT GROUND-BASED LASERS?

>> WE DO HAVE LASERS THAT ARE SITUATED ON THE GROUND, FACING VERTICAL, THAT ALLOW US TO PROBE THE DEPTH OF THE ATMOSPHERE FROM THE SURFACE UP TO THE TOP.

TED: SO IF IT FINDS OUT X, Y AND Z IS HAPPENING AND THE RESULT IS A MONSOON OCCURS THREE HOURS LATER, DO YOU IT AGAIN, X, Y AND Z DOESN'T HAPPEN, THERE IS NO MONSOON, YOU ARE ONTO SOMETHING?

WE TAKE THE OBSERVATIONS AND PUT THEM INTO MODELS AND MAKE SENSE OF THE PRECONDITIONS, THE POST CONDITIONS THAT DEFINE WHETHER OR NOT A MONSOON IS GOING TO COME.

TED: HOW MANY BALLOONS AND HOW OFTEN ARE THEY LAUNCHED?

>> TWO DIFFERENT BALLOONS.

THE TETHERED BALLOON SYSTEM, IN THE INFLATABLE HANGAR.

THOSE WILL BE CONNECTED TO A WENCH AND WILL BE ELEVATED UP TO ABOUT 4,000 FEET AT THE MARKS BUT THEY'LL HAVE DIFFERENT HEIGHTS AND MOVE UP AND DOWN AT DIFFERENT TIMES.

THEY HAVE A SERIES OF SENSORS ON THOSE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'LL BE LAUNCHING WEATHER BALLOONS THAT WILL RELEASE, AND THOSE WILL PROFILE THE ATMOSPHERE.

THOSE WILL BE FOUR TO SIX LAUNCHES PER DAY.

TED: PER DAY?

MY GOODNESS.

SO THE IDEA IS TO UNDERSTAND A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING HERE ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT, WHAT, PREDATES THE MONSOON?

DO YOU MEASURE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE MONSOON IS THERE?

>> YES, SO WE WILL BE MEASURING CONTINUOUSLY FOR 22 MONTHS, SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO CHARACTERIZE THE ENTIRE MONSOON SEASON, ALL OF THE EVENTS THAT HAPPEN IN BETWEEN, AND REALLY TRY TO GET A FEEL FOR WHAT THE PRECONDITIONS ARE, POST CONDITIONS, WHAT REALLY DRIVES THE PROCESS WHEN IT COMES INTO THIS DESERT METROPOLITAN REGION ZA I'M GLAD YOU ARE DOING IT AFTERWARDS.

FOR YEARS, ONE OF THE RULES OF THUMB USED TO BE -- BACK WHEN WE HAD MONSOONS, AFTER YOU HAD A BIG OLD STORM, THE NEXT DAY YOU WOULD NEVER GET ANOTHER STORM, EVERYTHING WAS CALM THE NEXT DAY.

THIS WILL HELP WHY THOSE OCCUR?

>> YES.

TED: WHY ARE MONSOONS SO DIFFICULT TO PREDICT?

EVERY TIME I GET RANDY CERVENY HERE, WHAT KIND OF MONSOON ARE WE GOING TO HAVE?

HE HAS NO IDEA WHY, IS THAT SO?

>> WE HAVE A RAPIDLY CHANGING ENVIRONMENT AND A RAPIDLY CHANGING LAND SURFACE AS WELL, SO WHEN YOU HAVE THAT MANY VARIABLES THAT ARE CHANGING AT THE SAME TIME, PREDICTABILITY BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT.

IF WE HAD A STATIC LAND SURFACE, THE CITY OF PHOENIX WAS THE SAME TODAY AS IT WAS 30 YEARS AGO, WE HAVE IT AS A CONTROL, AND ALL WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IS THE ATMOSPHERIC VARIABILITY.

TED: YEAH, AND THEY HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN, DON'T THEY?

>> BOTH HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN AND CHANGING IN WAYS WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PREDICT, AND WE HAVE TO MAKE THE MEASUREMENTS COMPREHENSIVELY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE.

TED: HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO GO ON NOW, THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT?

>> 22 MONTHS.

TED: 22 MONTHS, AFTER 22 MONTHS, THE INFORMATION BECOMES WHAT?

DOES IT GO TO THE METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY?

WHERE DOES IT GO?

>> IN A VARIETY OF PLACES BUT PRIMARILY THE WEB PAGES WHERE IT CAN BE USED BY THE ENTIRE RESEARCH COMMUNITY.

NOT JUST ASU AND NOT JUST THE ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE PARTNERING BUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF SCIENTISTS NATIONWIDE.

TED: WHAT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY OF NONSCIENTISTS, CAN WE LOOK AT THIS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> ACTUALLY YOU CAN, AND WE ARE WELCOMING COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN THE FIELD CAMPAIGN.

TED: THIS IS EXCITING.

BUT THE MONSOON COMING UP SHORTLY, YOU ARE GEARING UP, HUH?

>> GEARING UP VERY FAST.

WE WANT TO TURN EVERYTHING ON FOR THE CAMPAIGN ON JUNE 1.

WE'RE -- I THINK WE'RE ON TRACK TO DO THAT, BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

TED: WE'LL LET YOU GET BACK TO WORK.

VERNON MORRIS, ASU NEW COLLEGE ASSOCIATE DEAN, THE PROJECT IS DUSTY AIM.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANKS.

.

TED: THE BLACK THEATRE TROUPE IS SET TO PRESENT A ONE-WOMAN SHOW NEXT WEEK TITLED "BETWEEN MASKS AND MIRRORS," SHOWCASES THE TENSIONS BETWEEN MASKS PEOPLE WEAR AND WHO WE TRULY ARE.

THE SHOW IS PERFORMED BY TONI ROBINSON WHO RETURNS TO THE STAGE AFTER A DECADE AWAY FROM PERFORMING.

WE WELCOME TONI ROBINSON TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

TED: CONGRATULATIONS ON THE SHOW, YOU WROTE IT, PRODUCED IT, PERFORM IT.

IT'S ALL YOU AND ALL DONE.

>> YES.

TED: TALK ABOUT THE TITLE, "BETWEEN MASKS AND MIRRORS."

>> SO THE TITLE REALLY LOOKS AT WHERE WE SIT AS HUMAN BEINGS.

WE SIT BETWEEN THE MASKS THAT WE WEAR ON THE OUTSIDE, AND THE MIRRORS THAT REFLECT WHO WE REALLY ARE.

IT'S REALLY INVITING PEOPLE TO SAY WHO AM I UNDER MY EXTERNAL MASK, AND WHEN I LOOK AT MYSELF AND DO SELF-EXAMINATION, AM I WHO I WANT TO BE?

ARE THOSE TWO PEOPLE THE SAME?

SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT.

TED: SOMETIMES THE MIRROR BREAKS THROUGH.

>> YES.

TED: THIS SHOW CONSISTS OF YOU BECOMING FIVE DIFFERENT CHARACTERS.

WHY DID YOU USE THAT PARTICULAR FORMAT?

>> IT'S A GENRE THEY LIKE, THE ONE-PERSON PERFORMANCE, IT GIVES MEET ABILITY TO SHOW MY RANGE, I CAN BE DIFFERENT CHARACTERS.

I LOVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.

IT GIVES THE AUDIENCE A CHANCE TO DELVE INTO CHARACTERS AND PEOPLE AND STORIES AS HUMAN BEINGS.

>> YEAH, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE FIVE CHARACTERS?

>> THAT'S A JOURNEY, PART OF MY TEN-YEAR JOURNEY AND HEARING PEOPLE'S STORIES, LISTENING, OBSERVING WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH AND COME IN CONTACT WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE INTERESTING STORIES BUT BRINGING IN SOME OF THE ONES I'VE EXPERIENCID AND KNOW AS WELL.

TED: THESE ARE MALES, FEMALES, DIFFERENT JOBS, DIFFERENT CHALLENGES.

HAVE YOU FIVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

WAS IT DIFFICULT TO COME UP WITH DIFFERENT CHALLENGES FOR EACH ONE?

>> NO, THE CHALLENGES ARE REAL.

TED: REALLY?

>> THE CHALLENGES ARE PROBABLY THE EASIEST PART TO COME UP WITH, IN DISTINCT SCENARIOS.

EVERYONE IS EXPERIENCING THEIR OWN CHALLENGE, AND THEY'RE NOT RELATED THAT WAY.

WHEN I LOOKED AT WHO THE INDIVIDUALS WERE, IT WAS VERY EASY TO COME UP WITH THE CHALLENGES THEY'RE DOING.

TED: WAS IT DIFFICULT TO BECOME THOSE CHARACTERS WITH THOSE CHALLENGES AND WITH THOSE MASKS?

>> THAT -- I'M BECOMING THEM A LITTLE BETTER EACH DAY.

WRITING IS ONE THING, AND PERFORMING THEM IS ANOTHER.

I WANT TO BE TRUE TO WHO THEY ARE, I WANT TO REPRESENT THEM WELL AND GIVE AUTHENTIC VOICE.

TED: I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT THE WRITING PROCESS, I TALK TO WRITERS WHO HAVE BOOKS TURNED INTO MOVIES, IS THIS WHAT YOU ENVISIONED.

IT'S A STRANGE QUESTION, IS THIS WHAT YOU ENVISIONED WHEN WRITING?

>> YES.

I'M A FIRST TIME PLAYWRIGHT, I'VE BEEN TRAINING FOR THAT AND STUDYING AND IMPROVING MY SKILLS AS A WRITER.

PART OF THE PROCESS WAS HAVING PEOPLE READ MY WORK, AND I HEARD NOT WHAT I WROTE OR WHAT MY INTENTION WAS.

NOW I'M WORKING WITH A DIRECTOR, I'M NOT DIRECTING MYSELF FOR THE SHOW, HEARING THE DIRECTORS TAKE ON WHAT I WROTE IS ALSO INTERESTING.

TED: ARE THESE PEOPLE, IS THIS DEBUTING, HAVE YOU PERFORMED BEFORE?

>> THIS IS THE PREMIERE.

TED: GO TO REHEARSAL, ARE THEY THE SAME PEOPLE EVERY TIME YOU RECITE THESE LINES AND PERFORM EVEN IN REHEARSAL?

>> NO, AND THEY WON'T BE WHEN I PERFORM THEM EITHER.

TED: INTERESTING.

>> AS AN ACTOR, YOU'RE IN THE MOMENT AND THINGS CHANGE AND YOU FEEL IT DIFFERENTLY OR THE CHARACTER SPEAKS TO YOU IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

TED: HOW DID THE REAL YOU HANDLE THE MASKS AND MIRRORS OF THESE FOLKS?

>> YES, SO I HAD TO DIG, I HAD TO DIG DEEP TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR CHALLENGES ARE, UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY REALLY ARE UNDER THE MASK, AND WHAT IS IT THEY'RE TRYING TO SAY TO THE AUDIENCE?

WHAT IS THE MESSAGE?

FOR ME IT'S A JOURNEY OF DIGGING INTO EACH CHARACTER, UNDERSTANDING WHO THEY ARE, WHY THEY'RE MAKING THE CHOICES THEY'RE MAKING AND THE DECISIONS THEY'RE MAKING.

TED: YEAH, THERE ARE INTERACTIVE STATIONS IN THE LOBBY?

WHAT'S THAT ABOUT?

>> TAKING THE EXPERIENCE AND THE PATH OF THE EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU GO TO THE THEATER AND ELEVATING IT TO THE ONE THAT IS A LITTLE MORE ENGAGING, INTERACTIVE, INNOVATIVE, SO AUDIENCE MEMBERS SPEAK TO THE CHARACTERS AND TELL THEM SOMETHING.

TED: WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, STOP RIGHT THERE.

I GO OUT TO THE LOBBY AND SEE THE INTERACTIVE STATION AND YOU JUST PLAYED CHARACTER X, AND I WALK UP AND SAY, HEY, CHARACTER X, WHAT?

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> YOU LEAVE A RECORDING.

THIS IS WHAT I THINK ABOUT YOU, MY ADVICE FOR YOU, HERE'S A QUESTION FOR YOU.

THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SCAN QR CODES AND PROBE A LITTLE DEEPER AND OFFER SUGGESTIONS.

I'M HOPING TO TAKE IT INTO IT'S MORE OF A SHARED EXPERIENCE, A COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE WHERE IT'S NOT I'M GOING AND DOING THIS BUT AS HUMANITY WE'RE SHARING THIS AND ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION.

TED: INSTEAD OF LEAVING THE THEATER, YOU LEAVE THE THEATER OR MOVIE THEATER, YOU TALK ABOUT THE FILM OR THE PLAYER, BUT YOU WALK UP TO ONE OF THE MONITORS AND TALK ABOUT IT, HERE'S MY REACTION, MY THOUGHTS?

>> IT'S NOT QUITE A MONITOR, BUT IT'S A STATION.

TED: STILL.

>> AND YOU WILL LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS, YES.

TED: WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> YOUR THOUGHTS ARE THERE, RECORDED AND I'LL HEAR THEM.

TED: WHAT DO YOU WANT THE AUDIENCE, WHEN THEY'RE LEAVING, WHEN THEY'RE WALKING OUT TWO BY TWO, WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THAT?

WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO BE TALKING ABOUT?

>> I WANT THEM TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THEMES IN THE SHOW, RESILIENCE, IDENTITY, TRUTH, RESILIENCE.

I ALSO WANT THEM TO FEEL DIFFERENT THAN HOW THEY CAME, RIGHT?

I WANT THEM ALSO TO BE INVOLVED IN JUST EXAMINING WHO WE ARE AS HUMAN BEINGS, AND ALSO HAVING A LITTLE MORE COMPASSION AND EMPATHY.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I WANT THE AUDIENCE TO WALK AWAY WITH.

TED: CONGRATULATIONS, AGAIN.

THIS SOUNDS FASCINATING.

QUICKLY NOW, YOU ARE BACK TO PERFORMING AFTER TEN YEARS OF BEING AWAY, WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT?

>> I TOOK A BREAK, I TOOK A BREAK.

I WENT IN, DID STUDYING, LEARNED HOW TO BECOME A PLAYWRIGHT, HOW TO PERFORM BETTER AND BACK BETTER THAN EVER.

TED: DATES AND TIMES OF SHOWS.

>> SUNDAY AUGUST 17 AT 2:30 BLACK THEATRE TROUPE.

TED: BLACK THEATRE TROUPE, "BETWEEN MASKS AND MIRRORS."

TONI ROBINSON, ONE-WOMAN SHOW, BEST OF LUCK.

>> THANK YOU.

TED: THANK YOU.

AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.