BroadwayRadio: Stagecraft

Episode: Scott Organ on “Diversion”
Date: December 11, 2025
Host: Jan Simpson
Guest: Scott Organ, playwright

Episode Overview

This episode of Stagecraft features playwright Scott Organ discussing Diversion, his new medical drama at the Barrow Group’s Studio Theater. Organ shares the inspiration and research behind the piece, his interest in essential workers and the “aftermath” of dramatic events, and the collaborative creative process at his artistic home. The discussion highlights his nuanced portrait of nurses and commitment to authenticity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction to “Diversion”

• Setting & Premise (02:22)

  • The play unfolds in the break room of an ICU unit at a hospital, focusing on a close-knit group of nurses.
  • Their world is disrupted by a “drug diversion” investigation—i.e., someone is stealing drugs, often opiates.
  • “There is an investigation that happens... and beyond that maybe might reveal a little too much, but the name of the play is Diversion.” — Scott Organ [02:39]

• Definition of Drug Diversion (02:59)

  • A term Organ learned during his research: “It simply means someone is stealing drugs. Could be for any number of reasons.” — Scott Organ [03:06]

Play Genesis & Research

• Personal Inspiration (03:21)

  • Organ’s family is filled with nurses—grandmother, aunts, sister-in-law, niece—which seeded his interest.
  • The play grew specifically after learning about drug diversion in hospital settings.

• Research Methods (04:15)

  • Listened to nurses in his family and community; drew on personal experiences.
  • Used the nursing subreddit for anonymous insight, especially stories about hospital investigations.
  • Fact-checking details—sometimes consulting family:
    • “My sister-in-law and her wife...came to an early show and said, ‘Oh, you’d never microwave popcorn in a hospital...fire risk is too high.’” — Scott Organ [05:14]
    • Some details kept for dramatic effect.

Character Development & Casting

• Building a Realistic Ensemble (05:46)

  • Intentionally created a diverse group of nurses to reflect reality.
  • Worked to balance experience levels (newcomer, seasoned, middle ground) for dramatic tension:
    • “That was the goal, to kind of represent it and make it feel as if, oh, these are real people.” — Scott Organ [06:53]

• Casting & The Barrow Group (10:21)

  • Enjoys working with the Barrow Group’s “deep bench” of actors, many drawn from their professional programs.
  • Praises the “true ensemble” nature of the cast and their openness to honest nightly performances:
    • “They are a true ensemble...all so loose and brave and willing to be honest every night.” — Scott Organ [10:35]

Themes: Essential Workers & Aftermath

• Portrayal of Essential Workers (07:07)

  • Post-pandemic, Organ is drawn to those performing vital but underrepresented services (like nurses).
  • “Any opportunity to sort of honor the folks who’ve done so much for us...they are human and they are flawed, just like all of us. That’s what I was interested in exploring.” — Scott Organ [07:34, 08:04]

• Focus on Consequences (08:40)

  • Organ prefers exploring the fallout after major events rather than depicting the events themselves.
  • “Film is about action and theater quite often is about the consequences of action...the residual effects of things I find more interesting.” — Scott Organ [09:10]

Insights on Writing & Teaching

• Barrow Group as Artistic Home (11:19)

  • Not just a theater company, but a school and creative community; Organ both teaches and creates there.
  • “It’s an interesting mix of school and theater...I teach playwriting here and I teach acting.” — Scott Organ [11:42]

• Actor-Driven Writing (12:22)

  • Organ’s writing is informed by his acting background; he aims to craft roles that are “fun for actors to do and real.”
    • “When I’m writing, there’s a part of me that’s like, oh, gosh, it’d be fun to play this part...” — Scott Organ [12:38]

• Writing Primarily Female Characters (12:56)

  • Did not find writing mostly women challenging; leaned on input from his nurse relatives.
  • Centers on “simple human needs and issues.” [13:07]

• Committed to Nuance (13:33)

  • Characters are layered, flawed, and human, resisting stereotypes or heroic simplification.
  • “To do these folks justice is to show them as humans and in all of their flaws and beautiful strengths...I ultimately want to be positive and optimistic, and part of that...is being honest with my portrayal of people and how complicated they are.” — Scott Organ [13:52]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Realism & Research:
  “You’d never microwave popcorn in a hospital...fire risk is too high. And I was like, well, there you go. That’s an example of something very specific that I would not have known.” — Scott Organ [05:14]

• On Essential Workers:
  “It’s not just, hey, these folks are heroes, right? It’s—they are human and they are flawed, just like all of us. And that’s what I was interested in exploring.” — Scott Organ [08:04]

• On Aftermath vs. Event:
  “What happens when the news vans drive away...the consequences, the residual effects of things I find more interesting...” — Scott Organ [09:44]

• On Barrow Group Community:
  “It’s an interesting mix of school and theater...I teach playwriting here and I teach acting, and there’s just some extraordinary teachers here.” — Scott Organ [11:42]

• On Writing Characters:
  “To do these folks justice is to show them as humans and in all of their flaws and beautiful strengths.” — Scott Organ [13:52]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:22] — Setting and premise of Diversion
• [03:06] — What “drug diversion” means
• [03:26] — Personal/familial inspiration for the play
• [04:28] — Research methods and anecdotes (the popcorn story)
• [05:46] — Creating a realistic, diverse ensemble and casting choices
• [07:07] — Portrayal of essential workers & motivations
• [08:40] — Writing about “aftermath” instead of the immediate event
• [10:21] — Casting, ensemble work, and Barrow Group’s talent pool
• [11:19] — Barrow Group as creative home; teaching and theater-making
• [12:22] — Influence of acting on playwriting
• [12:56] — Writing female characters
• [13:33] — Emphasis on nuance and avoiding stereotypes

Tone & Style

The conversation is thoughtful, warm, and deeply respectful toward the subject—nurses—balancing admiration with an insistence on honest, human complexity. Both host and guest keep the tone engaged and curious, inviting listeners to appreciate both the visible and invisible labor on and off the stage.

Closing

The episode closes with appreciation for representing essential workers and celebrating New York’s vibrant, smaller theater scene.
“Thank you for spotlighting these characters...and for reminding us that there’s a lot of great theater happening all over this city.” — Jan Simpson [14:39]