This fall, Paula Vogel Playwriting Award winner Kate Tarker made her professional playwriting debut at Soho Rep. with the world premiere of Thunderbodies. The grotesque war comedy, directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, opened October 27 and is currently playing at the downtown theatre through November 18.

In the video above, Tarker dissects key characters and moments from Thunderbodies, and explains why she decided to write Grotilde, the show's "powerhouse role," the way she did.

The cast of Thunderbodies is made up of Deirdre O’Connell as Grotilde, Juan Carlos Hernandez as General Michail Itterod, Mia Katigbak as President, Monique St. Cyr as girl, and Matthew Jeffers as boy.

Tarker is the recipient of the 2017 Paula Vogel Playwriting Award and has also been recognized as a finalist for the Princess Grace Award and as a semi-finalist for the Relentless Award. Other plays include Dionysus Was Such a Nice Man; God is Dead, Let’s Make Love; and Laura and the Sea.