Actor Alice Gatling in the Philadelphia Premiere of Rajiv Joseph's Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo. (Design by John Eddy, Lighting by Liz Philips, Projection Mapping by Michael Long)
Actors Shayne David Cameris and Michael Sinkora in Siena College's Endgame (Design by Colin McIlvaine, Lighting by Greg Solomon, Costumes by Denise Massman).
Directing Philosophy
As a director, I believe that a curious nature equates an imaginative artist; only trained and enlightened artists are capable of creating truth in space. I believe that theory and practice are not mutually exclusive, but inform one another. My life as a theatre artist has been devoted to scholarship and practice. I consider the crossroads where stagecraft and scholarship meet as a holistic relationship. To learn is to train; there is no substitute for practice and repetition.
I am a student of myth. As such, I want my creative work in the theatre to illuminate myth that exists in all work. The beauty of myth is that it transcends cultural boundaries by addressing our commonality. That is the key to great theatre; when an audience experiences something as one body. When I can create work in the theatre that exploits that principle, and connects the audience with one another through the shared recognition of common experiences and values, the opportunity and responsibility I have as a citizen artist is boundless.
I seek to create theatre driven by inquiry. I desire to tell stories that blend provocative content with experimental forms. I am committed to cutting/leading/bleeding edge work. In my own work, I strive to invite collaborators – and this includes actors – to take part in any and all elements of producing; I believe that artists should influence the way their work is crafted and produced. My goal is to work in an environment where new works - particularly those from other cultures and other disciplines - is creatively supported from page to stage. As a citizen artist, I believe theater can be a powerful tool for social justice and education. I want to explore, create and devise work that addresses issues of peace, tolerance, and co-existence through the lens of performance. My scholarship is informed by these goals, which I strive to infuse into my teachings whenever possible.
I embrace diversity and multi-culturalism, not only in my casting, but also my choice of material. It is my de rigueur to stand for all-embracing inclusion and recognition. I understand that there are essential elements that connect all of us on a primal level that transcend lines of race, sexuality and/or gender. I also understand that these are the very same elements that are vital to character development in any truly great piece of playwriting. It’s just a matter of looking for it.
