My master’s thesis (one of them…) was about using sounds to communicate information about what was happening off-stage. It’s a core component of the “theater of imagination” that we engage with in the Original Practices community. I’m always a little disappointed when I go see a show and I notice that they’ve cut or ignored […]
I’m beyond excited about Richard III at Pigeon Creek Shakespeare. It’s such an interesting play, and the actors are doing amazing work. The truth is, though, I didn’t go into it expecting to be so personally moved by it. I’ve seen productions of this play before–five or six of them, probably. I never walked out […]
I wrote this before I went to Michigan, but it didn’t post correctly. If you’re curious how I was feeling about Skype directing after a couple weeks of it, here’s your answer. I’ll post a reflection with a broader view of the process soon. Directing via Skype has been quite a learning experience. The first […]
A couple of years ago, when I was reading Richard III in preparation to write a proposal for directing it at Pigeon Creek Shakespeare, one thing I struggled with was how to help the audience understand the sequence of people standing between Richard and the throne. A lot of people have to die for him […]
Richard III, at Pigeon Creek Shakespeare, started with the idea that all violence is misogyny, and the question, “What if all the curses of the grieving women had real, literal power?” Magical realism Shakespeare! Through exploring those questions, we found how terrible a character could be, and how kind a cast could be. Although I […]
I’m excited to join my friends at the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company once again, this time for Richard III. Except that I won’t exactly be joining them for a while. I don’t have a place to stay in Grand Rapids for the full rehearsal period. It’s my own fault for bringing my entourage with me […]
The other day, Silas asked me what the first show I directed was. My go-to answer is a pair of one-acts, selected by my high school drama teacher, when I was 14 (tenth grade). They were Sorry, Wrong Number and What Button to Press. The former was a radio drama adapted for the stage, and the latter–all I remember is […]
Every now and then, I have an idea that feels in my head like it will be the best thing ever and then I’m so nervous that it won’t be the best thing ever that I get kind of freaked out when it’s time to try it. I talked about the silks a bit early in our […]
Last night, Pigeon Creek announced its 2019 season, so I can finally say, officially, I’m going to direct Richard III! Check out the video for the rest of their season. Real talk: I actually considered taking the audio of the response after Katherine said my name (around 1:50) and making it into a ringtone. A girl […]
After Heidi saw Antony and Cleopatra (can I just pause for a moment and say how completely honored I am that Heidi, David, and Pam all made the drive to Grand Rapids to see it?), she said, “Shakespeare wasn’t kind to Cleopatra, was he?” I immediately responded, “History wasn’t kind to her. Shakespeare worked with what he […]