Directing Portfolio

We resurrected this rarely-done feminist semi-expressionist piece in a really fun way. When directing in an educational institution, I always try to bring in one element that will be a new skill learned for my students.

For this 1920s play, we brought in live foley done by the cast. The sound started out realistic, then became more and more abstract and eery as our protagonist descended into madness. We also made space, with very small adaptations, to suggest queerness in gender and character relationships. 

To produce An Ideal Husband with the costume shop closed and never seeing each other face to face, we adapted the play for the digital age. Props,  costumes, and green screens were mailed. Digital backgrounds were created by a projection designer, Justin Hemsley. The themes of self-importance and self-image fit perfectly with the concept of social media and texting mistakes. The script was coadapted with dramaturg Charisse Baxter.

The set-up for tech rehearsal. I lived in Pittsburgh, while most of the students and designers lived in Utah. Thank you, internet, for helping us create what we could during those times. 

Charm is a modern feminist piece celebrating the life of Margaret Fuller as she deals with all the famous transcendentalists that history still remembers. For this production, we used several physical theatre techniques, played with gender, and made a glorious mess. 

Clothing was very important to the themes of this show, so the cast changed in and out of character in front of the audience. They also played themselves being material like trees (pictured), snow, etc. 

The Comedy of Errors was directed for a low-budget experimental series. In this production, I asked, "What if we danced to Shakespeare's rhythm like it was a song?" The entire show was danced in a way that enhanced the rhythm and the meaning of the words. A group of dancers acted as a greek chorus, sometimes interjecting but always watching. I also cast the Dromios as women, giving them the biggest chance for physical comedy. What dance style is better to inspire than a little Fosse?