I’m being interviewed tomorrow and my topic will be presence. More specifically, if it can be learned or taught. These are my thoughts on the matter, put forth in a sort of interview-y preparatory style, still a little raw. Forgive me if I rattle on or sound pedantic. I’m still working it out. What does…
I direct a lot of new plays, many of them by fledgling writers, and often various aspects of character development have remained in the head of the writer, and are not yet on the page. Or sometimes the character is on the page, but not yet sufficiently specific. When this happens, I use improvisation to answer questions like the…
In my work in theater, I play multiple roles – actor, writer, director, coach, and producer. And they seem to come in waves, the times when I am focusing more on one role than another. Lately, it’s been directing and coaching. I know–from all my experience in this field–that putting the truth on stage is…
In the past few months, I and my fellow cast members have been exercising not only our acting but our moral chops, as we work on a 60-minute version of The Merchant of Venice, adapted and directed by Dikran Tulaine. Dikran streamlined the play by leaving out the portions that deal with Portia and Jessica’s…
Sitting here drinking coffee in a lovely, quiet NYC morning, I am reading two articles in the Times about Broadway Productions, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/17/theater/rules-for-investing-in-a-broadway-production.html?emc=eta1 and http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/17/theater/on-broadway-today-a-name-above-the-title-isnt-that-hard.html?emc=eta1. Here’s the main gist of those articles – In the world of Broadway productions, 75% lose their entire investment, 25% make a profit, and the main job of a producer is…
In August of 2015, I will put all my belongings in storage in Staten Island, and buy a car and begin a one-year artistic journey I am calling “Caesura: An Art Tinker’s Journey.” I’ll stay with friends and collaborate with them on art projects. I’ll be a muse, a dramaturge, an editor, a coach –…
Many of us in the theatre, in major urban areas, are scrabbling out a living, and practicing our craft – creating solo shows, and plays and other works of art. Those of us in NYC have chosen one of the most competitive places in the world to call our homes – we are surrounded by…
I just came home from Portland, ME where I was directing a multi-media solo show by Steve Underwood. The show, called Underwater Guy, included about 45 minutes’ worth of beautiful underwater video shot by Steve, in his experience as a free diver. The narrative portion of the show was about 45 minutes also, with about…
I’m in Maine, directing a solo show by my buddy Steve Underwood. Steve is a free diver and the name of the show is Underwater Guy. He’s a smart and funny man, with major skills in many areas, including underwater filmography. We created a multi-media extravaganza and, as with many solo shows, we didn’t allow…
This week I made numerous decisions and acted on them. These decisions dealt with various levels of quality – in my personal life, in my business life, in the running of my space, in the casting of my shows. In these decision-making processes, I had to factor in friendship and loyalty, skill and talent, strategic…
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