Teacher, actor, playwright, pixie wrangler. All things pages and stages and pens.
Teacher, actor, playwright, pixie wrangler. All things pages and stages and pens.
(Marin Ostage)
This two-hander about a Jewish woman contemplating leaving her husband as tensions build surrounding the “Jewish question,” was an honor to direct. It was a time in my life when I was still newly discovering my Jewish heritage, and working with a Jewish actress as we sorted through these topics was revelatory.
Another visit to my favorite world of Narnia! In addition to producing and directing I took on seven roles in this wonderful whirlwind, playing everything from precocious girls to wicked witches, mustache-twirling magicians, and winged horses. I was glad to work with the versatile Mat Freeman again, and to revisit the lovely people of Kodiak, Alaska. My favorite aspect of this work was the interactive nature of our script. The audience was so responsive and imaginative! We also had a lovely time hosting a Narnia art scholarship for the island.
(Crushed Goblet)
In the plastic surgery capital of the world, we cast a plus-sized actress as the goddess of love. This thought-provoking and table-turning play was an exercise in gender dynamics as the male and female performers traded power and switched identities in a frenzied build to the finish. I thoroughly enjoyed this project.
(Cut Glass Theatre)
Once again I was honored to bring Narnia to the far reaches of the globe, this time by visiting the remote town of Merredin in Western Australia. Performer Javi Harnly tackled the male roles, and we were both honored to perform in the historic Cummins Theater. Our most memorable audience member was a baby kangaroo who, we must admit, slept through most of the show. Because we performed so near to Anzac Day we also had men in uniform in attendance. After the performance children were invited for a photo op while they tried on our costumes. We were thrilled to perform for such a responsive and giving community.
Holy theatrical endeavor, Batman! After the rural town of Merredin, Australia held a contest for playwrights to craft a script set in their town I was brought in to cast and direct the show with local actors. With two weeks of rehearsal time and a set that needed to go up and come down in a single day, this was no small feat. I was pregnant with my first child, and I cast Emily O’Donnell, a nursing mother, as the leading lady. I believed (and still believe) that we need to make space for mothers to contribute to theatre, and it was my pleasure to make space for an actress as passionate and hardworking as Emily. She pushed a stroller between lines, and her baby crawled in and out of our rehearsal space, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. David Pettit (also known as Kissy Kyssandra) brought comedic chops to the role of a man obsessed with Batman, and David and Emily together pulled off the impossible. Bravo, you two!
I revisited my beloved two-person production, this time with a new male performer. Mat Freeman was a joy to direct and act with, and his knowledge of C.S. Lewis brought a new level of understanding to the text. Together we performed in schools, churches, and libraries all over Kodiak Island, Alaska. Perhaps most memorably, we boarded a small plane to perform for one of Kodiak's rural schools in Ouzinkie—accessible only by boat or plane. This tour was one of the most memorable, joyful, and heartfelt experiences of my life. It is my hope to revisit the region to tour another play soon!
(Cut Glass Theatre)
As a parting gift to South Korea and the final Korean offering of Cut Glass Theatre, I directed an adaptation of the classic children's book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This two-hander made use of the magic of storytelling. We toured it to three Korean cities, handed out cubes of Turkish Delight, and introduced many English-language learners to the text for the first time. I would love to tour the show again if the opportunity presents itself; what a beautiful story!
