Creative work

My work as a creative artist manifests in musical theatre productions. As a director/choreographer my goal is to guide a cast and creative team toward a particular vison about what our audience will experience and take away from a theatrical event. Every aspect of a production:  set design, costume, sound, lighting design, casting, audience interaction, performance style, dramatic shape/interpretation, “tempo” (in reference to music and dialogue) all must be focused on the same vision.  Musical Theatre is a profoundly collaborative art form. Each different creative area has its own artist responsible for its development. All of these artists must be guided by one vison.  It is the director who provides that vision and therefore their responsibility to ensure all aspects of the production are reaching that goal. Each artist brings unique talent to their area, but the director is ultimately responsible for the audience’s overall experience. Since I am also a choreographer, in addition to blocking (the movement of actors on stage) I also conceive and teach all of the dance throughout an entire production.

Delving into the work of the artists who have created the play or musical —playwright/librettist, composer and lyricist, the director must discover what the experience will bring to an audience. The director must ask the following to develop the vision they will share with the creative team and cast; How will we move the audience ? What will the impact be? What is the best way to tell this story? In addition, a director must understand the structure of the play or musical  and  how each scene fits in the overall puzzle. How is each character woven into the themes and intricacies of the plot?   What moments are most powerful and essential to an audience’s journey?

A director must also guide and support the actors in the pursuit of that vision. Working with the actors, all aspects of each performance need to be part of the world created for a particular production. A director must shepherd the cast to work as a unit toward creating the an effective and cohesive experience for the audience. The challenge is to guide and shape while still encouraging each actor to bring their own creativity and passion to their role.  It is a delicate balancing act between having a strong, focused vision for the play, but still being open and flexible to incorporate what all of the other artists have to bring to the production. Musical Theatre, at its best, proves the adage, “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” I always strive, for each production I direct, to bring a fresh eye and receptive spirt. If its a show I have not worked on before, I extensively research the piece, including source materials, historical context and social themes, original productions, and how the piece will relate to a contemporary audience. If it is something I have previously worked on, I review all of the prepartory work I had done previously, and I explore the text and music anew to search for fresh ideas or a nuance or possibility I may have not discovered before. Most importantly is to ask the question: “What does the piece have to say to this current audience?”  

Included in this section are production photographs, video clips, reviews of productions, and some examples of research and production documents.  I have included both professional productions and shows I have directed and choreographed at SUNY Cortland.