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Employment Objectives Directing Philosophy Directorial Approach Theatre and its Multiculturalism in Education Employment Objectives ~ Theatre I am always open to employment as either
Additionally, I am always looking for other creative, challenging, exciting projects in any area of theatre (directing, acting, stage managing, consulting, etc.) for which my experiences, training and talents might be of use. I am willing to travel and would love to discuss any possibilities with you. Additionally I work as a freelance consultant. I work with theatres, other non-profits, companies and individuals on website design, desktop publishing, development and marketing strategies, strategic management planning and more. Visit www.consultingspike.com for more information. I often enjoy quoting a friend of mine who likes to say, "There are only six good stories." And in a way, I think he’s right. Going back to the idea that the Greeks created all the basic plot-lines that still exist today, we as story-telling artists just keep telling them, over and over again, to our audiences. However the difference, the key, is in how we tell them.What we endeavor to do is to tell our stories in such a way that our contemporary audiences can relate directly to what is being said. We manifest our vision of the world into that story, we infuse it with our fears, our humor, our politics and our opinions in order to affect our audience in some way. They might learn from it. It might literally change the way they think. Or they might see their own foibles in it and laugh at themselves. Without being able to truly control how they might react, we leap, we invoke, we create. And hopefully we all will discover something new in the process. As a director, I have tend to be drawn to contemporary drama and musicals for their fresh view of our world and in the breathtaking ways they can illuminate our lives. In attempting to reach my audience, I find the above two genres the most satisfying, emotional and communicative. Though period plays can be enjoyable, I find it difficult to communicate ideas through them to a contemporary audience: unless, of course, some contemporarily reflective concept is superimposed upon that piece. Some are very effective; others can seem very forced and ultimately self-indulgent. I prefer a fresh viewpoint, and therefore, a contemporary piece to tell a story. I feel more creatively fulfilled when I can work on something fresh and new; something I’ve not experienced before. That being said, if I find the write classic or chestnut that speaks to us today, I can dig my teeth in with the other artists and make something amazing. In my role as a director, I work to orchestrate all the elements of production, inspiring the design team as well as the cast to explore their own creativity and imagination, so that we all expand, grow, and discover in ourselves possibilities we had not before seen. The best processes are ones in which we, as a creative team, all work to inspire each other. Ideas are shared, built upon, woven together, where personal agendas and egos don’t matter and, instead, mutual respect and a free exchange of ideas are the standard. I love to work with a group where an idea I offer sparks new avenues of thought in others. The cast member is inspired, then the manifestation of his/her idea breaks through a barrier of thought in a designer’s vision, and so on: where the ideas are exponential and the choices positive and open-ended. This is the truly exciting work. Balanced with this creative freedom and equal, to me, in its importance, is an implicit high level of professionalism, dedication, discipline, respect and work ethic. We as artists must be responsible for our actions, our words, ourselves. Surrounded and entrenched in a world of creative personalities, fragile temperaments and often wicked competition spurned by shrinking funds and the battle for audience share, we must continually strive to rise above it all. Too often is negativity the norm in our field. As a California Arts Advocate recently stated, "Ask a group of artists to form a firing squad and they’ll stand in a circle." The more vital and high-quality the art that is created, the more individuals will discover the importance and enjoyment inherent in it, and the more we, and our art, will thrive.
In a step by step format, I will attempt to explain the way in which I approach the directing of a production. Understand that there are many ways in which a production can come about, but the following is the way in which I prefer to work based on the collaborative and creative possibilities of this art form. Not all productions have the availability to fit into an ideal method, yet may still be successful. With that in mind, this is how I like to approach this work. 1) My analysis and planning work I begin work with my own solo process of evaluation of the form and content of the play I will be directing. I research the writers, the situation, past productions, elements and ideas presented within the play and work to get a grasp on the piece overall and the authors intent in writing it. I attempt to acknowledge and make note of my initial thoughts and feelings as well as the ideas that develop during deeper investigation and research. I then work to distill all these pieces and impressions down into a cohesive approach to the work. Next, I generate a conceptual document that I can present to the design team at the first production meeting to give them an overview of the research, my personal feelings and my approach to the play. Within this document are theme, vision and journey statements, comments on characters, factual and abstract requirements of the design elements as specified in the script or implied in my approach to the piece, some background on the playwright, composer, etc. to give context and insight into the purposes of the play, and other details. I purposely avoid being prescriptive in this document while providing a framework from within which we can begin to create. 2) Production meetings/design process I like to start with abstracts, other art forms, or impressions to get the design process rolling and to facilitate true collaboration with open-ended, free-form discussion. This can be a very exciting PRO-ACTIVE design process wherein we as a TEAM work to envision and create the play’s world. By introducing evocative music, visual art, or other abstract elements to spur discussion, I find the resulting exploration encompasses the entire team, breaking down the boundaries between their different disciplines.These sessions continue, narrowing the possibilities and the design vision little by little until we have a set of boundaries containing a world of defined possibilities against which all design choices will be measured. The final step of this narrowing process is the creation of a ‘design metaphor’ that incorporates the imagery, color, texture, rhythm, sound and tone of our production. Future production meetings then are centered around specific design choices and presentations to create and finalize each of the design elements. 3) Working with the cast in rehearsals and character development My approach to staging, development and performance with the actors can vary from production to production based on the genre and play material, the cast composition, cast members background and experience, and on the time frame for production. But overall, I prefer to start with basic readings and discussions of themes, play structure, character objectives, obstacles, tactics, and relationships. I like to work with the cast on both emotional as well as intellectual levels. I prefer to discuss each character’s placement within the thematic structure, their individual goals, etc. as a group. I have discovered that if we as a team all know where this production is coming from and where it is ultimately going, we all can make choices from a informed point of view. Once I feel the entire cast has an initial handle on the inner workings of the play and their characters, we then begin exploration of the scenes, preferably without attempting to firmly ‘block’ the scenes or even fit it into a defined set. By working freely and focusing only on the character’s interactions, we can discover more nuances within the scenes and develop each character’s individuality. This, I find, also brings out the creativity of the individual actor. Each brings more to the role themselves and the result is more three-dimensional performances. This process also may expand our ideas in regards to design while small changes might be made to embrace the creativity of the actors. Lastly, we resolve the staging in a more permanent way. Now that the scenes are emotionally and rhythmically developed, and while guiding the focus, pictures created and the spatial relations of the actors to each other and the set, the staging falls into place almost instinctively. It is natural, unforced, non-prescriptive and alive. This phase, of course, must be done in a timely fashion; carefully scheduled to allow enough time for designers to finalize their work and meet all production deadlines. 4) Final production process - adding technical elements Note that during the rehearsal process, with the aid of the designers and the stage manager, I attempt to keep the actors informed of the location of sounds, lights, set movement, etc. by reminding them during working sessions so that at this point the technical elements do not throw their concentration. They are prepared for each element to be added. We work through the show in an efficient manner, being careful not to waste anyone’s precious time, tightening the cues and elements into a well-oiled and very prepared production. I have always believed that a production should be MORE than ready to open on opening night, and I work to achieve that state. During all of the above processes, I demand the utmost in mutual respect, professionalism, preparation, dedication, responsibility as professionals and artists, and a complete commitment to the production, to the company, and to the theatre itself. Ours is a very fragile combination of a myriad of creative details, choices and moments. Theatre can be exciting, entertaining, fun, joyful, elevating, educational and inspirational, but it also must be responsible to its audience, its artists, and its history. Respect and professionalism are as important as talent, for only with all three in equal measure is the pursuit worthwhile.
Personal Statement on Theatre and it's Multiculturalism in Education ~ I feel very fortunate, to do what I do. I was always very shy as a child, petrified to get up in front of people, afraid to express myself, and without something to call my own. When I discovered theatre in high school, a whole world opened up to me. It brought me out of my shell and gave me a voice in my world. In education, we have an enormous variety of students from all different backgrounds, cultures, age and socioeconomic groups. In theatre, as well as other art forms, all of these people can find a voice. Theatre, by design, tells the story of individuals: their hopes, dreams, struggles, tragedies and triumphs. Through the creation of these stories, we open up ideas, we can change the way people think. As a theatre instructor I work to teach theatre as an art form developed through a rich and textured history from different cultures and views, but also as an art form that is constantly developing in new and varying ways into and unknown future. Students should be taught to respect the craft, the art, the past, the future, and each other. They should be encouraged to explore and develop their own personal aesthetic statement in the art form while learning and respecting the foundation of the past upon which theatre artistry has been built. It is from this combined knowledge and exploration through a disciplined and expressed professional work ethic that exciting individual statements within our art form will be expressed. By its very nature, theatre celebrates the individual. It gives a voice to marginalized groups. When presented thoughtfully and with proper research it is sensitive to issues of cultural authenticity and makes cross-cultural connections so that we all can come to appreciate and understand the values of other cultures and groups. It is a tool to study, explore and educate people in the issues of others. At these times, theatre is the most valuable and most exciting. The opportunities are endless. Theatre can make a difference, while it makes people laugh and cry. This is the voice that I discovered in theatre arts. It is my means of expressing who I am, what I think, how I feel, and what I want to change. As a teacher, I want to introduce the same magical, creative, individual voice to others. Theatre as well as the other art disciplines have been proven time and again to boost learning and retention, promote connections to and between all the different educational disciplines, while bolstering students' self esteem. There is a place for everyone in the collaborative team of a theatre’s company: either on or backstage, in the booth, the office, or as an appreciative and thoughtful patron in the audience. It is a family of caring, understanding and forward thinking individuals. Our communities and our world could use more of them. |
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