ABOUT ME

My passion for the theatre began at an early age.  I was always the kid who volunteered when they wanted help to put on a show.  We moved many times when I was growing up, and while it wasn't always easy, I looked on it as an adventure because I got to experience so many different parts of the country.  Because I was constantly having to make new friends, I came to rely on my imagination as my strongest companion. 

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I studied theatre in college where I first discovered my love of directing, and then pursued an MFA in graduate school.  After graduating I taught college theatre, but my goal was always to work in the  professional theatre, so after three years I left academia to begin my directing career.  Like any beginner, I took any job I was offered, but I was also fortunate to be invited to join the artistic teams of two different companies -- spending five summers at the Berkshire Theatre Festival, followed by seven years at the Cleveland Play House.  This enabled me to gain extensive experience in all areas of theatre including:

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DIRECTING: In addition to my many productions at the Berkshire Theatre Festival and the Cleveland Play House, my freelance work has brought me to many regional and New York companies.  My productions range from American and world classics to musicals to many new plays.  Please refer to my resume for a complete list.

NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT:  As Literary Manager, I directed all new play development at The Cleveland Play House, bringing nine new plays to our mainstage and seeing them receive numerous grants and awards. I've developed and directed new plays for Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, the National New Play Network, the Kennedy Center’s New Visions/New Voices program, and the New Harmony Project. I've had the great pleasure to work with many fine writers including Alan Ball, Jules Feiffer, Wendy Kesselman, Reynolds Price, Stephen Massicotte, Jo Carson, Lydia Stryk, Larry Loebell, and Seth Greenland. 

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ARTISTIC LEADERSHIP:  I've served in leadership roles at many theatres. including seven years at The Cleveland Play House -- six as Literary Manager and Associate Producer, and one year as Acting Artistic Director.  In New York, I was a Producer and Associate Artist at three companies: Manhattan Ensemble Theatre, the WPA Theatre, and Urban Stages. Simultaneously, I spent twenty years as the Artistic Director of the Drama League Directors Project, the nation’s premiere career development program for young theatre directors, helping develop some of the finest directors working in America today.

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EDUCATION: I never lost my love for teaching, and I have taught classes and done various guest artist residencies for many colleges and schools, both in the U.S. and abroad, most recently at the Taipei National University of the Arts, directing graduate actors in Twelfth Night in Mandarin Chinese.  In summer I serve as the directing advisor at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center's National Puppetry Conference, and I am currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Marymount Manhattan College where I have directed and taught advanced directing since 1998.