Hometown: Wantagh, NY
Education: Brown University
Favorite Credits: sound design & composition for Yermedea Raw (La MaMa E.T.C.); What It Means to Disappear Here (UglyRhino Productions); sixsixsix (AntiMatter Collective)
Why theater?: I've tried to escape it. Honest. But I think what keeps bringing me back to theatre is this certain magical brand of panic that I probably felt first when I was 15, playing Curly in my high school's Oklahoma!, pacing madly backstage, alone, the overture's playing, I have to start this show, I can ruin so many things. Thankfully my acting days are behind me, but this sense of panic (and the way it informs theatrical storytelling) is still what excites me about both seeing and making live theatre.
Tell us about In the Fog: It's a piece about the many alternate versions of the self that people create, and trying to let go of them. Takes the form of a long poem-monologue followed by a dance with five dancers.
What inspired you to create In the Fog?: Sarah Rose and I were interested in using dance as a primary means of storytelling, and combining it with music and poetry to make a piece big enough for an audience to really sink into. Both of us have a travel bug, and are fascinated with the effects different cities and environments have on people, so much of the content flowed from that. We brought on Katie Rose after we had a good amount of the text and music written, and she helped develop and translate what we'd made into (super lovely) dance.
What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I'm inspired by brave work, theatre that knows exactly what it's doing.
If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Oh jeez loads of people. Was recently inspired by Andrew Schneider's work. Also would jump at a chance to work on a Punchdrunk show.
What show have you recommended to your friends?: Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812.
Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Christopher Walken stars in the crossover hit, “Annie Hall 2: Duane Strikes Back”.
What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Probably big dumb action movies. It's fun because I can "ironically joke" about enjoying something like "Real Steel" in the most highbrow of circles, but, it's just not a joke at all.
What’s the most played song on your iPod?: "Your Ex-lover is Dead", Stars
If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Less worried about paying rent. (who am I kidding I'd probably be getting a PhD in English or something)
What’s up next?: Sound designing Piehole's Old Paper Houses at the Connelly Theater, opening March 26th.
