Hometown: I was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, educated in New York (Brooklyn), Atlanta, and Los Angeles (for more years than should be counted), and lived/taught in colleges and universities in LA, Boston, Atlanta, and South Carolina.
Favorite Credits: My favorite credit is for producing, writing and directing a dramedy short film called "The Movie Critic," which is currently in competition in the NPR Shorts Showcase competition in Southern California. (And available on Youtube).
Why theater?: I did theatre throughout High School, but got into film in College. I have returned to "drama" in recent years, with The Quilted Heart being my second stageplay. (My first, Depth of Field, had a full stage reading, but I decided it wasn't ready for prime time. And, I was on to The Quilted Heart.)
What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I have been writing most of my life. Professionally, over 500 news stories, 15-20 dramatic film scripts, and 30+ educational films. What speaks to me in my creative writing is real-life drama. I am not into science fiction; I am not a "Game of Thrones" person. I find "life" challenging enough. Also, I am a bit of a classicist -- a modernist who has studied from Ibsen to American modernists. My American favorite play is, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe. My favorite writers are probably Tom Stoppard, Brian Friel, Neil LaBute...
What show have your recommended to your friends?: The last play I recommended to friends was a recent local College production of Dancing at Lugnnasa, one of my favorite plays.
Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I wouldn't want to see a movie about myself, and I can't imagine anyone wanting to star in it.
What’s the most played song on your iTunes?: ipods -- my music would not be a single but an album based upon my mood. Casual would be "Shagging" songs in the genre of "Beach Music," or any one of a number of Doo Wop albums. When writing, it's one of two genre's: Delta Blues, (honkey-tonk piano like Jelly Roll Morton or Tuts Washington, or Blues Harp with Sonny Boy Williamson or Pinetop Perkins.), or classical piano (probably Horowitz or Perahia).
If you weren’t working theater, you would be ______?: Working in film.
What’s next?: I put in some time every day on my next play, which is in its third draft (and maybe ten or twelve will be required). It deals with some very fundamental questions -- the issues tearing the world apart -- the battle between power and love.
