Hometown: Ashland, KY
Education: I studied in Kentucky at a great little theatre program in Morehead State University.
Favorite Credits: I played Michael in Naomi Iizuka’s Language of Angels in undergrad. It was one of those plays where you really got to just spread those little actor wings and go crazy for a solid thirty minute scene. I’ve never felt closer to a cast than that show. Writing-wise, I got to write a little skit for this Haitian women’s conference recently. There is no better audience than a Haitian audience, and I’ll never be able to adequately describe watching 800 women screaming with laughter at every goofy little joke. Definitely one of those Ah, THIS is why I do this moments.
Why theater?: Because it’s magic.
Tell us about Ryan is Lost: It’s a show about brother and sister Frank and Avis, who have lost their nephew in the middle of a busy mall. As they wait at the predesignated meeting spot, old bickerings and hurts come to the surface and we quickly realize that they’re just as lost as Ryan is. Perhaps we all are.
What inspired you to write Ryan is Lost?: I really wanted to write a story about siblings, because I feel like you can be the worst version of yourself around your sibling and they’re still always there. So I thought I could use the goofy pettiness of that relationship to find a funny way to explore the depths of human selfishness.
What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love the smaller, more intimate stuff. The wonders I’ve seen in tiny little 99 seat theatres… I love watching imagination thrive past budget restraints.
If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Last year, I would’ve said Phillip Seymour Hoffman in a second. That one hurt pretty bad. I guess I’d probably go with Joaquin Phoenix. Such a fearless performer.
What show have you recommended to your friends?: Absolutely Filthy and King of Kong. POWERHOUSE shows.
Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: "Bad Posture" starring Jason Bateman
What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: I kind of love Miley Cyrus’s music videos. Don’t tell anybody, okay?
What’s the most played song on your iTunes?: Right now it’d be “Blood on the Leaves” by Kanye West. One of the weirdest songs I’ve heard in a long time, and I can’t get enough of it.
If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Financially stable, haha
What’s up next?: After this show, it’ll be back to the whirlwind of producing my own web series, putting up serialized plays, workshopping full length plays, promoting my ebook "The Scarecrow", auditions, and all of the other Los Angeles hustling that keeps my head spinning in a delicious way.
For more on Ryan is Lost, visit https://twitter.com/RyanisLostNYC
