Artistic Statement

Over the course of my life, I have been lucky enough to work with some of the best theatre educators, directors, and artists in Ohio.  One of the first lessons that I learned in high school was that theatre is a temporal art form.  Pieces of visual art and music will be around for years to come, but the only memories of a show that will be around after a production are the memories that the cast and audience will have in their minds.  This is something that has shaped my career as a director and continues to shape my work today. 

During a rehearsal process, I make it a priority to create a truly cohesive ensemble.  From start to finish, rehearsals are run in a way that allows actors to grow as people and develop deep characterizations for each role.  As a director, I place an emphasis on running a rehearsal room that is a place where everyone in the company feels they are able to challenge themselves and others to create the best show possible.  I am in no way a director who believes that I concretely have the best idea in the room or that things have to go my way.  This rehearsal process has been especially important, as I work with students in an educational theatre setting.  I want to help foster artists who have the ability to collaborate with others to make the most powerful work possible.  All voices matter and I consider it an integral part of being a director to take all original ideas that have been presented and use them to create the most powerful story possible. This level of teamwork is also something I strive to reach with all design teams.  

Over the course of my directing career, I have been drawn to a variety of theatrical styles.  Studying at Wittenberg University, I was lucky enough to be supported by educators who fostered an interest in various styles and pushed me outside of my creative comfort zone.  During my first production, I was encouraged to incorporate non-traditional casting.  One of my favorite memories as a director and educator was casting a young woman in the lead role of Jesus in Godspell (2012 Revised Edition).  

In December 2018, I co-founded Endeavor Theatre. As a company we focus specifically on developing stories that are written by or about traditionally marginalized or underrepresented groups of people. This includes both contemporary scripts and an intentional and equitable re-imagining of classic stories. It has been a joy to bring professional, diverse storytelling to Columbus, Ohio. As a director, I hope to work primarily in the development of new plays and musicals. One of the most joyous parts of being the Artistic Director of Endeavor Theatre has been scouring National New Play Exchange. Finding plays that meet our mission of telling stories that are written by or about traditionally underrepresented or marginalized groups of people has given me a front-row seat to what is the future of theatre.  

I am interested in telling stories that are relevant to the 21st century. As artists in an increasingly hostile world, I believe it is our duty to tell stories that allow the audience to escape the real world momentarily while still effecting positive change. Additionally, I am very interested in exploring the stigma around mental health that has been created in today’s society. Opening up conversations about serious topics while still being entertained by a show is something that I strive to achieve with each production that I direct.