TheMAKER
As a Director and choreographer, I always strive to build the most evocative expressionistic manifestations of the world possible. I like to tackle adult themes through the unabashed playfulness of a child. I look to push the boundaries of my personal and ensemble limits. Here’s some stuff to look at… and how we made it.
Faust
*This show was all about fairness. It was also sexy as shit. What is it like to do everything right and still be spurned? Mephistopheles, under the Devil's mentorship was only showing man's flaw with hopes of being loved again. it's only fair. Artistically more individual innovations occurred here than in any show I’ve done to date. I. miss. this. show. It’s become the standard for me on how to create story.
*This show was all about fairness. It was also sexy as shit. What is it like to do everything right and still be spurned? Mephistopheles, under the Devil's mentorship was only showing man's flaw with hopes of being loved again. it's only fair. Artistically more individual innovations occurred here than in any show I’ve done to date. I. miss. this. show. It’s become the standard for me on how to create story.
Tiger Prawn: The Mountain Mover
A full-length movement play that fuses Kung Fu and contemporary dance. Contemporary Western take on traditional Eastern styles combines intense and sometimes humorous action of a Hong Kong thriller with aggressive approach to movement and theatricality.
*This was my first full length show. I was not bashful. I was really into the GOLDEN HARVEST kung fu films as a kid (read: adult). I loved their ability to appeal to mass audience when the predecessors were so masculine. The influence of non-Western cinema and it's appeal to multiple demographics made me want to explore it more. I was also interested in what made theater fun. I actually want to revisit this one as a trilogy at some point when I stop caring even more.
Macbeth: As the Dust Settles
TheMASSIVE brings a unique take on the epic tragedy transplants Shakespeare's 11th-century Scottish play to Dustbowl-era Scott City, Kansas. The show's inventive staging layers Shakespeare's words with movie-inspired projection on multiple surfaces, a band of dancing witches, and a score inspired by iconic 1960s Spaghetti Western films to put a fresh spin on this complex tale of treachery, ambition and loyalty.
*I hate when folks speak of setting Shakespeare plays in different time periods as if it’s so edgy. It isn’t. That being said, That’s exactly what this is. We chose to focus on the grit and desparation of the land as the amplifier of limited power. The dirt was everywhere… even in the water (which was tea leaves… and yes the cast hated me for that choice). The music was of the era and the the witches were instead inspired by the Kiowa people of the plains states. The set was reclaimed wood from an old school. The video work was incredible. (Not mine. Shout out to Davonte and Annna!)