ARTIST'S STATEMENT

Since 2008, theatre has been a dominating presence in my life, as I like to explore contemporary, historic and new work that has made a lasting impression on society and my life as well. I began in 2008 as a performer and quickly started to pick up little things about design, directing and technical work over the next couple of years that have influenced my work overall. This is when I fell in love with the theatre. Something kept drawing me back to the art and the influence that it has on society like a cat entranced by a laser pointer. It almost feels like I am being called upon to do this work and make a change. The theatre has also allowed me to work with people that have similar interests and ways of thinking that are always challenging the norm. I love this.

Upon my arrival at Seton Hill University, I really began to refine my process by examining the influences of a piece on society and how society influences a piece in return. Most of my methodology is based on the basic ideas of give and take, push and pull and how when one thing happens, something needs to react or change as a result. My work comes from a natural place through the experiences I’ve gained in my life as I strive for a natural and realistic tone to draw the audience into a performance, making them a part of the production as a whole. I hope to experiment more with the ideas of political, economic, social and cultural changes and their influence on the world, past, present and future, as I move forward in my work.

I start off working on a project by looking at the script of a play or musical and read through it. I let the work go, and come back to it a little while later looking for relationship clues between characters, with history and with societal relations that emerge and bring out deeper meanings within the play. After this, I try to jot down a basic shape of what I am looking for so that I can get my thoughts out onto paper and more importantly, out of my head. Once I start writing or thinking about a piece, anything is fair game. When I select something to work on, I try to find the root of the work and establish a basis for all of my research that shapes my understanding of the piece. I try thinking outside the box when solving problems and like to try things as much as possible before eliminating them completely. My military and history background help me to bring out themes from works that really draws on issues today. Specifically I like to focus on gender and sexual orientation issues, relationships with power and cause and effect relationships as well (as most of them are).

My process kind of grows like a fruit bearing tree. First, I find the seeds and then I plant them. After that, I wait for the seeds to make the tree before the tree finally bears fruit and develops a work that I am proud of and that I feel is influential to the people around me.

Currently I am exploring a variety of work in acting, directing and costume design and construction. In August 2017, I will begin working with Duquesne University's Red Masquer's on their 2017-2018 season, including the shows Equus and Macbeth. Seton Hill University’s Fall Dance Concert will include two original dance pieces with my original designs. I am looking at auditioning for Prime Stage’s All is Quiet on the Western Front as it coordinates with a World War I course I am taking at Duquesne this coming fall. This production would provide me the opportunity to work and discover new and old themes that relate to society at large today. I am also looking into directing opportunities at local theaters in an effort to develop a different love I share. Aside from this, I will continue to audition for shows in the Pittsburgh area as well as continuing to work for Flyspace Productions on their operations and stage management crew. I am hoping that I can continue to use my current projects to build off of as an artist because I really find that all works grow off of one another and help to shape the artist as they learn and grow as well. I feel confident moving into the world with such an open position to the arts because I feel like my experiences have shaped my outlook on theatre and the power that it has for the world.