The Stories I Want To Tell

I am a Theater Artist.
What that basically means is I love theater but “I don’t believe in labels.”
I’m interested in many different aspects of what is needed to create a theatrical piece. The bulk of my training is as an actor. However, I also have experience in writing, directing, and dramaturgy. I also have a huge passion for theater history. Some would say I’m indecisive, but hey, I’m just trying to have it all.
The word that brings all of these roles together, the word that can define all of them is storyteller. All Theater Artists are storytellers at heart. The art of storytelling is what made me fall in love with theater almost 14 years ago when I saw a certain show that tells the story of The Wizard of Oz through the point-of-view of The Wicked Witch of The West. You ever hear of it? You should see it; it needs the money.
I often think about what kinds of stories I want to tell as a Theater Artist. I’ve come to the conclusion that my answer differs depending on the role I have in a production.
For example, I have a complex feeling towards “two-handers”, or plays with only two characters. As an actor, I welcome the opportunity to work so intensely with one sole scene partner for the course of an entire piece. I’ve only had this experience once so far, but would love to do it again.
That being said, as both a writer and a director, I have no interest in “two-handers”. In these capacities, I much prefer ensemble-driven work. I also prefer ensemble pieces as an actor, but I also enjoy the completely different process of performing a two-hander. I think my lack of interests in these kinds of stories comes from the fact that, well, life isn’t a “two- hander”. Most people don’t live their lives in a vacuum. For a play in real-time that only covers a few hours, I understand how that makes sense, but I’d much rather see many different perspectives on the action.
I think my reasoning also comes from the fact that there are so many ways to tell a story utilizing an ensemble. I like how you can play with scope using an ensemble. I like a piece about how a normal suburban couple falls in love performed by a cast of 25 just as much as piece dramatizing the entire Spanish-American war performed by a cast of 6. With an ensemble, the possibilities are endless .
I truly believe that the greatest gift any storyteller has is other storytellers. Collaboration is truly the only tool for debate, engagement, and information.
