What intrigues me about theatre is its transformative potential. It’s a magical, powerful art form that provokes and challenges our imagination, opinions, ambiguities, judgment, joys, hopes, fears, and empathy. It poses challenging questions about what it means to be human. I believe that theatre can be a powerful tool for social change, and I am dedicated to using my craft to give those underrepresented stories a platform. I also seek to produce theatre in all spaces, believing that theatre can occur anywhere and is not confined by walls.
I work in the theatre as a director, playwright, actor, set and lighting designer. When creating a production, it is critical for me to incorporate each discipline and insight. This is vital to my overall creative process.
In directing, I am the audience’s eyes and ears, charged with honoring the writer’s intent while bringing his play to life. Collaboration is essential to my process. When I direct a production, I look for artists who share my aesthetic sensibilities to make the process go more smoothly. I strive to provide a safe and creative environment for all so that everyone can reach their full potential. Our primary goal is to provide a rich and rewarding experience for the audience.
I am fascinated by both twentieth-century American plays and new contemporary works. Although I prefer traditional narratives based in dramatic realism, I am not bound by it. Theatre of the Absurd and Alienation both appeal to my sensibilities. Even though I have spent most of my career mounting African American dramas, I have deep roots in Western theatre. I am always looking for new works that challenge the status quo.
Through my plays, I seek to give voice to those who have been silenced and to create space for meaningful dialogue and connection. I am interested in the human behavior of the common man with all of his complexities. I looked to explore how this character fights to maintain his beliefs and values after his routine is disrupted. I’m curious about what he will and will not do to survive in his new chaotic world. At the heart of my work is a deep concern for human dignity.
I want to keep creating theatre that exposes truths and contradictions while also revealing the connectivity in humanity. My goal is to create theater that moves and inspires, that challenges and empowers, and that contributes to the ongoing struggle for social justice and human dignity. I believe that by using our creativity and our collective voice, we can work towards a more just and equitable world for all people. A theatre that helps us understand our existence better.