I have worked in the production side of theatre since I was a stagehand in college. The smell of hemp rope and dusty lekos is in my blood. I love all aspects of production; there is nothing better than creating an experience that you can witness an audience feel.
Opera A La Carte
I started with Opera A La Carte as a technical director right after grad school at UCLA. The plan was to tour the country with Gilbert & Sullivan shows and make so much money that I would have time to write in between. Most of that happened. I toured the country with the company, putting on shows everywhere from small coal mining town theatres to big city civic auditoriums. I drove 24’ trucks and had adventures to last several lifetimes. I now am the Executive Director of the company, and the dream of making enough money producing theatre to enable a good amount of time at the keyboard is still alive in my heart. The difference is that now I have a Plan B. And C. And… you get it.
Hail Poetry
In 2016, Opera A La Carte was given the opportunity to mount a new production called “Hail Poetry: The Magic and Madness of Gilbert & Sullivan.” In collaboration with Eli Villanueva, who adapted some of Sullivan’s music and added new original music, I wrote the libretto and produced the show. The show is a theatrical highlights show that revels in the wit of Gilbert’s stories and the beauty of Sullivan’s music, while exploring some of the bigger questions of art and life.
Anoush
In 2015, I was privileged to be the production manager for a stunning production of Anoush, produced by the wonderful Lark Musical Society. It was an incredible performance, performed at the legendary Ambassador Auditorium.