Prep Work

This project began back in November when I was approached by Derrick Shane to participate in a scene he was directing for the SDC Competition at the KCACTF Region II festival, along with my friend Brandon Clemens. It was from a play called Red by John Logan where I would be playing abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko. I read the scene and was immediately excited to play it. The language and character behind Rothko were fun and rich, and provided a chance to play my own spin of this historical character.

But we were all left wanting for more as we returned to IUP for the Spring Semester. As I busied myself in our production of Monster in the Garden and course work, the time came round for me to start looking into my Senior Project. As most of my work here was as an Actor, I felt it appropriate to use my senior project as an exploration of my acting process. I have grown so much over the years, from my first performance as Kulygin in Three Sister's through this year's Brothers Karamazov and Monster in the Garden. This was an opportunity for me to explore my acting process in a uniquely collaborative environment.

The biggest challenge that we had to overcome in getting everything set up was that we lost our original space. Due to conflicts that were beyond anyone's control, the Studio Theater space had evaporated for the time we had originally planned. We set out to secure a new place, and were welcomed over at the Art Department in their Kipp Gallery.

So we set off to complete the pile of paperwork that needed to be turned in, and after a few fumbles out of the starting gate, we were off!