ESPrit de Corps

When I was directing Betty’s Summer Vacation (pictured here) by Christopher Durang, my MFA thesis production, I was in a panic in the days before opening night; we had a good show, but it was on the verge of being great. Like a coach before the big game, I sat the cast down for […]

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My journey includes three tide pools, a sneak naked swim at Forty Steps Beach, a long gaze at Egg rock and finally several hours in the hidden upstairs stacks of the town library. I’m in the private exhilaration that comes with successfully sneaking past the librarian, hiding myself upstairs with the glass (yes glass) […]

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“I am a theatre artist because I value the collaborative experience.” As a theatre director this is the phrase that I often say to artistic collaborators—designers, actors, dramaturges, stage managers—on the first day of working on a new project. Collaboration is, of course, not without challenges. It is the friction of artistic […]

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When directing a play, it is helpful to create a concept that is clear and firmly rooted in the text of the play. For example, if the play is called “Alice in Wonderland”, chances are that if the concept of the production does not revolve around Alice’s experience, then the “concept” is probably not […]

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There was a time when I couldn’t imagine life off that rock. The cold and clear green waters, the salt in my night skies. One square mile of endless mystery and coded silence. No questions asked. None answered. I never wanted to take off my favorite summer orange dress that […]

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As guest bloggers on ESPrit de Corps, Hawley Hussey and I have been given a true challenge. We have been asked to address answer, in some fashion or other, the following questions:
1. What are some of the radical new ideas you are bringing to the table?
2. […]

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Recently my colleague and now friend, the esteemed Rob Southworth and I were locked in glittery pre-holiday party banter. Wine in hand we recollected early childhood groundbreaking inspirations in art and in education. My story had to do with a black and white poster featuring a shirtless Paul Newman as Cool Hand Luke.
The […]

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Phil and Stephanie had some questions for me as a relatively new Director of Education and as a practicing artist.
SP and PA: What are some of the radical new ideas you are bringing to the table?
HH: I think I bring a radical and inspired honesty to my interactions with colleagues. I am very transparent about […]

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I wrote this title to get your attention. Does it make you nervous? Angry? Is it a call to arms? Does it make you say, “Who can I talk to to set the story straight?” That’s what it does for me.
Last week Dale Davis forwarded an article to the Association of Teaching Artists listserve from […]

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