Review: Hedda Gabler

The range of emotions this production made me feel as an audience member is truly commendable. General Gabler’s Theatre offers modern audiences a chance to connect with Ibsen in a way that meets them in the middle. Simultaneously, this production paints a holistic portrait of Hedda that doesn’t shy away from the influences of the patriarchy on her inner life, allowing us to understand her actions within her societal context.

Read the entire review at The Daily.

"Gumiho" by Nina Ki

I’m thrilled to announce that I’m directing a staged reading of Gumiho by Nina Ki for Macha Theatre Works’ Distillery Series.

When: Sunday, April 16th @ 12pm. Doors open at 11:30am.

Where: West of Lenin | Seattle, WA

About the Play: Kam, queer Korean adoptee and former reality TV star, has just been broken up with by her longtime girlfriend. She quickly re-immerses herself in the alcohol- and lust-fueled world of the Los Angeles queer scene, where she uses and is used by women, and has sex without the burden of intimacy.

Get your tickets here.

Awarded Grant to Direct and Produce Hedda Gabler

I have some very exciting news to share. I’m delighted to announce that I have received a 4Culture grant to produce and direct a gender-bending (all roles will be played by women actors of cis or trans experience or by nonbinary actors) production of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler. I'm drawn to the compassion with which Ibsen portrays Hedda’s trauma and the oppressive forces confining her, and it is from this lens that I want to approach the play.

This project is very near and dear to my heart. The initial idea came to me while I was working as a prisoners’ rights investigator and was further developed through years of late-night conversations with my wife Natalie Schmidt, who will be co-producing and playing Hedda. I can’t wait to share it with you!

There will be six performances at West of Lenin in August 2023 (8/4-8/6 and 8/10-8/12). Stay tuned for more information!

The Flight Before Xmas by Maggie Lee

With all the stress of the holidays, spending Christmas Eve stranded in an airport with a bunch of strangers is the last thing anyone needs! With endless delays, kids shuttling between stepfamilies, a rogue cat on the loose, an important business deal at stake, and missing your grandson’s first Christmas morning, the holiday spirit can disappear quicker than your lost luggage. But sometimes, all you need is to be a little late in order to truly appreciate what you’re rushing toward.

Recommended for ages 7 & up.

Directed by Lia S Fakhouri

Assistant Directed by Helen T. Mariam

Produced by Macha Theatre Works

Dec 2 - Dec 23 @ West of Lenin

Get your tickets here!

My Body No Choice

On October 24, 2022, Radial Theater Project produced a staged reading of My Body No Choice at 18th & Union in Seattle.

In June 2022, reproductive rights took a giant leap backwards when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. In the United States, we can drive when we turn 16, and vote when we turn 18. But we no longer have the bodily autonomy to make the choices that will impact us the most.

In My Body No Choice, eight of America’s most exciting female playwrights share what choice means to them, through the telling of fiction and non-fiction stories rooted in personal experience; theirs or a friend’s. Because this is a time when women need to tell their stories. My Body No Choice is a commission of Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. This reading is presented in coordination with a full production at Arena that will be Molly Smith's final production as the company's Artistic Director.

I had the honor of directing one of the monologues: Chance by Mary Hall Surface.

World Premiere: La Tofana’s Poison Emporium by Joy McCullough

Macha Theatre Works presents the world premiere of Joy McCullough”s La Tofana’s Poison Emporium.

October 14-29, 2022 @ West of Lenin

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

Set in 17th century Rome, La Tofana’s Apothecary dutifully serves those who have nowhere else to turn. Three generations of women earn their keep by mixing potions to treat every ailment, from itchy rashes to tempestuous husbands. But when a deadly scandal threatens their very existence, each must decide her own fate as the authorities close in around them. Joy McCullough’s bold new play reveals how in times of darkness, perhaps love, trust, and solidarity—mixed with a dash of lawbreaking—is just what the apothecary ordered.

Cast: Alba Davenport, Lisa Every, Melodie Gorow, Shyloh Leigh, Sydney Maltese, Bianca Raso, Ilze Riekstiņš, Amy Van Mechelen.

Production Team: Amy Poisson (Director), Helen T. Mariam (Assistant Director), Parmida Ziaei (Scenic Designer), Dani Norberg (Lighting Designer), Andi Villegas (Sound Designer), Zoé Tziotis Shields (Costume Designer), Robin Macartney (Props Designer) Cass Gill (Stage Manager), Bailey Dobbins (Stage Manager). Photo by Joe Iano Photography.

Coming up this Fall

Autumn is just around the corner, and so are these awesome projects.

First up, I’m assistant directing the world premiere of Joy McCullough’s new play La Tofana’s Poison Emporium at Macha Theatre Works. The show is directed by Amy Poisson and will run through October 2022 at West of Lenin.

Next, I’ll also be assistant directing The Flight Before XMas by Maggie Lee at Macha Theatre Works. This show is directed by Lia Sima Fakhouri and will run through December 2022 at West of Lenin.

More details on these projects and projects to come in 2023 coming soon!

Staged Reading: Fire Country by Jessica Chisum

I’m excited to announce that I am directing a staged reading of Fire Country by local playwright Jessica Chisum .

The Play: During the largest forest fire in the history of Washington state, a tech giant’s best-laid schemes come to a screeching halt. A CEO is missing in the wilderness, and the man who saw him last speaks only in riddles. As the fires loom on the horizon, a young biologist tracks a lone wolf searching for answers.

Inspired by the legend of Remus and Romulus and the founding of Rome, Fire Country explores the fantastical elements of the myth in a realistic setting.

Get your tickets for the April 1st premiere at The Shattered Glass Project.