Much Ado About Nothing

Excited to be understudying the role of Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing at A Noise Within!

Shakes on The Rocks

I’ve been invited to join the company of Shakes on the Rocks - “An ongoing Shakespeare cabaret that takes our conceptions of Shakespeare and type casting, then cuts the fat and throws it in a blender.” And it takes place in a bar because drinks and food!

Fall 2022 Projects

Fun theatre projects lined up for Fall 2022!

The Play That Goes Wrong

2:22 A Ghost Story

we, the invisibles

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I am fight directing the hysterical The Play That Goes Wrong for The Theatre Group @ Santa Barbara City College in which everything, well…goes wrong!. I will then step in to choreograph some violence business for 2:22 - A Ghost Story, an award-winning supernatural thriller being produced by Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson Theatre. Later this fall, I will be directing undergrads in we, the invisibles for the USC School of Dramatic Arts.

Directing Projects - Fall 2021

I am currently in rehearsal directing Oliver Mayer’s Blade to the Heat at USC for the MFA 3rd Year Rep. The play opens in February 2022. In October I head to Jackson Hole, WY for three weeks to direct Larissa FastHorse’s satiricial comedy The Thanksgiving Play at Off Square Theatre.

Romeo in L.A.

Since theatre is at a standstill, the production of Richard III that I was scheduled to direct at Off Square Theatre/Thin Air Shakespeare in Jackson Hole was cancelled. But the show must go on! And so OST created a Shakespeare in the Tetons virtual residency inviting artists who have worked with the company to record themselves speaking their favorite Shakespeare text for publication on the OST Facebook page. There’s some good stuff here…from all over the country and, indeed, the world! Check out my submission…a little bit of Romeo direct from Griffith Park in Los Angeles…

Romeo in L.A.

My USC Stage Combat Class: A Pandemic Story

My USC undergraduate fight class was featured recently in the USC News highlighting the students and how we moved to a remote teaching model. The story includes three examples of video projects the students made when I assigned them to make solo fight movies!

Click on the article to read the story and see the videos…!

Now in isolation, USC acting students practice stage combat by fighting themselves — and we have video

The Finish Line...

Fall is here and Christmas is around the corner and I am fortunate to continue to do the things I love.  In addition to teaching at USC and globe-trotting in my other life working for Spartan Race I have kept busy with projects closer to home.

I am currently in rehearsal for Oliver Mayer's adaptation of Lorca's Yerma.  Set in an elite university against a dry landscape Yerma in the Desert focuses on the custodial and public safety staff who clean up the mess and tell no tales in a Trumpian dystopia where personal grudges lead to deportation and worse. Even in this dry place, Yerma craves the wet closeness of love.  I have been co-directing with the magnificent Marlene Forte for Urban Theatre Movement and we look forward to sharing this story with you.

Recently, I choreographed a cool air lightsaber fight for IAMA Theatre's production of Sinner's Laundry. The sound effects created by the sound designer are excellent and the two actresses kick some Jedi butt! 

Sacred Fools production of Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play continues to do well at the box office and with the critics. Anne Washburn's story of how society rebuilds itself following an apocalyptic failure of the power grid through our primal need for storytelling is humorously dark.  I created a fun sword fight for the grand finale showdown between the titular character and Bart Simpson.

Late Summer/Fall Projects

I'm back home after a fun and busy summer of travel, racing and Shakespeare!

I directed The Tempest at Off Square Theatre/Thin Air Shakespeare in Jackson Hole, WY and had the pleasure of working with old and new friends.  In addition to the local actors, I was able to cast seven Los Angeles-based actors to join me in the Tetons. It is an amazing place and I am looking forward to returning next summer to direct Macbeth!

After spending a few weeks in Peru and Chile I returned home and am getting ready for the MFA class in Fight & Violence that I teach at USC.  I am also shooting a cool web series based on a 1940's comic book called The Woman In Red. I play a bad guy and get roughed up by the heroine. If you want to see the actual comic book pages click here.

I am also creating fights and violence for the Sacred Fools Theater Company production of Anne Washburn's Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play. I am super excited to be working on this play with the excellent Fools. Get your tickets now!

Before the lights go out on Mr. Burns I'll be squeezing in a trip to Tennessee to choreograph fights at Tennessee Shakespeare Company for their touring productions of Romeo & Juliet and Julius Caesar. 

And, finally, I am co-directing Oliver Mayer's new play Yerma in the Desert (based on Lorca's play) for Urban Theatre Movement.  The play opens in November at the Greenway Court Theatre.

"Les Blancs" Fight Direction

I am working at Rogue Machine Theatre as Fight Director on their production of Lorraine Hansberry's Les Blancs directed by Gregg Daniel.  Gregg and I go waaaaay back and I have fight directed many of his shows over the years. I am excited to once again work with my friend and colleague!

2017 LA Stage Raw Awards Nomination

I am happy to announce that I have been nominated for a 2017 Stage Raw Award for my fight choreography in Son of Semele's production of That Pretty Pretty; or, The Rape Play by Sheila Callaghan! Earlier this year I was recognized with a 2016 Ovation Honor Award for this same production and last year I received the Stage Raw Award in Fight Choreography for my work in Hit The Wall at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. 

Congrats to my fellow nominees in this category and to all the nominees!

For more info and to see a list of all the nominees click here.