The Director

Old Theater tradition holds that it was the Greek, Aristophanes who first said "Do it right this time or I will replace you with a Sock Puppet!" Every director who has ever worked at Rorschach has felt that wise saying is as true today as it was when I made it up in the last sentence.

The picture to the right is me with the the inimitable Ms. Jessi Burgess. I am the one in the beard. We are very lucky to have Jessi working on this project and already her energy and commitment to the project have paid off in ways no one expected. Most directors give you absolutely no indication of whether your bit is funny or not. Jessi is not just laughing, but she will say, "That was funny!" See instant gratification, what every insecure actor needs. (And when I say insecure actor, it's like saying insecure twice.)

Little bio on Ms. Burgess for those of you who like your blogs to contain facts:

Director Jessica Burgess is an exiting new director emerging here in Washington DC. After returning from the 2005 Lincoln Center’s Directors Lab and from assistant directing several shows at Actors Theatre of Louisville, Burgess started her own production company, Two Foot Trout Hatchery, where she recently directed its premiere production, PLAYING HOUSE. She has also directed for Adventure Theatre, The Source Theatre Festival and in college at Middlebury College in Vermont. A gifted young dramaturg, Burgess was recently the Literary Associate at Woolly Mammoth where she also worked as production dramaturg on LENNY & LOU (Helen Hayes nomination for Outstanding New Play 2005), HOMEBODY/ KABUL and COOKING WITHELVIS. She also the assistant directed BIG DEATH/LITTLE DEATH under Howard Shalwitz. With Damien Sinclair, she is a co-founder of the upcoming Capital Fringe Festival.