I had this epiphany that I like the interaction with people. I wanted to make things happen at a grassroots level.

I grew up with a beautiful gold harp sitting in our living room. My older sister played it.

My generation of director has no illusions that we are going to be fed and cared for by subsidized theater in America.

At the core of what I'm doing is a belief in the audience, a belief that populism doesn't mean dumbing down theater, but rather giving the audience a voice and a role in experiencing theater.

The idea of making audiences feel like they matter, that the theatre matters, and that they're a partner in the event—that's what fuels me as a director . . . I believe it's actually radical to think about the audience.

I don't want to be in an art bubble.

When you're a freelance director, you are hired to create the art, and it kind of stops there.