What I adore is the juxtaposition of high tech and low tech. It's sort of like I love the sacred and the profane. I love to put these extremes in the same hopper.

I don't want to sound like a heroic woman or to seem full of myself, but I do have a core of trust that I'll figure things out and find my way. And if whatever I try is not a good experience, even that is a good experience. If something turns out lousy, it's interesting.

I think that both musicals and opera have a capacity to get to an inner emotional landscape.

I have directed good actors and have gone through the process which is more detailed in theater in a way. You have to get people to stay for two or three hours in a performance. They need more talk and rehearsal than in films.

There is incredible power in the arts to inspire and influence.

I believe that if you really have a strong idea, you can say, "What do you think? Let's see how my idea plays off yours."

When I was growing up, there were a lot more arts in the public schools. Politically, America has screwed up on that.