Meet the Director - Lying with Badgers - Randy Reinholz

Where did you start as a director?

I was so lucky as an actor to work with directors who had or went on to have spectacular careers. As a young actor, I was not always the center of attention. I was able to learn from others, I was able to observe wonderful directors working with actors, which is what I thought directing entailed.  Then, as my university career grew into directing productions, I said YES to opportunities.  I added the essential elements of collaboration with the whole creative team of designers, dramaturges, vocal coaches and choreographers to my process.  I was so grateful for such smart collaborators bringing understanding and possibility to the world of the show.  Finally, Native Voices allowed me to work intimately with playwrights, for 26 years.  I had always admired playwrights, but the collaborative process of working with the creators of the world is exquisite. I love new plays.  I love the old stories, and the intersection between the ancient and needs of our world today is profound.

What really excites you about theater?

Theatre excites me when people come together to focus on a story and the collaborative process reveals something compelling and moving. This process supports artists as they confront profound ideas that they didn’t truly understand before spending time together.  These communal events are ancient, relevant, and life-changing.

Advice to the young director? 

Good directors work with people more talented than themselves. They listen to the big ideas in the room. They are prepared with as much information that pertains to the story as they can compile. They don’t talk too much, rather they listen. We never stop looking for the best answers to problems, trust your collaborators, and love as often as possible.

Why do you create theater?

I create theatre to understand the truths of the world. Yes, there are multiple ways of living well and they set my spirit free.  Listening to the ancient rhythms of life and reflecting them back to an audience is a wonderful gift.  It can only happen when a number of creative, investigative people bring their complementary talents to bear as a meaningful story reveals how it can be told.  The results of that process can heal hearts and souls, it can give hope to the forlorn, and it can reveal paths to those who long for more from life.  The world is not fair and often unkind, yet we can sit in the dark and dream of worlds that let us be more fully who we are. 

What 3 things are needed for the healthy development of a new work? 

Support for the playwright

Gifted, invested, collaborating artists

Cultural knowledge

Focus on a great story with undeniable issues told in compelling ways.  Native people sing, dance, and laugh. Those qualities on stage release emotional experiences we crave, that can help us better understand the world.

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