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"Spring 1988. I move out of my comfortable two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan and into an empty, 2,500 square foot loft on West 29th St, a part of Manhattan
known chiefly for prostitution. There is no hot water in the building and I am reduced to showering at a friend's house and sleeping on a sofabed at night. I
spend my days painting the walls of the loft black and every cent I have is going towards financing the least financially secure venture I could possibly have
come up with: a theater company.
What was I thinking?
Summer 2005. Seventeen years later and 29th St. Rep is a reality,
and much to the joy (and relief) of the founding members, a
great success. Sure, it was difficult in the beginning (mostly
because we had no clue whatsoever what we were doing) but here
we are. I'm honored to hold the title of Founding Artistic Director
and am proud to say that I've earned a reputation as a respected
director; no small feat in this city. I've been fortunate enough
to work with some of the most talented actors, designers and
directors around. I even started my own acting school to pass
on the skills that I acquired after slugging it out in the trenches
of New York Theater for well over a decade.
In short, it's been an amazing seventeen years. We've managed
to create one of the best ensemble acting companies in New York;
a theater that does honest, believable work with plays that
don't just entertain but expand peoples' opinions and beliefs,
all the while pushing the envelope just a little bit further
each time. I've had some of my greatest life experiences directing
and acting with my fellow company members and the countless
others that have graced the stage at 29th Street with their
formidable talents. Needless to say, the company and I have
come a long way from that sofabed.
Can't wait to see what the next seventeen years bring."
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