Interview with Director and Founder of The How Theater for Unlimited Magazine
What do you think is the essence of performance?
“The essence of performance is presence. But when we are present, then do we have the chance to truly delve into our truest essence. When do we really get a chance to do that outside of performance? We have a hard time being that vulnerable in our daily lives. Allowing ourselves to be present in a performance creates an intimate connection between the audience and the artist. This is where magic happens. This is where we can show our true selves and truly see each other. This is where we can inspire each other and celebrate each other’s presence.”
Considering the current state of the world, what is the most important and urgent issue for you as an artist?
“We live in very interesting times. We are going through huge changes in every sense. And the problems in the world are getting more complex and more frightening for us humans. Of course, focusing on issues like war, climate change, human rights, sexual politics are incredibly important. But I think something huge has been lost in our world: genuine connection between people. With the rise of technology with social media and artificial intelligence as a whole, there is very little incentive for people to really seek connection. I understand that it’s easy for people to shout into the void of the internet and comment on each other, but people still have a very hard time talking to each other face to face. It’s just among my fellow artists that I see people discussing difficult issues and challenging each other’s ideas without fear of offending each other or being “cancelled.” So human connection is a big focus of my work and something that I think is really important right now. We can change the world in a small way by listening to each other and really seeing each other; it’s an actual, real thing that we can do.”
