Alexa Powell – Director
As a director, I aim to leave a sustainable positive impact that can support & extend a performer’s career.
MY CORE PILLARS:
- To welcome people from all backgrounds & experiences
- To promote theatre as a tool for self growth, expression, and community building
- To prioritize personal health (mental, physical, and emotional)
- To provide support and mentorship to further education & understanding in all desirable areas
- To create a safe environment where mistakes are encouraged as an integral part of growth
- To spend every moment learning from each other – no one knows everything!
- To acknowledge the frequent financial barrier to the arts & finding ways to still make it accessible
- To maximize use of storage & upcycling in pursuit of both financial & environmental sustainability
- To elevate the creative skills each person in the room can offer towards the production
- To validate the unique intersectional identities and experiences of each person
- To set & encourage clear boundaries and personal practices to ensure individual safety
- To check-in with interpersonal humanity, not just on professional & project progress
I assistant directed the show-stopping, dance-filled, iconic murder mystery Curtains alongside Kurt Domoney at Nazareth College.
With such a huge show and ensemble, this production was an exercise in seeing the big picture without missing the details. I threw myself into the character work, including my favorite exercise called “Hot Seat” and encouraging the cast to create “murder suspect profiles” in the world of the show. I put together a packet of inspirational material and background information to help the cast find this world of 1959 Boston, paying homage to the Golden Age of Musical Theatre and “Show Business!” With 5 show-stopping numbers and tons of crazy characters, this show was big from start to finish and I’m proud of the way this production rose to meet the challenge!
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CHECK OUT THE RESEARCH/INSPIRATION PACKET:
From conception to 3 sold-out shows, I’m proud to share Starkid’s Firebringer as my first production in the Director’s chair!
I had an amazing, all-student production team from costumes to lighting to sound design. This goofy, feel-good production was exactly what we needed coming out of the pandemic. It was presented thrust-style in an intimate black box. This opened the door to many interesting elements such as audience interaction, close encounters, and directly breaking the fourth wall in many directions. I strongly believe in learning by doing, so I launched a dedicated student production legacy fund beginning with donations collected through Firebringer. I guess you could say it lit a FIRE under me, as I can’t wait to find my next directing adventure!
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