Nearer heart’s desire : theatre, directing and the process of cultural deconstruction and reconstruction

There are two great passions that run through my life: making theatre and examining how our society’s culture impacts our lives. This pursuit stems from a desire to identify and change the inequities embedded in our culture. As an artist and activist, I create theatrical experiences that redefine familiar narratives and their contexts, providing opportunities to re-examine our prejudices and cultural beliefs. In this thesis, I will analyze selected productions I’ve directed while attending the University of Texas at Austin in order to define my process for making work engaged in cultural deconstruction and reconstruction