We look to the past to shape our future. Who are you? Where are you going from here?

I am an artist – specifically a costume designer. After opening Baskerville, I’ll be traveling around the country (Seattle, Fargo, Missoula) before heading back to Cleveland, OH.

 What most excites you about being a part of TAM’s 50th Anniversary Season?

It’s been a few years since I’ve been a part of TAM and have had the opportunity to view the changes that have occurred since my last residency (in 2015). The forward momentum of the theater is exciting—the diversity in the company members, improvements to the infrastructure, and the contemporary lens through which the plays are produced is exhilarating.

We’re all about making old things new and new things classic. Why are you drawn to Classic Theatre? How do you shake it up?

Shakespeare is one of my favorite playwrights—there are so many nuances and layers to his plays. As I grow artistically and develop as a person, his plays shift in how they resonate with me. I don’t foresee ever being tired of revisiting his plays and designing them. The language is poignant and articulate with well-developed characters—as a designer there’s a wealth of information and inspiration to draw from. It’s quite easy to find different and unique ways to design his plays because the artists collaborating to produce these works are never the same or in the same place in their lives; the plays are written with the understanding both the words and artists are in constant flux.

Who inspires you and why?

Strong women with clear voices and convictions inspire me. At the moment, I’m finding inspiration from the writings of Rebecca Solnit and poetry of Ada Limon. As I’ve been reading their works concurrently, I’ve come to see connections between their works—one using an essay format and the other poetry—as a vehicle to share very similar viewpoints on the female experience and journeying as a creative/intellectual pilgrim. It’s helped me to more clearly articulate my own creative process while inspiring me to explore other areas of creative expression.

You can have dinner with any three influential people. Who are your dream guests, why them, and what is the topic of conversation?

Only three? At the moment, I’d definitely want Ada Limon and Rebecca Solnit. I’m stuck between Harriet Tubman or Virginia Hall for the third slot (can we get a bigger table?). I find all of them inspiring and would love to discuss how one finds a voice, makes strong choices, musters courage, and exists in the aftermath. I suspect they also have some incredible untold tales that would make dessert really interesting. I find all their stories to be captivating and inspiring; I guess I’d like to grow to be a combination of them.

What recent accomplishment are you most proud of?

As of the opening of Baskerville, I will have opened five shows in two weeks in two different states: two Shakespeare plays, a Sondheim musical, and two contemporary American plays.

What’s your super power?

Oh, that’s easy: I’ve got the best eyebrow arch this side of the Mississippi.