Why I Chose DC and how I began to network

I had a lot of preconceived notions about DC that made me never want to live there. We always went there on school trips and only saw the government side or the monuments with a bunch of tourists. I thought it was a stuffy city and it's theatre would be the same. Silly, silly girl. I should also mention that JMU was my last choice for schools and I went because it was in state tuition... I often end up right where I belong I suppose.

I saw Angels in America

APO organized a trip to see both parts of Angels in America at Forum Theatre. The theatre's artistic director is an alumni of our school so we were going to have dinner with him between the two parts. Dinner with Michael was plus one for DC - he sold it like a champ.

The show was beautiful. Everything about it. It was my first taste of DC theatre outside of Shakespeare and I was riveted. Michael had directed Perestroika, but Millenium had been directed by a different director, Jeremy Skidmore. I was struck particularly by Millenium's shape and dynamic, but subtle staging. I looked up Skidmore. (See the New Jerusalem post...)

I met Randy Baker who is an Artistic Director at Rorschach Theatre in DC.

He came to JMU for a reading we did of a few of his shorter plays. I asked Blair if I could direct some of them. We had a few hours to put it together and Randy observed our rehearsals. I didn't do much directing, but tried to help out as I could.

Randy emailed me the day following the readings, complimenting my work (what?!) and said to let him know if I was thinking about DC and if there was anything he could do to jump start my career here. I was blown away and told him I'd love to get involved at Rorschach. I also asked him if he had any suggestions for shows going on in DC that were "must sees." He recommended Full Circle at Woolly Mammoth.

I saw shows at Woolly Mammoth

Full Circle was brilliant. Defy Convention is the company's motto and that's exactly what they did. I was floored. I went back for another production before I graduated. They are still one of my favorite companies in the city.

This is how I chose DC. I have so many more reason why I love it now that I'm here and I'll add those later. I chose it as a stepping ground to NYC. Now I think I'll be here awhile.