Friday~Food Day

Yeah for sleeping in after a crazy night!! I got up at 2pm! After breakfast we both needed to go shopping. Margot and I were going to her and her uncle's birthday celebration. I wanted to go crazy and buy up everything I saw, so I decided to walk away and just explore the city by myself(margot had to go meet her dad to buy her new computer). I think the Belgian people are very pretty: classic looking. The women don't wear much make-up. For the amount of bread and cheese in the country most people are very lean. Incredible. While I was walking around I ran into Pauline and Hester with some friends-This is how small Antwerp is-I'm here for a week and know 5 people and I run into two that I know-kinda like Portland. No wonder I feel so at home.

Tonight we went to celebrate Margot and her Uncle Jean's birthday with her grandmother. Jean is Elly's brother. We went to this really wonderful restaurant, Kleine Zavel. We started at 8pm and after six bottles of wine and seven courses we finished at 12:45pm. The meal was amazing and went like this:

Aperitif:
Eel with Salmon Roe on Avocado.
Tuna Roll
Oyster

Appetizer 1:
Salmon Lox over Shrimp Tempura with Crab/Lobster meat in between

Appetizer 2:
Raw Tuna with soy sauce & bits of avocado


Appetizer 3:
Scallop with truffles smothered in truffle sauce

Main Course:
Pigeon in Cherry Sauce

Dessert 1:
Poached Figs in Marzipan Cream


Dessert 2:
Nut Brownie

It was kinda ironic that all this great food and the main course is pigeon. PIGEON! Seriously. It was not bad it just wasn't amazing. It tasted like a "low rent" duck. Very dry and grimy...the cherry sauce really helped.

All throughout the dinner they spoke in Flemish. I tried desperately to follow along. Margot and I would talk in English and every now and then the conversation would stop to acknowledge my presence: "Do you understand?" then someone would translate the gist of the conversation. The Roolants would always boast, "Megan is learning. She has a very good ear. She listens and then writes it down. Her pronunciation is really very good." Everyone would nod in appreciate of my effort. Sometimes I could follow. If I could figure out one word then I would know what they were talking about. By the end of the night the Roolants were referring to me as "Our Megan". Even though I barely understood the conversation I was and felt very included.

Thursday~Student Day!

I got up this morning feeling horrible again. I went to take a shower hoping that would help clear my sinuses, but for the second time this trip I got a cold shower. The veins in my hands turned bright blue. The more time I spent awake, the better I felt. I guess the bouillabaisse did help last night. It was my first time eating it, I think. Pretty good. Margot's parents showed me the proper way to eat it: by putting the sauce on the crackers and let the soup soak it up. Look at me trying to fit in!
Pauline and Hester came over today and we went to the South side of Antwerp to have lunch. We took the tram there. It was quite the adventure because it was super packed. Lunch was nice. I ordered a BLT, which in Antwerp means smoked ham with rocket lettuce on a baguette. It was good despite it not being what I expected.

We noticed that there were a lot of students running around. Then Pauline remembered that it was student day, where all the students get the day off and there is a party in one of the town squares. We walked down there and sure enough, there were bands, games, beer, booths, and tonnes of people. It was the same as freshers fair in England, but this was for all the universities. In England they are set up by each university. Here all the students of all ages came down to the fair. Around the square were booths, where information was passed out about museums, theatre, student events, hair school, make-up school, and music concerts. In the middle were all these games. There was bull riding, obstacle courses, concert stage, and football games.

I notice that there were all these people around with sashes and flags. I asked Margot what these people were doing. She explained that they were part of a fraternity. But not like American fraternities, even thought the more she explained it the more they sounded like the American kind. Apparently in Belgium any one can join, but they have to go through a initiation ritual as well called "dopen".

An example of someone covering up their vomit from their initiation or dopen.

These go on for days, usually with a lot of drinking, kinda like hazing. Then there are crazy tasks they might have to carry out, like walking through Antwerp with your finger in the train tracks. The way you join is through your university and they are major specific. These groups put on parties and they try to get everyone to get to know each other. It's like a mix between link crew and honor societies. In Belgium everyone is allowed to go to University, but they make the first year really had to weed people out. Education is pretty much free; you just pay for registration fees.

Tonight we went clubbing with Pauline, Hester, and Charlotte. DJ Jazzy Jeff was at Stereo Sushi. There was a 15euro cover, but we decided to go since we haven't been out out yet. I was still feeling sick, but I rallied. I had such a good time. Once I got there and hear the music, I felt like myself. Margot and I drank apple Geneva (like schnapps) all night. They taste like cinnamon apple juice.

Proper attire to such clubs usually require heels. I didn't bring any because I forgot this rule, so I had to borrow some from Margot. I chose these really cute black and gold shoes. Margot warned me that they are super painful, but I thought since I'm experienced with painful heels, that I could handle it. Oh I was wrong. I held out pretty long, but in the end I HAD to take them off.My feet were all black and sticky when I got home, but I had successfully avoided glass! People kept coming up to me and telling me to be careful. I didn't care as long as those devil shoes were off.

Wednesday~Rain Rain go away

This picture is of the most famous bakery in Antwerp, which is just two doors down from Margot's apartment.

Today was Samantha's last day. The internet was still not set up, so Margot took my computer to the coffee shop to finish it. Samantha packed and we had breakfast while the Roolants ran errands. Upon Margot's return we went out to coffee and Belgian waffles (the thin kind) and then took Sam to the Metro. It was hard to say goodbye but I knew I would see her soon. She has plans to come DJ in L.A. so we'll meet up some way or another.

Today Margot and I spent the entire day inside because it was raining so bad. She had to set up the internet and her dad put up lights (I helped) and her mom used Margot's birthday vacuum cleaner to clean the apartment. I worked on the play I want to direct when I get back and blew my nose every ten minutes. At least it's coming out!

Margot speaks more and more in Flemish, which makes sense, but she is also forgetting some English words. She did this in London but it's more apparent now.

Flemish words I know:

ashtray: Asbak

Thank You: Dank u Well

Please: Alstublieft (sounds like ashubleef)

Water: water (sounds like waater)

Right: rechts

Left: links

Beautiful: mooi (sounds like moy)

mini vacuum: kruimel dief (sounds like cremel deef)

sleep: slaap

cozy, atmosphere: gezellig (sounds like he-zellick)

what's up: hoe is het (slang: hoe ist? Sounds like Whoe-ist)

Tuesday~Amsterdam...Not!

Amsterdam! or so was the plan until I woke up with a sore throat and could hardly swallow. Then Samantha got up and didn't feel like going. She wanted to take it easy, so we had a Roolant breakfast for hours and looked at pictures and talked. Then we finally got our act together and showered for the day, which it was now 1pm. I felt weak and tired but had to do something since I wasn't going to Amsterdam.

We went to an internet cafe since Margot wanted to download something for work and Samantha wanted proper coffee. When you go to a proper shop it is good and very frothy. I had taken a sudafed and some cough drops before we went and that combined with the coffee made me hyper but also so spacey and high. At least it kept me up for the conversation. I started to feel weak and Margot had to walk back for the internet man and to write her directing proposal. Sam decided to walk around and look at the shops.

I came home and passed out. I woke up at ten to six to Margot freaking out. She had to write her proposal in Flemish. And although she spoke Flemish in her home growing up, she went to school in English and therefore she was not sure her writing is good. Her dad was trying to proof read it but she needed to get the boss by 6pm and she had left it until late. And the internet man didn't actually set up anything and told her that there was no signal and it would be working tomorrow after she set it up herself. I remember this problem in England too. They just come to check that the line is working and then send a signal to it. Meanwhile, she couldn't go to an internet cafe to send it because they had all shut. Luckily her boss said she could send it tomorrow morning. Sleeping was so helpful but my throat still killed.

The Roolants took Samantha and me out to an amazing dinner down by the water. As usual, I had a hard time deciding. Despite my illness, I felt like oysters. I got lamb for a main course but couldn't finish it all so I asked for it to take away. The waitress looked confused and shocked. Hours later after dessert (I asked for a hot toddy, which no one knew the Flemish equivalent so we had to describe the ingredients. Don't worry they got it right), the waitress brought back my lamb in a little plastic tuber ware container. It looked like she had to clean out one they in the kitchen. It was embarrassing because I guess you don't ask for a doggie bag. opps! The bathroom at the restaurant was amazing! When you flushed the seat rotated so it could be cleaned. It was amazing!

When we got home, Margot, Samantha and I made a huge bed on the floor in the living room, watched a movie and fell asleep.

Monday~Leaving Knokke

Margot had to get up early and go to a meeting at work in Gent. Samantha and I woke up late and had a lovely Roolant breakfast and then took the train to Antwerp. On the long train ride we were able to catch up. It was so lovely just chatting with Sam. We phoned Sam Man, who was unable to come to Belgium and the last minute. Awww I miss him and that bastard made me cry on the phone. Totally breaks my heart that I wasn't able to see him. Aaron also called because he is recording some stuff for Samantha and we were able to talk as well. I was sad when he couldn't come either.

When we arrived in Antwerp, Sam and I went shopping. We spent a lot of time at H&M and Sam helped me pick out a cute outfit. When I first came to London I had no, and I'm talking NO sense of style. The more time I spend in America the more I loose of the sense of style I picked up while in London. I miss Europe fashion, however this new rave fashion is all the rage. I'm not a fan. All the shops shut at 6pm, so Sam and I went to get a latte (which really means a shot of espresso and you can add your own milk and sugar) before meeting up with Margot at the apartment.

Margot has a work internship where they have just asked her to direct a commercial for a restaurant. Their tag line is "Animals would kill to get in here." Kinda funny kinda freaky. When she first described it I thought it was for the preservation of animals not about cooking them! She has to film and edit it. It is so exciting and a really big break for her. However, she is soo stressed out because she has to learn more about animation editing. But I have faith. She'll be great!
A dinner we trashed talked about life, uni, and friends (past & present). I miss friends like this. Friends who saw you grow up.

Margot's Birthday~Lazy Sunday

We got up around noon. I discovered that I had several mosquito bites. I haven't seen any all summer and I come to Belgium and get attacked! Gross.
We had a real Belgium breakfast. I love the breakfasts at the Roolant house. They always put out a nice spread. Fresh bread, ham, Parma ham, bologna, pate, liver, mini shrimp, crab salad, chicken curry salad, and Gouda and butter of course! So Belgian! I stick to break cheese and ham because I'm not so sure about the crab or shrimps.
Margot opened her presents and answered all her phone calls to wish her happy birthday from all over the world. We then spent the rest of the day lounging around and watching "Oliver Twist" on TCM.
Samantha arrived later that night. We had left overs and we sat on the couch and looked through all my pictures and caught up while Margot and the Roolants went to sleep. It was so nice that she was so interested in the year she missed. We picked up right where we left off. Good friends are like this, not even the distance can separate us.

Margot's Birthday Party

Whoa What a night! I slept until 4pm and then some of her friends picked us up and took us to Knokke. Knokke is the prettiest and most expensive beach town in Belgium. Margot's family has a house here where she used to come every summer. When we got to Knokke (an hour and a half car ride from Antwerp) we got dressed for her bling bling birthday party. Her mom and dad were in the kitchen preparing the food. They had only arrived the day before from Thailand and they were already put to work. It was so nice to see them again.
Then we all had drinks outside until we were good and sauced. Dinner was served much later (European style) but of course I still have no concept of time. I'm just glad I'm up and hungry at the correct time. Dinner was amazing! Better than any restaurant. There was beef and chicken and salad and grilled mushrooms and som tum (spicy Thai mango salad)...all amazing. Then there was dancing in the living room and cake later! Chocolate Raspberry deliciousness. Such a fun fun night. We stayed up until 5am, which doesn't mean anything to me because I am on some in between time. I'm so excited I'm up and not tired.
I'm picking up some Flemish and trying to use what little French I know. People have said that my accent is pretty good in both...yeah!! I know most of Margot's Belgian friends from a couple of summers ago and the new ones I meet are so much fun and I love them immediately. Marie went back to France and Louise went back to Sweden, but I know that if I'm in either country I'll have a friend to see. I'm falling in love with Europe!

Arriving in Belgium

Today I got up at 6:00am (omg way WAY too early for me!!) and traveled to see my bestest friend Margot for her birthday. We went to uni together in London and during that time we were pretty much inseparable. We could communicate without even finishing our sentences. Full conversations could go on with just "umm, yeah....you know that thing" "Yeah totally, didn't like that". A Super girl skill that only happens between the best of friends. She just moved to Antwerp, Belgium to work. Although she is Belgian she spent her whole life in Thailand. She has a whole slew of International friends and I love meeting them because they are all always down for whatever and super friendly and open-minded. Today I met Louise, at the airport (she's from Sweden but like Margot has been all over and now has returned to her "country") and Marie (from Ghana and ALL over who now lives in Paris) and tomorrow for her actual b-day party I will meet tonnes more! It is so fun to get together with a group of girls and go out for dinner and drinks. And that is pretty much what we've done all day. And I'm so lucky that I can come back to Europe and see Margot.

Oh P.S. The blog page is all in Flemish which sometimes makes it difficult...

T.B.A. Second Weekend-GATZ

Home stretch! Above is a picture of me enjoy my dinner break picnic in my car during Gatz.

Claude Wampler: I really liked her video instillation. It looked like ghosts playing, such a cool effect. I thought it went on a little long and there were so many plants that I felt like I was not invited to the party. I felt left out. Maybe that was what I was supposed to feel.

Ten Tiny Dances: What a treat. I had never seen them before, but I'm hooked. I thought everyone did such a nice job and I can't wait until next time.

Elevator Repair Service-Gatz: Amazing. Totally totally amazing. It really is incredible that an audience will sit through a 7 hour show. I was exhausted afterwards but I it was engaging the whole time. I never got bored or tired. That says a lot about Fitzgerald's writing and ERS's performance. The man who played Nick had the perfect speaking voice for the part. Even when it was just him on stage he was magnificent. So different than books on tape, a real theatrical experience. If you get a chance to see them you totally should.

What a fabulous festival...I'm totally inspired.

Nature Theatre of Oklahoma: A Conversation with Kristan Seemel

I got the only pink and red Nature Theater of Oklahoma shirt that Pavol made for himself...but he couldn't fit in it because it's a girls medium so he sold it to us. Look at how wonderful!! I loved their concept of using the transcript from a phone conversation as their script. Copying is the best form of flattery so I decided to record my conversation with Kristan Seemel verbatim and post on my blog.
P.S. We are exhausted from seeing so many shows and staying up late and we are drinking.

K: So we are just hitting recored and seeing what happens. Umm

M:We are going to talk about NTO.

K: Ok

M: So, so far it’s kinda been the most inspirational piece. Not the most inspirational because I have to say that the Suicide Kings was pretty emotionally inspirational. But as far as for a theater performer, the work they are doing is fresh and exciting and cool experimental theater

K: I think part of what makes it particularly evocative for us is that it umm he doesn’t, Pavol doesn’t umm think of it as theater. He is a theater artists and he works text based a lot umm but as soon as he works within a ensemble generated, all of his ensemble generated work has been considered dance. I mean he declares it as dance.

M: Right and like the piece we saw last year, um Poetics…

K: Ballet Brute

M: Ballet Brute, umm is was incredibly dance oriented…like it was all a dance. It took it was dance for the non-dancer. It took the average dance move and umm …you can have some of mine if you want…and then but..

K: we’re looking for beer…

M: and umm… (giggle) but what was different about this year is that there is very little dancing. I kept waiting for the dance. I mean yes, they were doing…umm systematized movements ugh when they were talking. Especially the guy in the cowboy hat, what’s his name?

K: (silence)

M: Anyway, umm they were doing those movements like just kinda unrelated umm to what they were saying so it was kinda a dance in a way but like the real break out dancing with music and all that didn’t happen until..

K: the intermission and the end of the show

M: spurts. Well you know and right before the intermission…oh yeah you said

K:yeah right before the intermission. they used it as act closers more than anything else.

M: Yeah

K: UMM. But I think that it was, for ME for what I think of dance. I mean we’ve had this WE have had a little bit of this conversation before specially talking about MAP ME. But umm I think of it very much as dance. Um it actually is so systematized that really the only, there is so much improve in it that a lot of what would be considered a traditional theater directors work becomes choreography. It’s a system it’s a system in which or a modern dance choreographers choreography like he, they were allowed positions that they could take. there is not a specific place that certain people have to be on stage. all of the staging is reduced to a choreographic system. instead of so people are wandering around people like when they want to there’s certain position they are allowed to occupy on stage. And they move to those positions they don’t they don’t have to move to another position they don’t have to be in this place. I mean some of the parts are like very more much more systematized so you will be far away from this person. But theres like three different spots you could pick.

M: right, up at the proscenium. back. middle.

K: (overlapping ) and there were very there were there were probably about twelve positions on stage they were allowed to use and within each of those twelves positions they were three general like orientations towards the audience that they were allowed to use and after that they had a system of choreography within specific positions that they had to that they were allowed to use. In fact they were only allowed to use it in position one when they were facing the audience. Otherwise they didn’t do any choreography while they were facing away in general

M: well…

K: but they could. I mean I don’t I don’t know. I didn’t I didn’t notice that.

M: The one that seemed to be doing the most choreography was…the one with his shirt off that was uh at the at the desk that (sigh) umm kinda cowboy looking guy, what’s his…

K: whenever he was sitting yes

M: yes whenever he was sitting. And kind of facing the audience

K: whenever they were talking about work.

M:Yeah

K: And he had a very that was clearly and that’s where like I talk about a choreographic system but theres also like theres dynamics in that systems. So it’s like when you are sitting at talking about work you will do more choreography. And I don’t know what you do with a performer like that . like if you. you can stress it but I don’t know if you stress it and then you let it be. And let the performer sort of gage it cause it’s still heavily improvised. Or do you do you really say when you are at your desk you must work very intensely with our choreography. And I think I suspect that’s what Pavol did. I suspect that's what the choreography of the piece is. That when they are sitting at the desk they do more much more.

M: Or facing the audience

K: or talking about work

M:work yes

K: work was a big keynote specifically because ultimately the system of symbols that they had are physical choreographic...individualize choreographic moves that they were allowed. There's really only about twenty of them at most and not even that many. In fact I could probably recreate many of them that's how frequently they repeated themselves.

M: absolutely. yeah I agree.

K: which is wonderful actually in a lot of ways because it it it had. for me it had an alienating effect. It pushed it it reminded you constantly that there is a dance going on. It was the thing that kinda gave them a little bit more permission. maybe. If I if I were to like hazard a guess of theory wise of how it works. why the piece cause the piece. we can both agree that the piece works.

M: umhm.

K: It works by it is the work. it imitates and borrows everything from the the worst theater worst..

M: Dinner theater.

K: melodramatic dinner theater you have ever seen in your life. And yet. it works.

M: right.

K: and...

M: and that was the inspiration for it.

K: and that's the magic the magic of it the thing that is inspirational. well the thing that's inspirational for us watching it is like its totally works, in spite of it being the worst kind of theater you can imagine. It borrowed so heavily from it that it totally imitated it. It's pretty amazing what is achieved using all the signs and symbols of bad theater intensely and committing to them 100%. And I really wonder as a dramaturg, I'm looking at like three or four different things that help them to do that, but I don't know what the answer is. And it's kinda special when the magic, when all the pieces, when you can't figure out all the ingredients is in this beautiful dish you are eating, that looks like pizza, looks like white trash pizza but like tastes like gourmet brilliant food. like the best like something you've ever tasted before and is amazing to your pallet and you want to eat it forever more. Like you have to try, like the first thing as a dramaturg is oh what are the magic ingredients? and you try to solve it, but I don't have solution. I just guess but it like totally worked. I mean it was like brilliant. I think they are...methodologically intense. Theres, they are very rigorous. I don't know how you can be that rigorous and still be fresh.


This is just 8 mins of an hour conversation...man can we talk.

T.B.A. Monday thru Friday-I'm a sexy Robot

After a fabulous weekend I was looking forward to seeing more!

Las Chicas 3.5 Floppies: Fabulous acting. Both of the women were very believable. You felt for them and at the same time you wanted to find a way out for them. I wanted them to make the right choice, but in the end they were replaced by two women just like them. The never ending cycle of poverty and desperation. This story isn't just about two women and their relationship, its about the larger issue and the play does a great job of bring their story to life.

Kassys: Something's rotten in the stage of Denmark-OK...NOT Denmark but that line just comes to mind when I think back to the performance. The characters begin by putting on a play in which Holden has died and they are all grieving together and exhibiting odd behavior, like shredding plants. They play ends and we see behind the scenes and into the actors lives. I could feel their desperate loneliness seep off the screen. But also funny funny!! This is the last time I saw Marc Acito at the festival. We had been following each other from event to event, but this is the last one we were at together.

Nature Theater of Oklahoma: I want to run away and join your company!! OMG I LOVE THEM! Really amazing well executed, fresh and honest experimental theater. More on this later...check out my next blog when Kristan Seemel and I record our conversation about them.

Teeth: Visually very interesting. The group with "plaque" all over them were the best. They brought a sense of comedy to the piece. I do not recommend seeing this performance if you are easily upset by loud noises and bright flashing lights.

Young Jean Lee: I was excited to see this play because of her review in American Theater magazine. If I ever got in American Theater magazine I would probably pee my pants. And I dunno, but after seeing Jean Lee's Songs of the Dragons Flying to Heaven, I don't think Jean Lee knows what's she wants to say or how. I found out later that she admits to this in AMT, so I guess it's no secret. She did have some wonderful moments in the script, so I know she has talent and an interesting perspective. I just wish the play had looked a little more rehearsed, but maybe that's the quality she was going for; but if this is the case I don't get it.

Zoe Scofield & Juniper Shuey: Wonderful. Very athletic. The costumes were gorgeous as well. I really enjoyed that all of the dancing was partnered and developed on this theme. Dances were choreographed together and then one or two dancers would break apart and build on the previous choreography. I just think it is so beautiful when people dance in unison. It takes great focus. I would definitely love to see more of their work, which I think is doable because they are a Seattle based company.


And that ended our week...

T.B.A. First Weekend

Wow, I am exhausted...I kinda went crazy over the weekend running from performance to performance. I nearly got in several car accidents and almost hit some people. My boyfriend doesn't want to ride in the car with me anymore...What?! I'm not THAT bad! Some people...
Anywho.

I am so pleased with everything I have seen. Some really inspiring performance art. There has not been one performance where I walked away and thought, wow that was crap!

Here is a list of what I've seen (and if you didn't see it...sucks to be you!)

Suicide Kings: So so so amazing. These guys are really talented slam poets and have created seamless piece of theater. They took their slam poetry and crafted a "what if" scenario based on the work they do in schools: they travel from classroom to classroom teaching a writing workshop. The work they do and the performance they put together was really inspiring. I got chills, laughed and even cried. Fabulous.

Marc Bamuthi Joseph: beautiful beautiful story-telling. I really liked learning about his life and his personal perspective. This work was a work in progress, but you could obviously tell he was a talented artists; he could dance, beat-box, and engage the audience. What a gift!

Taylor Mac: Hilarious. Beautiful. Heartfelt. His monster drag cabaret show was a "best of" of his other acts. He had a way of making us laugh our asses off and then quickly turning the moment serious. It's his eyes. Even through his latex blue face and his sequin eye make-up, you could see deep down into his soul. I wanted to hug and kiss him and immediately make him my new best friend.

Reggie Watts: He kept us all entertained with his fabulous beat-box songs, including my favorite, "fuck shit stack". Reggie is taking the piss-the American way with his improvised song, dance and performance show Disinformation.

Charlotte Vanden Eynde & Kurt Vandendriessche: Naked Belgians! Map me, get it? Explore our bodies using different mediums, (mainly film). Interesting. The best part about it was when they covered their heads in plastic bags and duck-tape and explored each other while blind. Beautifully intimate. I don't know why but the image of them with their heads ducked taped together reminded me of the torture at Abu Ghraib. No picture necessary but check out their promotional picture...See what I mean?
But, I do not feel like they were trying to reference this event or torture at all. It just the way my mind works. I feel like it really was more about cutting off the other senses and just exploring each other with touch.

Donna Uchizono Company: I loved the first piece. The sets, the lighting, the sound, and especially the choreography was A-maz-ing. I don't see a lot of dance, but I was mesmerized by this performance. Perfect from beginning to end.



More to come about TBA...and I apologize if my thoughts don't seem fully formed...I'm tired. This art is soo stimulating!!

Female Directors

For our artistic retreat on Tuesday we are asked to talk about our goals personally and professionally. I want to direct. I am planning on directing something later this year in Portland (more to come about this I'm sure).
So I was looking for inspiration from other female directors and I did a google search and didn't find a whole lot. Wiki provides me with a list of directors both in film and theater. Does anyone else know of any other female theatrical directors?
Instead of working on my project I'm blogging about my frustration. Help!
Female directors I know of:

Mary Anne “Buzz” Goodbody (the first women director for the Royal Shakespeare Company)
Joan Littlewood (been considered as an important and influential British theatrical director & founder of Theatre Works)
Lily Susan Todd (Deborah Levy’s play Heresies in a brief Women’s Project within the Royal Shakespeare Company)
Sarah Pia Anderson, Garry Hynes, Di Trevis & Deborah Warner(directors at the Royal Shakespeare Company during the 1988 season. This was so remarkable that their story was published in the New York Times.)

Nancy Meckler (an American who came to fame in Britain)

Sue Parrish (founder of the Women’s Theatre Group now known as The Sphinx)

Sue Pomeroy (founder of Good Company)

Jules Wright (Deputy Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre and a freelance director)

Genista McIntosh (Executive Director of the Royal National Theatre )

Nancy Diuguid ( from the U. S. worked in Britain as a director for theatre, opera & film)

Julia Bardsley (formed dereck, dereck Productions)

Jenny Killick (1985 was named the youngest Artistic Director in Britain and the first women to hold that position)

Annie Castledine (Due to her success in theatre she has gained work in television and became the Producer in Development for BBC television drama and director of Henry IV for BBC television. )

Phyllida Lloyd (member of the advisory committee of the Royal Court Theatre)

Katie Mitchell (Founded Classics on a Shoestring & directs for the National)

Sue Schilperoot & Julie Child (founders of the Women’s Issues Theatre)

Anne Bogart (Founded the SITI company in 1992 & helped to develop Viewpoints)

Julie Taymor (Award winning director of Broadway theatre and film)


As you can probably tell most of these woman are from England. This is because I graduated from University of London. The first photo is of me directing my documentary about how American's perform their Americaness abroad, for my senior thesis.