AN INTERVIEW WITH THE DIRECTOR
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE DIRECTOR
EMMA DRTINA INTERVIEWED DIRECTOR MATTHEW WEEDMAN FOR THE FALL ISSUE OF THE TCR MARQUEE. ANDREW LIPPA’ S WILD PARTY IS WEEDMAN’ S DIRECTING DEBUT AT THEATRE CEDAR RAPIDS.
ED: How did you get started in theatre?
MW: When I was very young, my family took a trip to England which included a visit to the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford to see a production of As You Like It. It was, for me, a life changing event. Even though it was long ago, I can remember vivid details about the costumes, the set and stage combat, and especially the actors. The actor who played Jacques was so funny and sad and good that I walked out of the theatre knowing that I wanted to do that myself( really, I wanted to be him).
ED: Give a brief description of your theatre background.
MW: I’ ve been a professional actor for most of my life. I took a rambling path through my undergraduate education partly because I often dropped out of school in order to get an acting job. I ended up getting a degree in theatre from a school( my fifth college) in Tennessee and then moved to Los Angeles to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in Acting at UCLA. I then worked in L. A. as an actor, director and coach.
ED: How long have you been at UNI and what do you teach?
MW: I am the Assistant Professor of Voice and Movement at the University of Northern Iowa and have been here for almost five years. I teach courses in the voice and movement sequence for our performance students. Much of the work that I do is grounded in Fitzmaurice Voicework ®— a full-body approach to voice training.
ED: What excites you about directing at TCR?
MW: I’ m very excited to come to TCR because I love how important this theatre is to the community and the arts culture in Cedar
Rapids. I’ m very happy to get to collaborate and know a new group of artists.
ED: What excites you about directing Andrew Lippa’ s Wild Party specifically?
MW: I really, really like Wild Party. It’ s a show that has so much. It’ s edgy and sexy and the music is powerful.
ED: Do you have a favorite past show that you’ ve been a part of? What was your role?
MW: I was in a production for the Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble called The Heretic Mysteries. It was a nearly four hour-long show about religious heresy in medieval France. I know that doesn’ t sound awesome but believe me, it was a fantastic experience and a great, great show to be a part of.
ED: If you could direct any show, what would you choose?
MW: Andrew Lippa’ s Wild Party
ED: As a new-to-TCR director, what do you hope to bring to the experience of participants?
MW: I love to work and I love to direct. I approach every project first with a great sense of humor. It’ s important to me that we can laugh and together create a space that is open and receptive to creativity and collaborative support. I also like to jump in and work with rigor and passion. I’ ve given my whole life to theatre and I love to share it and to watch people grow.
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