What Inspires Me?

Queer Representation

  • As a queer artist it is important for me to tell our stories to humanize, normalize, and recognize the queer experience. Now, more than ever, when our validity as queer people is constantly being challenged by our country and government, it is important to unapologetically stick together, to have people spend an hour or two in our reality, and to be gay as hell. Putting these works on shows people we are real, shows queer kids they are valid, and shows us queer actors we not only can tell our own stories but heal from our art as well. In October of 2021, I got the chance to play a genderbent Helena which put a queer lens on the classic tale of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This was the catalyst for my passion of reimagining shows, specifically with a queer lens on them.

    • Those People (2015)

    • Bare: A Pop Opera

    • RENT

  • Midsummer Night's Dream. JMU 10/10/2021

    Photographer: Photos ©2021 Richard Finkelstein

    Director: Oliver Meyes

    Scenic Design: Richard Finkelstein

    Costume Design: Kathleen Conery

    Associate Costume Designer: Skyler James, Sophie Sons

    Lighting Design: Catherine Holcomb

    Cast: Gavin Kiley, Amanda Willis, Bridget Gooley, Natalie Garciz-Ruiz, Maddie Thomas, Mason Jett, Abel Haddish, Joshua Higgins, Sydney Miller, Mitch Glaes, Jack Dalrymple, Madison Munson, Steven Sullivan, Cristian Bonilla Lainez, Carter Crosby, Maleek Hill, Diana Afriye-Opoku, Allie Lytle, Liam Klopfenstein, Lindsay Marcus, Becca Stehle, Bailey Ryon Production Manager-Technical Director:Brian Smallwood

Economic Inequality

  • In a world where those born into wealth often benefit off the backs of everyday laborers, where it is nearly impossible to climb the socioeconomic, where people work multiple full time jobs and still are dying because they don’t have access to healthcare, it has always been a priority of mine to scrutinize the ethicality of economic systems. Reenforcing that even when the answer is not clear cut, we still have to acknowledge what is not the answer. Especially when these issues are weaponized not only against the lower and middle classes, but intersectionally against other already marginalized groups.

    • Healthcare is a human right

    • Parasite (2019)

    • The Platform (2019)

    • Ragtime (coming from a very intersectional view)

    • We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

    • Little Shop of Horrors

  • Rent, Presented by

    James Madison University

    School of Theatre and Dance

    November 1–5, 2022

    Photos by Richard Finkelstein

    Written and composed by Jonathan Larson

    Directed by Kate Lumpkin, C.S.A.

    Choreography by Milena J. Comeau

    Additional Choreography by Kate Lumpkin, C.S.A.

    Music Direction by Adam Shenk

    Scenic Design by Richard Finkelstein

    Costume Design by Kathleen Conery

    Lighting Design by Steven Spera

    Sound Design by Ben Steinhauer

    Dramaturg: Jordan Hundley

    Stage Manager: Abby Kelley

    Production Manager: Brian Smallwood

    Technical Director: Lindsey Kelley

    Costume Shop Supervisor: Kathleen Conery

    Electric Shop Supervisor: Catherine Holcomb

    Film and Projections: Kate Lumpkin

    Scene Shop Supervisor: Alex Sasse

    Properties Shop Supervisor: Sam Bay

    Cast:

    Officer Martin, Mimi’s Mother, et. al.: Aaliyah Ellison

    Gordon, a waiter, et. al.: Aaron Crouse

    Joanne Jefferson: Angeline Ignacio

    Alexi Darling, Over The Moon, et. al.: Bailey Ryon

    Mimi Marquez: Bridgette Carey

    Squeegieman, Mr. Grey, et. al.: Elliott Davis

    Tom Collins et. al.: Isaiah Young

    Mark Cohen et. al.: Jakobh McHone

    Roger’s Mom et. al.: Jolie Smith

    Paul, a pastor, et. al.: Joshua Higgins

    Over The Moon, blanket woman, et. al.: Kaia Coles

    Maureen Johnson et. al.: Layla Sartipy

    Steve, The Man et. al.: Maleek Hill

    Mr. Jefferson et. al.: Mason Jett

    Club Kid et. al.: Mason Vales

    Angel Dumott Schunard: Myles Curry

    Benjamin Coffin III: Nathan Yannarell

    April, Britt, et. al.: Oshie Mellon

    Roger Davis et. al.: Preston Steele

    Mrs. Cohen, a coat vendor, et. al.: Samantha Haughton

    Pam, Seasons of Love Soloist, et. al.: Shannon McCarthy

    Mrs. Jefferson, Val, et. al.: Trey Jordan

Truth

  • My love for truthful stories is not necessarily grounded in realism, rather in real experiences. Whether that be about love, death, or success, I think there is something very universal and healing about relating to someone’s shared and truthful experience, as well as something important and revelatory with being made to critically think about sometimes every day things. Even articulating the most awful of experiences perfectly can be cathartic and gorgeous. I love REAL theatre. It is all in the nuance. Make me feel, but also make me think.

    Favorite Examples:

    • Ordinary Days

    • The Last Five Years

    • Tuck Everlasting

    • Pippin

  • As humans, it is unfortunately in our nature to sometimes believe things that simply are not true. From an evolutionary standpoint, we tend to look for confirmation bias and hold strongly onto beliefs we already believe in. However, simply put, there are scientific truths that when ignored cause serious harm in our society. People however are often convinced by anecdotal evidence over scientific evidence regardless of which of the two is objectively better. Theatre is in a perfect spot for this. Storytelling is our medium. Finding ways to use this tool of anecdotes to also encourage trust in the scientific process can be an incredible way to use our art form. Coming at these topics from a place of understanding, compassion, and reasoning is my goal. However, I do believe that satire can be very useful when coming from within a group.

  • Rent, Presented by

    James Madison University

    School of Theatre and Dance

    November 1–5, 2022

    Photos by Richard Finkelstein

    Written and composed by Jonathan Larson

    Directed by Kate Lumpkin, C.S.A.

    Choreography by Milena J. Comeau

    Additional Choreography by Kate Lumpkin, C.S.A.

    Music Direction by Adam Shenk

    Scenic Design by Richard Finkelstein

    Costume Design by Kathleen Conery

    Lighting Design by Steven Spera

    Sound Design by Ben Steinhauer

    Dramaturg: Jordan Hundley

    Stage Manager: Abby Kelley

    Production Manager: Brian Smallwood

    Technical Director: Lindsey Kelley

    Costume Shop Supervisor: Kathleen Conery

    Electric Shop Supervisor: Catherine Holcomb

    Film and Projections: Kate Lumpkin

    Scene Shop Supervisor: Alex Sasse

    Properties Shop Supervisor: Sam Bay

    Cast:

    Officer Martin, Mimi’s Mother, et. al.: Aaliyah Ellison

    Gordon, a waiter, et. al.: Aaron Crouse

    Joanne Jefferson: Angeline Ignacio

    Alexi Darling, Over The Moon, et. al.: Bailey Ryon

    Mimi Marquez: Bridgette Carey

    Squeegieman, Mr. Grey, et. al.: Elliott Davis

    Tom Collins et. al.: Isaiah Young

    Mark Cohen et. al.: Jakobh McHone

    Roger’s Mom et. al.: Jolie Smith

    Paul, a pastor, et. al.: Joshua Higgins

    Over The Moon, blanket woman, et. al.: Kaia Coles

    Maureen Johnson et. al.: Layla Sartipy

    Steve, The Man et. al.: Maleek Hill

    Mr. Jefferson et. al.: Mason Jett

    Club Kid et. al.: Mason Vales

    Angel Dumott Schunard: Myles Curry

    Benjamin Coffin III: Nathan Yannarell

    April, Britt, et. al.: Oshie Mellon

    Roger Davis et. al.: Preston Steele

    Mrs. Cohen, a coat vendor, et. al.: Samantha Haughton

    Pam, Seasons of Love Soloist, et. al.: Shannon McCarthy

    Mrs. Jefferson, Val, et. al.: Trey Jordan

Rap, Music, and Songwriting

  • Rap and Hip-Hop (Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Qveen Herby, Killumantii, Kendrick Lamar, 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Lil Wayne)

    Alternative/R&B (Bruno Major, Eloise, Tinashe, MICHELLE, SZA, Victoria Monét, Janelle Monáe)

    Pop (Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish)

    Jazz (Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennet, Julie London, Nat King Cole)

    Pop Punk (Demi Lovato, Neck Deep, Broadside)

  • I love music and I love songwriting, but I am OBSESSED with rhythm and word play. Being able to connect two (or more) completely different ideas through the way you choose and place your words, or using the sounds of words and alliteration to elicit a certain feeling blows my mind. I love rap for so many reasons. I love how honestly words and their sounds can tell an experience unlike any other medium. I love how confident rap makes me feel. I love using rap as a form of social outcry and political protest. I hate censorship for censorship sake, and I love that rap doesn’t censor itself. Rap helps express a certain side of me that a lot of other forms can’t.