Accomplished artistic leader, visionary theatre director, memory expert, acting Garrett Ayers SDC coach, and innovator with a successful track record founding companies, Director/Teacher/Memory Coach directing productions, overseeing season programming, producing, casting/hiring, fundraising, budgeting, strategic planning, and development. Versatility and expertise generating work using both classical and contemporary forms/techniques across diverse style spectrum: regional, NYC, international, experimental, site-specific.
Personal Info Experience
Address 2013 - Founder 2306 Cedarwood Dr. present The Actor's Dream Fort Collins, CO 80526 • Coached Kecia Lewis off-book in 10 days as last-minute replacement for CSC's USA NYC revival of Mother Courage And Her Children (NY Times Critics Pick) Phone • Train and coach actors how to improve memorization (720) 216-3138 • Manage company website (www.theactorsdream.com) • Film weekly video tutorials and podcasts E-mail • Teach memorization workshops [email protected] 2013 - Special Assistant Professor of Theatre (Acting/Directing) Skills present Colorado State University Artistic Leadership • Teach undergraduate acting & directing classes • Direct Mainstage university productions Directing • Create new curriculum Acting Coaching • Serve on departmental committees
Memory Coaching 2017 - Associate Artistic Director/Development Director 2018 Bas Bleu Theatre Company Community • Organized/Raised over $57,000 in four months for 2018 "Raise The Roof" campaign Outreach • Organized/Raised over $25,000 for 2018 Mardi Gras Benefit Strategic Planning • Organized/Raised $20,000 for 2017 Colorado Gives campaign Curriculum • Led season selection process Development • Directed Mainstage productions • Created new educational programming/youth summer camps Fundraising 2012 - Teaching Artist Grantwriting 2014 Denver Center Theatre Company Stanislavski • Taught The Actor's Dream memory workshops
The Viewpoints 2010 - Charles Evans Fellow (Directing) Grotowski 2011 McCarter Theatre Center • Coached Mercedes Ruehl in world premiere of The How And The Why Devising • Resident Assistant Director for entire 2010-11 Mainstage Season Microsoft Office • Assistant-Produced McCarter LAB Festival Suite • Directed in Youth Ink! New Play Festival
Google G Suite 2004 - Founding Artistic Director 2006 Moment Work Harlem Theater Project/Project: Theater • Secured residency at Harlem's National Black Theatre Contemplative • Directed/Produced/Cast all productions Dance • Formed partnerships with Harlem Arts Alliance and local artisans Martial Arts Other Professional Experience
2002 - The Wooster Group 2004 Intern/Production Assistant
2002 The Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards Selection Participant Education
2007 - Naropa University 2009 Boulder, CO M.F.A. in Theatre: Contemporary Performance, 2009
1997 - Western Michigan University 2001 Kalamazoo, MI B.A. in Theatre Performance, 2001
Awards
2018 KCACTF Region VII Meritorious Achievement Award (Directing, Appropriate)
2013 SDC Guest Artist Initiative Recipient
2010 McCarter Theatre Center Charles Evans Fellowship (Directing)
2000 Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo Emerging Artist Grant
Professional Affiliations
2013 Associate Member, Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers (SDC)
2012 Member, Theatre Communications Group
2009 Alumnus, Lincoln Center Theatre Directors Lab
Directing Experience
See Attached On Following Page Directing Experience
Production Author Producer
She Kills Monsters* Qui Nguyen Colorado State University Appropriate Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins Colorado State University Elephant’s Graveyard George Brant Bas Bleu Theatre Company Reefer Madness (The Musical) Murphy/Studney Colorado State University The Glass Menagerie Tennessee Williams Colorado State University Complete Works/Shakes(abridged) Reduced Shakespeare Co. Colorado State University Spring Awakening Frank Wedekind Colorado State University Prelude To A Kiss Craig Lucas Colorado Springs FAC Heubner The Reluctant Alan Haehnel McCarter Summer Theatre The Legend and the Rookie Carlos Rodriguez McCarter Youth INK! Festival La Vie En Rose Colin Cowperthwaite Curious Theatre N ew Voices Dream About Love Anton Chekhov, ad. Naropa University Locking Yourself Out Raymond Carver, ad. Naropa University The Letter Garrett Ayers Naropa University Blindness H. de Montalambert, ad. Naropa University Language Of Angels Naomi Iizuka Project: Theater Something I’ll Tell You Tuesday John Guare Project: Theater The Loveliest Afternoon of the Year John Guare Project: Theater The Great American Desert Joel Oppenheimer Harlem Theatre Project/P:T Rock Garden Sam Shepherd Western Michigan University Bitter Sauce Eric Bogosian Western Michigan University
Assistant An Iliad Lisa Peterson, dir. McCarter Theatre Sleeping Beauty Wakes Rebecca Taichman, dir. McCarter Theatre Trojan Women Kevin Kuhlke, dir. NYU-Tisch Crimes of the Heart Liesl Tommy, dir. McCarter Theatre The How and the Why Emily Mann, dir. McCarter Theatre
Observer Poor Theatre Elizabeth LeCompte, dir. The Wooster Group Me, Myself, and I Emily Mann, dir. Playwrights Horizons Brace Up! Elizabeth LeCompte, dir. The Wooster Group
*upcoming April/May 2020