Knight and I may, or may not, have mouthed the word “hush” – or maybe it was “shutup” – from onstage into the audience where my parents were loudly laughing in response to whatever was happening on the stage. Or maybe it was my tights. See, memory can be fuzzy. Either way, my professionalism as an actor was born that day.
I’ve never quite known if it was more a genuine calling to perform or an overblown case of Middle Child Syndrome. Probably equal parts both. Nevertheless, since roughly 1995 to now, I’ve never been offstage for any prolonged period of time.
A quick summary of the years 1995 to present would have to include my first short film, my best onstage recovery, and my first time sharing the stage with a penis.
But even those highlights – or low lights, depending on your perspective – can’t encapsulate some of the greater moments to be found in my career as a Starving Artist. Through the chance reading of a slim book of sermons, I was inspired to develop and produce a multi-award nominated theatrical experience. My work on that show garnered the attention of The Buechner Institute, out of Tennessee, whose work serves to engage the crossroads of faith and culture. In 2010, I was invited to become a member of the National Advisory Board of the Institute, helping to promote their work and the life’s work of Frederick Buechner, himself.
It is The Birth, as a piece of theater – a piece of artistry – that prompted me to develop a company, Starving Artist Productions. Starving Artist exists to awaken audiences with rich artistic and entertainment experiences by cultivating life in all its best forms. That may sound grandiose, but note the first part: awaken audiences. An audience is anyone watching/reading/observing anything. In effect, all of us are an audience of some kind at some point. My hope is that the art I create, whether independently or in concert with Starving Artist, awakens you and awakens me. I can tell stories that make you laugh. Or stories that make you cry. Or stories that make you scratch your head and wonder why I told you that story at all (and I’m sure plenty of our work will fall into this category).
If I may be allowed to do anything in this life, through my creative endeavors, or just through my existence, it would be – to borrow a phrase from Andrew Peterson – to tell the Truth in the most beautiful way possible.
That’s all I’d like to do.
Thanks for visiting the site. Sit a spell and read something, or watch something. But above all, when you leave, figure out what Story you want to tell, and start the telling.
