Coming of age in the 60’s I learned to question everything and believe in nothing. My sense of self overpowered reason and left me without a means of finding my own humanity. Then by coincidence in a fashion never conceived by me I discovered the rapture of theatre.

In a moment of epiphany, my unguided trek toward an assured oblivion was transformed to a sense of purpose upon being cast in a studio production of, “The Dumb Waiter”, by Harold Pinter. On opening night as the curtain went up, I came to realize that this little experiment in school socialization had far more significance than all of the machinations of my drug-addled mind.

Discovering the power of communication, the insight of questions, and the strength of possibilities gave me a sense of purpose unseen by me prior to that moment. Much to my mother’s chagrin, I forewent her long planned career for me in law and began a lifelong commitment to theatre.

At first, like most I sought fame and fortune. What I found is that with each role I undertook, with each play in which I became engaged, I found a little more hope for a brighter future, and by and by a little less need for me to be at the center of that future.

In a very real sense, Theatre, and I do mean with a capital T, saved my life. I discovered the same message that humanity has known for thousands of years, that communication and community commitment coupled with imagination and artistic expression, offered a path of reasonable resolution to the complexities of the human condition.

In time, I came to believe that my purpose was more to serve theatre than to have it serve me as a vehicle to fame. In that direction, I eventually discovered my place, as founder and publisher of Footlights.

My life mission is now to spread the word and world of theatre. Illuminate communities as to the opportunities that theatre can offer as a means for understanding and growth. I’ve had the pleasure of finding like-minded compatriots in my business partners, Ty Donaldson and Mark Nockels, who through our collective efforts brings Footlights programs to more and more communities on a daily basis.