Directing Portfolio

Amber Kusching

Directing Portfolio &

Theatrical Experience

Table of Contents

Statement of Originality…………………………………….….3

My Mission………………………………………………….......4

Directing Experience…………………………………………...5

Readings & Workshops………………………………....6

Self-Produced Works…………………………………...7

Assistant Directing Experience………………………………..8

The Winter’s Tale.......................................................................9

Wintertime………………………………………………13

A Streetcar Named Desire..........................................................18

Henry V....................................................................................23

Other Theatrical Highlights…………………………………..25

Playwriting Experience………………………………...28

Excerpt from “When I Fell in Love”……….27

Excerpt from “Misfortune”………………...30

Dramaturgy Experience……………………………….33

Choreography Experience……………………………..34

Resume…………………………………………………………35

Letters of Recommendation and References………………..38

Letter from Carole Healey……………………………39

Letter from Michael Bloom…………………………...40

Letter from Debbie Saivetz…………………………...41

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STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY

I attest that all of the documents in this portfolio

are true and accurately reflect the knowledge,

skills, and abilities I have acquired.

Amber M. Kusching

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MY MISSION

I come to directing from a literary and

dramaturgical perspective. I believe that

every choice made must be justified by the

text and while I work with a text I invest

myself into discovering the intentions of

the playwright.

I have challenged myself, over the years, to

work with a variety of texts from traditional

to contemporary and from classics to

original works.

But, no matter what script I work with I use

the text as my compass and I attempt to

create something that is more than a

beautifully staged piece: I want to create

something visceral, something important,

and something that stirs the imagination.

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DIRECTING EXPERIENCE The following pages are devoted to plays

that I have directed. Some of these have

been readings, some workshops and some

fully mounted productions.

Amongst these are originals scripts, plays

written by myself as well as plays with

pre-existing texts.

All of these plays were produced while I

was a student at Montclair State University.

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Montclair State University | Fall 2012 Montclair State University | Spring 2014

Montclair State University | Spring 2013

Montclair State University | Fall 2013

Readings & Workshops

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Self-Produced Works Plays Written & Directed by Amber Kusching

Montclair State University | Spring 2015 Montclair State University | Spring 2013

Montclair State University | Spring 2014 Montclair State University | Spring 2014

ASSISTANT DIRECTING EXPERIENCE

At Montclair State University, I had the

privilege to assistant direct four productions

for the Department of Theatre and Dance

alongside some noted professional directors.

The following pages explain each project and

my responsibilities on each show.

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The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare

Michael Bloom, Dir.


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PRODUCTION PROFILE

A major focus of this production was to create a noticeable difference

between Bohemia and Sicilia by utilizing movement techniques and

dialect as well as giving production elements a cooler color scheme in

Sicilia and warmer in Bohemia. We worked with the actors in Bohemia

to make them “country” and eccentric while the actors in Sicilia were

more formal and royal.

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RESPONSIBILITIES

My responsibilities assistant directing included but was not limited to:

Taking notes on actors’ performance, vocal technique, and blocking

Understudying scenes for actors who were not present and teaching

blocking and changes to actors when they returned

Running scenes with actors both in and outside of rehearsals

Working with actors to analyze the text and discover new things to

share with the director

Acting as an assistant choreographer for movement sequences and

choreographed dances

Attending production meetings

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Wintertime by Charles Mee

Heather Benton, Dir.


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PRODUCTION PROFILE

Charles Mee’s play is a beautiful patchwork combining Shakespeare’s

plays and other classical texts with movement sequences and

emotionally volatile characters. Mee’s Wintertime, much like his other

work, is an ensemble piece. For our production, it was not only an

ensemble of actors, but a collaboration between stage management,

crew, designers, direction and the performers.

An article describing the production can be found at:

http://www.northjersey.com/arts-and-

entertainment/theater/wintertime-of-their-content-

1.1147522?page=all

http://www.northjersey.com/arts-and-entertainment/theater/wintertime-of-their-content-1.1147522?page=all














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MY ROLE

On this production, I was the

official dramaturg as well as the

assistant director. So, I had the

responsibilities of a dramaturg—

creating actor packets and working

with the director and actors on the

text and meaning—but I had the

opportunity to have a strong impact

on the show by working very closely

with the director. Therefore, some

of my work on this show expanded

beyond traditional duties of an

assistant director.

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RESPONSIBILITIES

My experience assistant directing included but was not limited to:

Providing a safe place for the actors to share and take risks

Taking notes on actor’s performances, vocal technique, blocking

and changes

Helping the director make blocking choices

Running scenes with actors both in and outside of rehearsals

Working with actors and the director to delve into the text

Assisting in creating and teaching choreography and movement

sequences


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A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

Kari Margolis, Dir.


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PRODUCTION PROFILE

This production of Tennessee Williams’ classic was all but

traditional when director Kari Margolis decided from the

beginning to cast 5 Stanleys and 4 Blanches. Only one Stanley

and one Blanche spoke the text while the others physicalized

the inner turmoil of the characters utilizing movement and the

Margolis Method (a set of movement training discovered and

taught by Kari Margolis and her company members)

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RESPONSIBILITIES


Working with the director and actors on blocking choices

Taking detailed notes on actor performances as well as

production elements

Assisting in scheduling rehearsal

Assisting in creating and teaching choreography and movement

sequences

Learning the Margolis Method and training with the actors


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Photos of The Winter’s Tale, Wintertime, and A Streetcar Named Desire by Mike Peters

Henry V by William Shakespeare

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Carole Healey, Dir.


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PRODUCTION PROFILE

This production of Shakespeare’s Henry V focused on vocal technique, so in

this show the director and I worked with actors on verse and prose. We also

utilized dialects for some of the characters.

MY ROLE

A few weeks before our tech-week, our stage manager was taken from the

production. Because of this, and since I was already doing much of the work

of a stage manager, I was asked, and I agreed, to step up into the role. So, for

this production, I was both the assistant director and stage manager.

ASSITANT DIRECTING RESPONSIBILITIES


Assisting stage combat rehearsal with the actors and stage combat coordinator

Taking notes on actor’s performances, vocal technique, blocking and changes

Helping actors run scenes and memorize lines

Working with dramaturg and director on historical research for the production

Understudying scenes for actors who were not present and teaching blocking

and changes to actors when they returned

STAGE MANAGING RESPONSIBILITIES

My experience stage managing included but was not limited to:

Creating cue sheets for projections, live and prerecorded sound, and lighting

Coordinating props and set pieces and creating running sheets

Operating the projections

Coordinating rehearsal times and locations

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OTHER THEATRICAL HIGHLIGHTS During my time at Montclair State

University I was involved in over 45

productions. The following are

highlights including playwriting

experience, dramaturgy experience and

choreography experience

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When I Fell in Love Saturn Rising Theatre Festival

Esteban Carmona, Dir.


The Maryland Women Saturn Rising Theatre Festival &

Thursdays at Three Reading Series


The Drive for Victory Featured in

Chipotle for the Theatrical Soul

Taylor Del Rossi, Dir.


Misfortune Thursdays at Three Reading Series



The Hourglass Montclair State University Players

One Act Play Festival

Jeremy Landes, Co-Dir.


Speak No Evil Thursdays at Three Reading Series


Do You Remember? Featured in

The Coming Out Monologues

David Grice, Dir.


Crazy Montclair State University Players

One Act Play Festival


Playwriting Experience

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Excerpt from “When I Fell in Love”

This play follows the story of a man’s suicide not

only through his own narrative, but through the

eyes of the wife he left behind and his

emotionally instable daughter who both witness

his metaphorical and physical fall.

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Two brothers go looking in the woods for a tree that

supposedly reveals fate. Neither of them knows if this

tree really exists and they know their future depends

on it, but history has never been kind to those who

have attempted to mess with Fate.

Excerpt from “Misfortune”

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Dramaturgy Experience

Wintertime By Charles Mee

Heather Benton, Dir.

Department of Theatre and Dance


Our Town By Thornton Wilder

Michael Joel, Dir.

Montclair State University Players Organization


Their Own Good By Dave Osmundsen

Dave Osmundsen & Amber Kusching Dir.


Spring Awakening Musical by Steven Sater

Carey Gsell, Dir.

Montclair State University Players Organization


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Euripides’ Bacchae

“See How the Fire Leaps Up,” Ribbon Dance

“Dance Like a Fawn/Live Day by Day”

“We Dance to the Glory of Bacchus/Happy Was the Hunting”

“The Gods Have Many Shapes”

Jerise Fogel, Dir.


Chipotle for the Theatrical Soul

“Give Me Love” by Ed Sheeran, Contemporary



Believe Dance Showcase

“Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson, Tap

“We Don’t Have to Take Our Clothes Off ” by Elle Eyre, Contemporary

Armando Rodriguez & Gabrielle Rivera, Dir.


The Vagina Monologues

“Army of Me” by Christina Aguilera

Liz Macintosh, Dir.


Choreography Experience

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RESUME The following is my professional resume

of theatrical experience.

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LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION & REFERENCES The next few pages contain letters from directors

and professors I have worked with at Montclair

State University The letters are from:

Carole Healey

Adjunct Professor and Visiting Specialist

Montclair State University

Montclair, NJ 07043

Telephone: (646)339-7314

Email: [email protected]

Debbie Saivetz

Associate Professor, Department of Theatre and Dance

Montclair State University

Montclair, NJ 07043

Telephone: (646)418-1491


Michael Bloom

Director/Teacher


mailto:[email protected]



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Documents

Directing Portfolio