About Me
As a Theater artist, I am happy at most points along the theater spectrum whether it’s performing straight plays, improvising or devising new work.
In addition to a BA in Theater, I have performed and taught workshops on long form improv. I have studied various forms of physical theater including LeCoq, Mask, Clown and Viewpoints and I have devised original productions in a variety of styles and methods.
In recent years, I founded a local Performance Gym; an interdisciplinary performance training collective - a diverse group of artists, dancers, actors, educators and directors to further explore a variety of physical theater techniques and ensemble devising methods. Sessions have included artists from the bay area and internationally including a master class with critically acclaimed Frantic Assembly. Training, Collaboration and Community are the Performance Gym's core values.
Words
“April is funny, bold and honest. She strives for hitting the edge, doing the unpredictable and taking material somewhere unexpected but ultimately gratifying. She consistently stands out in the full embodiment of her character and in her capacity to maintain a sense of the ensemble and company as a whole.”
“April’s openness and her clear and immediate instincts are in constant supply. She is prepared, unhesitant, and un-egotistical about her craft. ”
“As an actor, April makes confident bold choices and commits to those choices. She is a true collaborator and brings extraordinary imagination and great physicality to her work to create unique and inventive characters.”
“As an improv instructor, April seamlessly translates her years of study, performance experience and passion for unscripted theater into classes that are at once deep and accessible, enjoyable and a thorough workout. With practical group exercises and insightful individual guidance, she creates a space in which students are inspired and encouraged to become skilled, imaginative, connected co-creators. Working and playing with April has helped me to get out of my head, into my body, more present, available and vulnerable to my scene partners and audience.”
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A Purpose, in progress…
I am drawn to theater because it has the potential to be truly profound in connecting us to one another and our shared human experience; replacing the fear of otherness and strangeness while deepening our awareness of what it is that ties us together.
To put simply, great storytelling results in an experience of shared empathy. Audience and actors share in the lives of the characters in a kinetic, visceral way.
It is my hope to create work where after all is said and done, actors and audience alike walk away with an expanded collective capacity for compassion.