Director's Notes

My work is generally an exploration of an idea or set of ideas.  I do not intend to answer questions, but rather, shed light on the human experience.  Shifts started with the following questions:  what are the pressing issues facing today’s community college students? How have our lives shifted due to the Pandemic? How do financial and family pressures intersect? How can I create an intimate story in the context of our larger society? Finally, how can I write a play that also speaks to my role as the director/writer/creator of the play?  Thus, my journey began.

Directing a play on zoom brings several challenges.  But the ultimate goal is not unlike directing a “normal” production. I focus on my student actors, guiding them on their own paths toward creating believable, truthful characters who bring the play to life.

Rachel LePell