Shipboard romance: Michael Kimmel

It's our occasional feature wherein we pillow talk with directors and ask them what shows we dream of directing.This week we feature Michael Kimmel, whom I met nearly a decade ago, during my first month in New York. Since those salad days Mr. Kimmel has directed all over the city. Most recently, Marat/Sade(Access Theater), Shannon in Ambient Light(the Bottle Factory) and the Quantum Eye(The Jewel Box). He is an adjunct faculty member at Fordham University at Lincoln Center.

Left to his own devices, Michael would direct...

The Civilian: Steve Cosson

Welcome to the feature where we cuddle up alongside our favorite directors, rest our heads on a shared pillow and ask them what they might directs, were rights, costs, and time not an option.

This week we pillow talked with Steven Cosson. Steven Cosson is the Artistic Director of The Civilians, creating original theater from investigations into real life. The Civilians GONE MISSING comes back to NY this summer for a run at Barrow Street Theater; and the company's new show about Evangelical Christianity in Colorado Springs, THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, opens at the Studio Theatre in D.C. in June '08.

Steve would direct...

She Bangs: Pam MacKinnon

Welcome to the world of reverie and Dali-esque sequence we refer to as Dream Play, in which we ask directors what they might stage were money, space, and rights not an issue.

This week we feature the captivating Pam MacKinnon. Ms. MacKinnon is currently represented at currently running at NYTW John Fugelsang's All the Wrong Reasons and with Naked Angels through the 22nd Cindy Lou Johnson's Propaganda. She is in preporduction for a workshop of a new Richard Greenberg play and full productions of plays by Edward Albee and Bruce Norris. Recent productions include the world premiere of Itamar Moses' The Four of Us at The Old Globe in San Diego as well as his play Bach at Leipzig at NYTW; David Mamet's Romance at the Goodman; Gina Gionfriddo's After Ashley at Philadelphia Theatre Co.

Left to her own devices, ms. MacKinnon would direct:

This man is shocked at Anne Kauffman's talent!

Another edition of our much beloved weekly feature in which we quiz directors on what they might stage had they not a care in the world as to time, costs, space, rights, etc. This week we feature the charms of Anne Kauffman, who is currently directing GOD'S EAR by Jenny Schwartz with New Georges and EXPECTING ISABEL by Lisa Loomer at Asolo Repertory Theater. Most recent: THE THUGS by Adam Bock, ACT A LADY by Jordan Harrison, SIDES: THE FEAR IS REAL, TYPOGRAPHER'S DREAM by Adam Bock, THE LOYAL OPPOSITION by Jorge Ignacio Cortias, HANG TEN by Karen Hartman, THE LADIES by Anne Washburn with The Civilians. She is a Usual Suspect at New York Theatre Workshop, an alumnus of the Soho Rep Writers and Directors Lab, Lincoln Center Directors Lab, The Drama League of New York, a founding member of The Civilians and was a 2003-2004 New Dramatist Resident Director and a member of New Georges Kitchen Cabinet. She is also on the directing faculty at NYU in the Playwrights Horizons Theater Studio. Anne received her MFA in directing from UCSD.

Anne would direct:

Kip Fagan: Miles Away from Ordinary

A weekly feature in which we inquire just what play a director might stage if space, rights, time, and costs were not at issue.

This week, we introduce Kip Fagan, who came to our attention with his wonderful work on Rachel Hoeffel's Quail last summer. Kip recently directed Sam Marks’s Nelson for Partial Comfort on Theatre Row, Adam Szymkowicz’s Incendiary at Juilliard, Christopher Durang’s Not a Creature Was Stirring at The Flea, and MORT, a solo play about composer Morton Feldman he created with Nico Vassilakis, at HERE. He's currently directing Mark Greenfield’s I.E. In Other Words at The Flea.

After the jump, Kip reveals he would direct:

Mr. Off-Broadway: Alex Timbers

Welcome to our weekly feature, in which we inquire what show directors might delight us with were time, cost, space, and rights not relevant factors.

This week we feature the well-coiffed and much talented Alex TImbers. an OBIE Award-winning writer/director and Artistic Director of New York-based company Les Freres Corbusier. Directing credits include: Gutenberg! The Musical!, A Very Merry Unauthorized Children’s Scientology Pageant , Hell House, underground, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Heddatron. He also wrote and directed Boozy, a comic fantasia on urban planning, which was named “Ten Best of 2005” by the New York Daily News and Time Out New York. Awards/Fellowships: OBIE, two Garland Awards, Williamstown Directing Fellowship, Drama League Directing Fellowship. Upcoming: Dixie’s Tupperware Party at Ars Nova; Escape From Bellevue at the Village Theater.

Left to his own devices, Timbers would direct...

The Man Who Laughs

Welcome to another edition of Dream Play, wherein we ask directors and producers to reveal the plays buried deep within their breasts, what they might work on if cost, space, and rights weren't an option. This week, we feature the cheerfully handsome Davis McCallum (he plans he looks better in miniature, but we distrust this). Davis McCallum directed Quiara Hudes’s Elliot: A Soldier’s Fugue at the Culture Project last season. He has two shows opening in NY in April: Jane Eyre for The Acting Company at Baruch, and West Moon Street for Prospect Theater Company at the Hudson Guild.

If eft to his own devices, Davis would direct...

Emma Griffin: A Pearl

Welcome to our weekly feature in which we ask directors what play they would stage were time, cost, rights, etc. not a consideration.

This week we feature the savory Emma Griffin, artistic director of Salt Theater, (currently working on Our Town and an adaptation of Riders of the Purple Sage) and a freelance director of theater and opera.

In an ideal world Emma would direct...

Look into my eyes: Hal Brooks

Welcome to a new weekly feature (well, it will be weekly if a few more directors get back to me), in which we ask directors what they would stage if time, money, availability, and rights were not considerations.

Our first respondent is the mesmerizing (see pic) Hal Brooks who most recently directed directed No Child...by Nilaja Sun, now playing at the Barrow Street Theatre, which just won Best One-Person Show at HBO's Comedy Fest. He also directed Pulitzer Finalist Thom Pain (based on nothing) by Will Eno. Other credits: Rinne Groff's What Then (Clubbed Thumb); Don DeLillo's Valparaiso; Will Eno's The Flu Season (Oppy winner), Sharr White's Six Years (Humana Festival).

If left to his own devices, Brooks would choose...