Visual Storytelling
Directing
As a director, I strive to craft an environment that invites collaboration and complex understanding of the human condition to create experiential pieces that provoke emotion and personal growth within the audience, cast, and crew alike.
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The Moon
Director
The Moon tackles the intricacies of human relationships by combining the ideas of Erik Erikson and Jerzy Grotowski through the exploration of a fairy tale. This show emulates just what it means to be a good person, if it means anything at all. As a director, it was of utmost importance that my cast fully understand each of the complexities that their characters had to offer. The language presented in The Moon is incredibly specific, and must be approached as such. By achieving the nuances in the script, it was my hope that the audience would be able to find collective resonance within the situations that were being put on stage. For the audience to truly be able to connect the story to their own lives, each of the characters and plot lines had to be engaging and relatable which was achieved through detailed character development.
Written by Jack Ives & Leyla Davis
Original Music by Jack Ives
Directed by Jack Ives & Megan Hardgrave
Technical Direction & Lighting Design - Jamesyn Whitlock
Sound, Costume, & Scenic Design - Jack Ives & Megan Hardgrave
The Cry of the Peacock
Director
A part of the 2026 Storytellers Return, a theatre for social justice fringe experience centered on social isolation, The Cry of the Peacock presents the story of the case of Mary Blanton, a suspected victim of child abuse. As a director, I approached this show with the intention of leaving the audience without a definitive conclusion; the script doesn't offer concrete answers, so neither did I. By inviting the audience to sit in uncertainty, it was my goal to send them home still thinking about the case, still wondering what may have happened to Mary. My hope for this prolonged sense of curiosity was that it would cause people to delve further into the topics presented throughout the show, and provoke meaningful change.
Original Music & Arrangement - Jack Ives
Lighting Design - Julian Guzman & Carter Miller
Scenic Design - Megan Hardgrave
Costume Design - Megan Hardgrave & Olivia Russell
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Music Director
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, America's first ghost story, offered me my first experience being part of a the directorial team for a theatrical production. Our interpretation included an on stage string ensemble that underscored the scenes being presented throughout. This experience allowed me to grow accustomed to leadership while also giving me space to be creative and develop my own piece of the overarching vision for the show. For the music it was my intention to pay homage to the cultural roots of the show while also adding in the necessary gothic elements given the content. As music director I arranged and directed vocals, scheduled and led band rehearsals, engaged musicians, and managed music related technologies.
Director - Megan Hardgrave
Original Music & Arrangement - Jack Ives
Lighting Design - Jamesyn Whitlock
Scenic Design - Megan Hardgrave & Kylie Rasmussen
Costume Design - Angel Cordero Reeves
Where the Wild Things Are
Director & Music Director
A theatre for young audiences experience, Where the Wild Things Are was a devised piece with the goal of entertaining young people while also providing them with essential life lessons. Through development of TYA productions, it is my hope to be able to instill a love of theatre and the arts in the minds of the next generation. With the help of a lively and whimsical score, Where the Wild Things Are allowed me to learn how to reach audiences that I don't typically direct for, leading to overall growth and a broader understanding of storytelling.
Lighting Design - Julian Guzman
Scenic Design - Bennett Miller
Costume Design - James Easter
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Soundscapes
Assistant Director & Music Director
Soundscapes, a part of the 2025 Storytellers return focusing on women's rights, follows a girl name Iris who has Sound-to-color synesthesia, known as chromesthesia. Throughout this show, it was very important to me that I accurately depict how a person with this form of synesthesia might experience sound and color, so I spent a lot of time researching before beginning my usual process. Also, this was the first show I music directed entirely using tracks as opposed to live musicians, so I became familiar with programs such as QLab and Logic Pro.
Director & Lead Design - Jamesyn Whitlock
Peter and the Starcatcher
Music Director
Peter and the Starcatcher offered me my first opportunity to music direct of full length licensed production. Throughout this process I had to balance moving between my role as a performer, playing Boy/Peter, and as a director. This experience gave me the opportunity to contribute to both sides of the production, leading to an elevated cohesive vision.
Director - Megan Hardgrave
Lighting Design - Jamesyn Whitlock
Seenic Design - Kate Simmons & Megan Hardgrave
Costume Design - James Easter
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Alice by Heart
Assistant Music Director
Alice by Heart is another example of a production that required a balance between performance and directorial responsibilities. Throughout this process I played the roles of Harold Pudding/ Mad Hatter/ Knave of Spades/ Carrier Pigeon/ Mock Mock Turtle while also assistant music directing. Throughout the production, it was my responsibility to create rehearsal tracks as well as running music rehearsals.
Director - Megan Hardgrave
Music Director - Janie Hamilton
Lighting Design - Jamesyn Whitlock
Scenic Design - Lauren Lloyd & Megan Hardgrave
Costume Design - Megan Hardgrave & James Easter