Meet Rosemary Newcott: Theatre Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rosemary Newcott and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rosemary, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
Never discount the gifts possessed by the creative people you encounter on a daily basis. Theatre, by it’s nature, requires you to engage with others. The quality of that engagement is directly related to the success of the product, whether it be a production or a workshop, class or marketing meeting. Listening to and truly considering what another artist or professional or audience member says or does can lead to true revelation. Choosing how to incorporate or reject a new idea is another lesson I keep challenging myself to master.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Most of my professional life, (The majority of it at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre), has been spent in the pursuit of discovering or creating exceptional theatre pieces for young people and their caregivers. I think I am most proud of the fact that I have had the very good fortune to work with and for every age group…from the tiniest toddler to the venerable grandparent. This means that I needed to find or create work that could appeal to a cross-generational audience, always keeping in mind how both the very youngest or very oldest person in the room might respond. This can be a challenge. I found that sometimes, classical stories such as fables or fairy tales would provide an “entry point” for many generations to discover or re-discover values. After all, classical stories continue to be told for good reasons. The material also allowed me and fellow theatre creators to explore new ways to story tell such as creating a mostly rap version of ANDROCLES AND THE LION or a folk art design/folk music inspired WIZARD OF OZ or A Theatre for the Very Young play based on WAITING FOR GODOT, called WAITING FOR BALLOON. Always front of mind is that audience attendees want to see themselves represented on that stage, so diversity of every kind is crucial. What am I excited about?…the future! Since my recent retirement from the Alliance, I have had the opportunity to continue to create with students through the Alliance education department and also extend my work to places like Nashville’s Children’s Theatre where I had the opportunity to explore physical diversity and Kennesaw State University where I am currently directing a new theatre for youth musical based on THUMBELINA., a heroine who rises above perceptions. In all these endeavors, I am encountering young artistry that is open to new ideas in this art form and determined to make this world a better place. Sounds cornball, but I find it incredibly encouraging, inspiring and hopeful

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
OK..so you know, I am going to push the theatre scene, (which right now except for digital is mostly on hold), but I am extremely proud of the caliber and variety of theatre in Atlanta and surrounding areas AND there are good restaurants near all the theaters, I would definitely take my best friend to Ponce City Market and the Beltline, the Botanical Garden, the High Museum, Zoo Atlanta and the Aquarium. Definitely dinner in Decatur and lunch on Buford Highway. And if they were singing live, I would take my friend to hear both Chandra Currelley and Mudcat! Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my Shoutout to playwright, novelist and political activist, Pearl Cleage. When I look back on any recent growth as an artist, and hopefully as a human, I so often recall what wisdom I have received from Pearl as both a writer and friend. It seems as though some greater power sometimes sends someone brilliant into your life just when you need them. Since everyone cannot have the great privilege of one on one conversation, I urge everyone to read or re-read some, (or all), of Pearl’s writing. It may provide some “light”.

Image Credits
Photographers: Personal Photo: Sara Keith Other Images: ROW #1 Greg Mooney Reed Hummel Sara Keith Rosemary Newcott ROW #2 Next 3 pics: Greg Mooney Final Pic: Do not yet have this photographer’s name