When I finished my theater degree at the University of Denver, I wasn’t sure what would come next. It was the middle of a global pandemic, and the field I had dedicated myself to looked like it could be on hiatus for a long time. But when I heard about Local, I knew this was a place I could take my knowledge and jumpstart my theatrical career.
I’ve learned a lot in just 10 months of working with Local. What felt so far off and unachievable, now feels real and tangible. I used to daydream about starting my own theater troupe, putting on plays and musicals that I wrote and directed with my friends. But even after my college education, those ideas of mine still felt like a pipedream.
With Local, I’ve seen the ways a small group of people can achieve big things. Pesha Rudnick, Founding Artistic Director, has given us such a clear vision of the company and all these big ideas that our programs aim to capture. The sense of unity and community this team has, all while giving plenty of agency and responsibility to each member of the staff, has made me realize that starting a company isn’t as abstract and scary as I initially thought. These are all artists like myself, regular people just trying to bring great theater into the world.
I just launched my own theater with some friends called 2¢ Lion Theatre Company. With our first production and kids’ camp set to launch this summer, I feel confident what I’ve learned firsthand from Local will be critical to the success of my personal venture. Of all the theaters on the Front Range, I’m grateful to work with and learn from Local.
