Steven Gallagher is definitely one who listens to and responds to his creative impulses. That became very apparent to me the more we talked. Steven wears many creative hats and is a champion for the Arts. I asked him, “Whose work is really inspiring you right now?”, and he lit up! He could hardly wait to tell me the current artists whose work he respects in the industry. I loved that about Steven. It is so great to see artists who light up at the thought of other artists work and not feel, by doing so, it dims their light.
Speaking to Steven about the theatre industry is like discussing a topic in 3-D. Steven is an Actor, Writer, and Director/ Producer which enables him to give a unique perspective of the theatre world that few people have. In this episode, we discuss what he does to ensure he is able to “leave his audition in the room” so he doesn’t brood about it later, how to get bums in seats if you are writing and producing a show for a theatre festival, and what his writing process entails when he has been commissioned to write a play.
Steven Gallagher: Becoming A Playwright, Auditioning, And Preparing For Rejection
A little about Steven:
Directing credits include Matt Murray’s 2015 Fringe and Next Stage hit, Myth of The Ostrich, Robert for Trafalgar24, I’m Right Here at 2015 Toronto Fringe and most recently, the Dora nominated First Day Back at The Storefront Theatre in Toronto and The International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival. Upcoming: Rumspringa Break at Sheridan College. As an actor, he has worked across Canada, most recently Buyer and Cellar (Alberta Theatre Projects), La Cage Aux Folles (Neptune Theatre, Merritt Award Nominee) The Canadian Premiere of Urinetown and The Rocky Horror Show (Canadian Stage Company), two seasons of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Dream In High Park, Elegies and A New Brain for Acting Upstage, Fagin in Oliver! (Drayton Theatre Festival).
As a writer, his play, Stealing Sam, premiered at the 2013 Toronto Fringe Festival where it received Patrons Pick and Best of Fringe, and from NOW Magazine, Outstanding Production, Play, Actor and Director. Stealing Sam made its American Premiere in 2014 and won Best Drama at the United Solo Festival in New York. His play Memorial premiered at the Next Stage Festival at the Factory Theatre in 2013, and has also been seen at Half Moon Theatre in Poughkeepsie, New York. Steven was a member of the 2015 Playwrights Unit at Thousand Island Playhouse in Gananoque where he wrote his latest play, Let It Snow. He has three new musicals in development, Pollyanna and Wally Flynn with Yonge Street Theatricals, and Stones, based on the Timothy Findley short story. He is the recipient of a Harold Award for achievement in the Toronto Independent Theatre Community.
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