Membership Spotlight – August 2026

I am currently working on an original TVY production called Fishing for Stars with Claire Derriennic, S. Elliott, Renita James, and Xinyue Zhang, along with producer Michelle Kozlak. This project and these talented artists continually challenge me to lean into the wildly absurd and to push the boundaries of technology and visual storytelling. We are in the process of developing a tech-savvy, portable tent for Fishing for Stars – an enchanting space that will allow us to play with light, projections, and meaningful interactivity in a lot of different spaces and places. Dreaming and building this project requires us to sit together at the sparky intersection of trust, risk, beauty, and the unknown. What an alive place to be!

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – I am in love with the non-linear storytelling and the exquisite (if not magical) visual transformations, sensory experiences, and moments of transportation in this book. I want to make theatre that feels like this — impossibly possible.

Songs from Above, a highly poetic theatre production for 2- to 4-year-olds and their caregivers, written and directed by Mette Rosleff and co-produced by Teater Refleksion and Teater My. I saw this production at the New Victory about 20 years ago, wrote about it in TYA Today in 2008, and have thought about it at least once a week since then. The production moves like a dream, feels like a photo album of memories, and sounds like the sweetest of lullabies.

My students will tell you I am obsessed. They are not wrong.

TWO UPCOMING AND DREAM-YYYYYY PROJECTS…

THE ELEPHANT & PIGGIE SHOW! This new CG animated series will premiere on Paramount+ in 2027. After dramaturging the Elephant & Piggie stage play and playing with these characters across multiple platforms, I am excited to see two of my favorite characters find their way to the screen! The stories are emotionally real, funny, and so relatable.

DON’T LET THE PIGEON LAUNCH THE SPACESHIP! Building on Mo Willems’ Pigeon book series, I wrote an interactive sound button book that launches this month. Writing this book was surprisingly similar to directing a show or writing and editing a digital story. I love the delightful puzzle of layering visuals, sounds, and words and figuring out how each element can deepen or expand the storytelling rather than simply retell the story. I am a sucker for interactive storytelling, and this book has something like 1 billion possible story combinations for readers to play with. SO MUCH FUN!

The endless opportunity to play…
To roll 250 wooden balls into the audience…
To make it rain…
To dance in the aisles…
To create oceans and shooting stars and fire flies…
To move and be moved in under 55 mins…
To let go…
To turn toward…
And to be with the kids. Always with the kids.

Can’t pick just one! I am so lucky to collaborate with strong, smart women who tell great stories, laugh unabashedly, speak their truth, create beauty in the room and leave hearts full…Samantha Provenzano, Maya Lawrence, and Michelle Habeck (Gimme Please!), Chris Nee and Diane Kredensor (Project TBA), Stephanie Lash Kilpatrick (Point A to Point B!), Kerri Grant (Project TBA), Maya Fazio-Siu (all of the things), Debbie Wicks La Puma (Pigeon, Naked Mole Rat, Elephant & Piggie musicals), Sarah Fornace and Julia Miller (Leonardo), Gwenny Govia, Anna Pickett, Megan Ann Rassmusen, Julia Flood, Vandy Wood and Julia Listengarten (Spells of the Sea!), and Lynn Hoare, Laura Epperson, and Faith Hillis (Performing Justice Project).

Monica Michelle, Stephani Etheridge Woodson, Roger Bedard, and Mo Willems—thank you for showing me that big things are possible when we decide to LEAP.

malrutz@austin.utexas.edu or linkedin.com/in/megan-alrutz-phd-700a2129.

I am currently preparing to stage “Ti-Jean and His Brothers”, a 1958 play by Nobel Prize-winning [1992] St. Lucian playwright and poet Derek Walcott. The play follows three brothers—Gros Jean, Mi-Jean, and Ti-Jean—who try to outwit the Devil disguised as a plantation owner and is a symbol of our colonial masters to win wealth and save their family, facing tests of strength, intellect, and common sense. I also wish to explore and introduce the Greek Chorus to my young actors. In the play Ti-Jean and His Brothers, the Greek chorus is uniquely adapted through West Indian forest animals like the Frog, Cricket, and Bird. They open the play with “Greek croak” and comment on the action, blending classical Greek drama with Caribbean folkloric storytelling. Greek Theatre is new to Caribbean students and performers, so I believe this would create a good source of enlightenment and education and creative opportunity for them.

I recently saw “Basura” at the TYA/USA Conference this past May and it was truly inspiring. Basura, The Musical has left a lasting impression on me because it demonstrates how creativity can transform everyday realities into powerful storytelling. Its message about community, resilience, and social responsibility reminds us that positive change begins with individual action.

It inspires audiences to think differently about the environment and their role in building a better society. This resonated deeper with me because of the society where I grew up. Art and creative sectors has always been seen as hobbies. it also inspired me to think outside of the box and to tell stories that can inspire other to believe in themselves and inspire us to dream big.

I am particularly excited about Ti-Jean and His Brothers, which was a project inspired by students of Drama at the St. Joseph’s Convent and Presentation Brothers College. This year, my students stepped out of their comfort zone and performed the play as a school project. They explored Grenadian themes and folklore characters that they felt represented our culture. The play’s rich Caribbean storytelling, cultural depth, and timeless themes present a wonderful opportunity to connect with audiences while celebrating our regional heritage. Its exploration of courage, wisdom, and perseverance makes it both meaningful and relevant, offering an engaging experience for performers and audiences alike. The play also calls for a Greek Chorus, which I play to make a standout performance incorporation the Grenadian Shortknee masquerade character celebrated during our Carnival celebrations.

Why Not Theatre for Young Audiences! Theatre for Youth is important to me because it nurtures creativity, confidence, and self-expression at an early age. For me, this is the kind of nurturing I believe is necessary. It gives young people a safe space to explore ideas, develop empathy, and discover their voices while building skills that benefit them far beyond the stage.

Since I have been working as an educator in Theatre, I have seen that TYA has the power to inspire, educate, and transform lives. Through storytelling, young people can see themselves reflected in meaningful narratives, connect with their culture, and gain a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Theatre for Youth is also one of the most effective ways for personal and social development. It encourages critical thinking, teamwork, communication, and creativity while fostering a lifelong appreciation for the arts and culture.

In the Caribbean context, TYA provides an opportunity to preserve and celebrate our Caribbean stories while empowering the next generation of artists and leaders. It helps young people connect with their heritage, build confidence, and understand the impact their voices can have in shaping society.

My Favorite Collaborator is Todd Siff. Todd was awarded an Emerging Leader Grant in 2018 and chose to collaborate with me on a Project in my home country called ” The Acceptance Project”. This project allowed students and community members to share life experiences and perform in a safe and creative space. Favourite Collaborator

Todd has challenged me to grow while sharing a common vision. Todd brings a diverse perspective and a positive attitude to the creative process. He is passionate, supportive, and innovative and genuine. He continues to inspire creativity, encourage new ideas, and make the journey as enjoyable as the final product. Their dedication and teamwork leave a lasting impact on every project.

Rachel Briley at University of North Carolina at Greensboro! She has taught me not only the technical aspects of my craft, but also the importance of discipline, humility, and perseverance. Her guidance continues to influence how I approach both challenges and opportunities.  Rachel has believed in my potential even when I doubted myself.

Readers can connect with me on Instagram @Nettienne or @creativearttheatre.

This summer, I directed Solstice in the Park, a site-specific solstice pageant that included gorgeous handmade puppets, incredible puppeteers and performers, and a kaleidoscope of butterfly puppets activated by a group of children puppeteers. I love the gentle pressure of working under extraordinary circumstances — a performance in a public space, with limited rehearsal time, working with willing participants — conjuring something together that could only happen right now, with these people, in this place.

I’m currently working with Jeff Wildermuth and Zonia Tsang on a second iteration of The Planter and the Plant, a new play for ages 2-5, which we shared at QED in Astoria to two sold-out houses of kiddos and caregivers this past spring. We are back in the rehearsal room this fall tinkering with the play to incorporate audience feedback and some fresh ideas. We’re looking forward to sharing this sweet play about growing up and getting big with more little ones this October.

I was so inspired by Amanda Pintore, Olivia Herneddo and Jisun Myung’s work, Red, to which I was introduced at the TYA USA conference this May. It feels exciting to see an immersive dance work for the very young that centers process, relationship, and spontaneity in performance with such clear intention. What a joy to have had the opportunity to experiment alongside these incredible artists for a morning!

I would love to continue to make original, experimental theater work for young people in unconventional performance spaces. Maybe it’s the former ballet dancer in me, the latent mid-century abstract expressionist painter, or the sometime Neo-Futurist, but setting collaborative work for (and by!) young audiences in museums, studios, or even wild outside spaces feels compelling to me. I got the chance to do just that at MASS MOCA a few years back and it was too much fun. Along with the actual creative genius Shayna Stripe and a camp full of elementary-aged kids, we created a site-specific performance inside the work of Sol LeWitt and Julianne Swartz. We hand-painted shirts to match the paintings, made looping sound poems, and incorporated improvised movement, all within the gallery walls. For his part, one kid chose to wear a white shirt, pushing his body from room to room, while the audience of caregivers meandered through the performance. Blurring the lines between theater and artistic happening is a direction I’d love to explore more.

It is crucial that young people feel that theater and performance is for them. In its most generous form, Theater for Young Audiences invites the audience, both children and caregivers, into experiences that inspire joy, create wonder, and establish a felt sense of connection between themselves and the wider world. The earlier this magic happens, the better, as we know that early theater experiences for babies and children help them to feel a sense of belonging and hope for their future.

This year, I got the chance to work alongside an old friend in a new capacity, which brings me lots of joy. The lovely and generous Lindsey Barlag-Thornton invited me to collaborate on her piece, Flights for Future Generations this year, a solo performance that layers movement, text, sound and imagery with analogue devices: cassette tapes, slide projectors and a giant industrial fan. The piece premiered at Chicago’s Steppenwolf LookOut series this spring and I feel so lucky to support her as she brings it to Edinburgh Fringe Fest this month.

Renata Townsend, Consultant, Creator, and Teaching Artist extraordinaire is one of the most wonderful people to have on your team. She is a fabulous connector, always keeping an eye out for someone you should talk to or know, and a champion of so many artist-educators and theater-makers. She encourages me to think of everything as research project which helps me feel as if I can always try something new. I am so grateful for Renata’s mentorship and support.

Find me at laurensharpe.com, and reach out to me directly at laurenvpsharpe@gmail.com.