Luke Leonard (born January 17, 1975) is an American artist whose work spans the performing and visual arts. He is a
theater director, designer, experimental playwright, actor, filmmaker, and the Founding Artistic Director of Monk Parrots, a New York-based multidisciplinary theatre company. Leonard's stage productions have been described as "outstanding" by ''The New York Times'', and “bold and experimental...a clear vision...pure theatrical experience” by ''nytheatre.com''. He lives in New York.
Life and career
Luke Landric Leonard was born and raised in Houston, Texas, where he attended
Cypress Creek High School, played football, and acted in school plays. He left the football team after his junior year to become president of Cy Creek's Theatre Department and to focus solely on acting in preparation for college auditions. He studied theatre at
Sam Houston State University
Sam Houston State University (SHSU or Sam) is a public university in Huntsville, Texas. It was founded in 1879 and is the third-oldest public college or university in Texas. It is one of the first normal schools west of the Mississippi River and ...
before moving to New York City in 1995 to enroll in the BFA Acting Program at
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a public university in Brooklyn, Brooklyn, New York. It is part of the City University of New York system and enrolls about 15,000 undergraduate and 2,800 graduate students on a 35-acre campus.
Being New York City's first publ ...
, where he graduated in 1998.
1996–2001
Leonard was among the pioneering artists living and working in
DUMBO, Brooklyn, where he founded DUMBO Theater eXchange a/k/a DTX with Natalie Cook Leonard and Yukihiro Nishiyama. DTX promoted emerging talent by presenting new writers and directors and fostered neighborhood development within the
downtown Brooklyn area. DTX; however, did not survive gentrification and the venue was added to the list of artist casualties forced out of DUMBO. On December 15, 2000, a week before Christmas, Leonard and his wife were illegally vacated from their loft on Water Street along with 60 other tenants. DTX presented approximately 30 productions (short and full length) circa 2000–2001 and hosted all theater events for the 4th Annual DUMBO Arts Festival, produced by Joy Glidden/d.u.m.b.o. arts center (dac). Leonard also studied acting and directing with legendary, experimental director
Joseph Chaikin during this time and corresponded with Chaikin by letters until his passing in 2003.
2002–2004
Michelle Moskowitz-Brown hired Leonard to create a theatre series for a new performance space at Brooklyn Information and Culture called BRIC Studio (now
BRIC Arts Media
BRIC, formerly known as BRIC Arts Media or Brooklyn Information & Culture, is a non-profit arts organization based in Brooklyn, New York founded in 1979 as the "Fund for the Borough of Brooklyn". A presenter of free cultural programming in Brookly ...
House). Leonard established ''Theater Nexus'', a monthly series devoted to emerging and established theatre artists. After losing the DUMBO space, BRIC became DTX's new home for promoting alternative theatre in NYC. Curated by S. Melinda Dunlap and Leonard, ''Theater Nexus'' presented experimental work by numerous artists, such as, 13P, Mac Wellman, Jeffrey M. Jones, Young Jean Lee, Erin Courtney, Ken Rus Schmoll, Connie Congdon, S. Melinda Dunlap, Luke Leonard, David Todd, B. Walker Sampson, Barbara Cassidy, Jonathan Bernstein and Douglas Green, to name a few. In 2003, Leonard became the father of actress Gates Leonard.
2007–2010
DTX changed its name to Monk Parrots in 2007 and Leonard was accepted to the highly selective graduate directing program at
The University of Texas at Austin, where he studied stage direction and studio art and received a Master of Fine Arts in 2010. Leonard was influenced by renowned artists at UT-Austin, such as,
Michael Smith, sculptor Margo Sawyer, and playwrights
Kirk Lynn
Kirk Lynn (born May 8, 1972) is a playwright and novelist who lives in Austin, Texas. He graduated from Douglas MacArthur High School in San Antonio, Texas in 1990. He is one of the founders of Rude Mechanicals theater company and he has been w ...
and
Steven Dietz. In 2009 he worked at
Berliner Ensemble for experimental theatre director and visual artist
Robert Wilson (director) and directed the Italian Premiere of
Israel Horovitz's ''L'indiano vuole il Bronx'' (''The Indian Wants the Bronx''). In 2010 he directed the Texas Premiere of
David Lang and
Mac Wellman
Mac Wellman, born John McDowell Wellman on March 7, 1945, in Cleveland, Ohio, is an American playwright, author, and poet.[59E59 Theaters
59E59 Theaters is a curated rental venue located in New York City that consists of three theater spaces or stages. It shows both off-Broadway (in Theater A) and off-off-Broadway plays (in Theaters B and C). The complex is owned and operated by ...]
from May 22, 2012, to June 3, 2012. Leonard created the main character, Lynette, her circumstances and a performance structure, then asked Todd to write six monologues that Monk Parrots could arrange during rehearsals. The staging was created first with five, nonspeaking actors, then a prerecorded voice of Lynette was added to the actors' movements; blurring the lines between dance and theatre. Reviewer David Roberts described ''Here I Go'' as "a brilliantly conceived and executed performance work that truly crosses artistic boundaries."
2012–2014
Over brunch in New York, playwright
Kirk Lynn
Kirk Lynn (born May 8, 1972) is a playwright and novelist who lives in Austin, Texas. He graduated from Douglas MacArthur High School in San Antonio, Texas in 1990. He is one of the founders of Rude Mechanicals theater company and he has been w ...
asked Leonard what he was working on. Leonard handed him a copy of coaching legend Bum Phillips' autobiography and said he wanted to make an 'opera' based on Phillips' life. Lynn smiled and Leonard asked if he would read the book and consider writing the libretto. Later, Lynn agreed to create the libretto under the following condition, that
Peter Stopschinski compose the score.
Former Monk Parrots board member, Steven Beede, Esq., initiated a call for Leonard to speak with Bum and Debbie Phillips. When asked how they felt about an opera based on Bum's life, Bum Phillips replied, "I can't sing a lick!" They arranged to meet in person, then Leonard, Stopschinski, and Leonard's parents traveled to the Phillips' ranch in
Goliad, Texas
Goliad ( ) is a city in Goliad County, Texas, United States. It is known for the 1836 Goliad massacre during the Texas Revolution. It had a population of 1,620 at the 2020 census. Founded on the San Antonio River, it is the county seat of Gol ...
to discuss the performance rights. Upon arrival, Leonard shook hands with Bum Phillips and said, "Mr. Phillips, it's a pleasure to meet you." Phillips replied, "It's a pleasure to want to be met at 89." They ate Subway sandwiches, baked beans, and pecan pie and Leonard and Stopschinski left with the Phillips' blessing to make the opera.
The world premiere of ''Bum Phillips Opera'' was presented in the
Ellen Stewart Theatre at
La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club (La MaMa E.T.C.) is an Off-Off-Broadway theatre founded in 1961 by Ellen Stewart, African-American theatre director, producer, and fashion designer. Located in Manhattan's East Village, the theatre began in the ...
in New York from March 12, 2014, to March 30, 2014. It was attended by Bum Phillips’ son, coach
Wade Phillips, former
NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
players,
Dan Pastorini and Larry Harris, and featured on the nationally televised program ''NFL Films Presents'' produced by
NFL Films. Wade Phillips commented, “It’s a great tribute for us and our family. There’s not many people that get an opera, Don Giovanni and the Barber of Seville.” Dan Pastorini said, “Let’s face it, Bum Phillips and opera don't belong in the same sentence," but admitted that he had tears running down his face by the end. After seeing the New York premiere, Pastorini made it a mission to bring the opera to Houston, which he did in September 2015.
The Texas Premiere was presented at The Stafford Centre on September 24, 2015, and attended by Hall of Fame running back
Earl Campbell
Earl Christian Campbell (born March 29, 1955), nicknamed "the Tyler Rose", is an American former professional football player who played as a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints. Kn ...
and
Luv Ya Blue Houston Oilers,
Mike Barber,
Vernon Perry
Vernon Perry Jr. (born September 22, 1953 in Jackson, Mississippi) is a former professional American football player who played safety for five seasons. He played for the Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints. Previously he played with the Montr ...
,
Billy Johnson,
Mike Renfro
Michael Ray Renfro (born June 19, 1955) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Houston Oilers and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at Texas Christian University.
Early years
Renfro a ...
, and many more.
2015–2016
The Australian company
Gertrude Opera discovered Leonard's work and hired him as Resident International Stage Director for
The Opera Studio Melbourne. He directed and designed the Australian Premiere of ''The Difficulty of Crossing a Field'' to critical acclaim for the inaugural
Nagambie Lakes Opera Festival, and he directed and designed the World Premiere of ''The Scottish Opera'', an 80-minute reimagining of
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...
's ''Macbeth'', arranged by composer Peter Stopschinski for an eight piece orchestra with electric instruments, which premiered at the 2nd Annual Nagambie Lakes Opera Festival.
Work
Opera
* ''
The Difficulty of Crossing a Field'', 2010, Texas Premiere, Stage Director, Production Designer
* ''
The Turn of the Screw'', 2012, Opera Moderne, New York, Stage Director, Production Designer
* ''
Bum Phillips'', 2014, World Premiere, Monk Parrots/
La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club
La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club (La MaMa E.T.C.) is an Off-Off-Broadway theatre founded in 1961 by Ellen Stewart, African-American theatre director, producer, and fashion designer. Located in Manhattan's East Village, the theatre began in the ...
, New York, Stage Director, Production Designer
* ''Bum Phillips (opera)'', 2015, Texas Premiere, Stage Director, Production Designer
* ''The Difficulty of Crossing a Field'', 2015, Australian Premiere, Stage Director, Production Designer
* ''
The Scottish Opera'', 2016, World Premiere, Nagambie Lakes Opera Festival, Australia, Stage Director, Production Designer
* ''BMP: Next Generation'', 2018,
Beth Morrison (producer) Projects,
National Sawdust
National Sawdust is a nonprofit music producer and venue in Brooklyn, New York with the goal of providing "composers and musicians across genres... a setting where they are given unprecedented support and critical resources essential to create and ...
, Stage Director
* ''The Dinner Party Operas'', 2018,
American Opera Projects The American Opera Project (AOP) is a professional opera company based in Brooklyn, New York City, and is a member of Opera America, the Fort Greene Association, the Downtown Brooklyn Arts Alliance, and the Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York (A. ...
,
Brooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is an art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At , the museum is New York City's second largest and contains an art collection with around 1.5 million objects. Located near the Prospect Heights, Crown H ...
, Stage Director, Production Designer
* ''The Shepherdess and The Chimney Sweep'', chamber opera by
Hannah Lash
Han Lash (born 1981) is an American composer of concert music who has taught at Yale School of Music, Mannes School of Music, and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Biography
Han Lash was born in Alfred, New York, USA on Novembe ...
, 2019, American Opera Projects,
SITE Santa Fe
SITE Santa Fe (often referred to simply as SITE) is a nonprofit contemporary arts organization based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Since its founding in 1995, SITE Santa Fe has presented 11 biennials, more than 90 contemporary art exhibitions, and wor ...
and Las Puertas, Stage Director, Production Designer
* ''
Macbeth (opera)'', 2019, Yarra Valley Opera Festival, Australia, Stage Director, Production Designer
Theatre
* ''
Desiderata
"Desiderata" (Latin: "things desired") is an early 1920s prose poem by the American writer Max Ehrmann. Although he copyrighted it in 1927, he distributed copies of it without a required copyright notice during 1933 and , thereby forfeiting his ...
'', 1996, Writer/Performer
* ''Inside the State Hospital'', 1997, Writer/Performer
* ''When We Sleep...'', 1997, Writer/Performer
* ''Nil to Nigh'', 1998, Writer/Director/Designer/Performer
* ''Bony & Poot'', 2000, Writer/Director/Designer
* ''Untitled, 1985'', 2000, Writer/Director/Designer
* ''Disposable Play No.2'', 2000, Writer/Director/Designer
* ''Broadway'', 2000, Writer/Director/Designer
* ''Movement Stolen From Joseph Chaikin's "Firmament" That We're Probably Doing Wrong Anyway'', 2000, Writer/Director/Performer/Designer
* ''50 ft of Film'', 2001, Writer/Director/Designer/Performer
* Mac Wellman's ''Mister Original Bugg'', 2002, Director/Designer
* ''Performance Record #1'', 2002, Writer/Director/Designer
* ''Evil-in-Progress'', 2002, Writer/Director/Designer
* ''Wonder/Play'', 2002, Writer/Director/Designer
* ''Head/line'', 2004, Director/Designer/Performer
* Jeffrey M. Jones' ''The Crazy Plays'', 2004, Director/Designer
* ''Pitched'', 2006, Director/Designer
* ''Our Lady of 121st Street'', 2008, Director/Designer
* ''Bad Penny'', 2008, Director
* ''L'indiano vuole il Bronx'', 2009, Director/Lighting Designer
* ''The Art of Depicting Nature as it is Seen by Toads'', 2010, Concept/Director/Designer/Performer
* ''Gay Rodeo By-Laws'', 2011, Writer/Director/Designer
* ''Here I Go'', 2012, Concept/Director/Designer
* ''After an Earlier Incident'', 2013, Concept/Director/Designer
* ''Welcome to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia'', 2015, Writer/Director/Designer
Film
* ''No-Account Film'', 1999, (short, unreleased), Writer/Director/Cinematographer/Editor
* ''
Urchin'', 2007, (feature, released), Cinematographer
* ''Antiquated Play'', 2007, (short, unreleased), Writer/Director/Performer/Cinematographer/Editor/Producer
* ''Follow Me Down'', 2017, (feature, pre-production), Writer/Director/Producer
Awards
* 2015 – Outstanding Stage Director, OperaChaser Melbourne, ''The Difficulty of Crossing a Field''
* 2016 – Outstanding Lighting Design, OperaChaser Melbourne, ''The Scottish Opera''
See also
*
Experimental theatre
*
Devised theatre Devised theatre – frequently called collective creation – is a method of theatre-making in which the script or (if it is a predominantly physical work) performance score originates from collaborative, often improvisatory work by a performing ens ...
*
Postdramatic theatre The notion of postdramatic theatre was established by German theatre researcher Hans-Thies Lehmann in his book ''Postdramatic Theatre'', summarising a number of tendencies and stylistic traits occurring in avant-garde theatre since the end of the ...
References
External links
Luke Leonard Official siteMonk Parrots Official siteBum Phillips Opera Official siteNFL Films Presents, Show: #7
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leonard, Luke
Artists from Texas
1975 births
American artists
American theatre directors
Living people
Brooklyn College alumni