Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Coopman.
Hi Andrew, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Sure thing, so I started in theater when I was in middle school because it sounded fun. I enjoyed the idea of pretend and make-believe storytelling through drama, comedy, singing, dance… all the things. What started as a curiosity though soon grew into a passion and I sought out every opportunity to do theater.
After some time, in order to continue doing theater, I began assistant teaching and directing shows in order to cover my tuition in the theater programming… and that’s when things got really exciting and real.
I started directing more and more, eventually working for local children’s theaters then touring with Missoula Children’s Theater for 3 years then getting a Masters of Arts in Educational Theater from New York University – Steinhardt and then, finally, moving to Seattle to accomplish a lifelong dream by getting my MFA in Directing from the University of Washington School of Drama.
Now I am an independent Director-Choreographer who travels the country working for a variety of theaters doing what I love more than anything. Being a Director-Choreographer unlocked a passion and clarity within me that I had never experienced before. And since I was on a journey of self-discovery with many parts of my identity, I found that storytelling was the outlet for exploration.
The theater was a place where empathy was at the center of the work, community allowed for dynamic and deep conversations, and brave curiosity and creativity are celebrated throughout the work. Now, I have a deeper sense of who I am and what I can contribute to the world around me through my artistic work.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
NOT AT ALL! Working in the arts is never “easy,” but that’s kind of what makes it so special and unique.
Working in theater is not where people go to make money, it’s where people go to add their voice to a global conversation that will change the world one piece of art at a time. Honestly, if it were easy, it wouldn’t mean as much. Working as a Director-Choreographer means that I have found resilience and relentless curiosity and spirit for learning that has fueled everything I have done and every step that I have taken.
The struggles that I and many in my field have faced over the past couple of years have inspired more passion and determination and get out in the world, do the thing, and share my thoughts and voice with others. We don’t know how much time we have on this planet, so we might as well seize every opportunity to learn, grow, and make magic that hopefully has an impact on the community in some way along the way.
I think the biggest struggle though is the confidence needed to create a brave space of creativity, to lead a team, and collaborate with others. The fact is that in order to make beautiful work, you have to have the confidence and openness to put yourself out there. Fear is a real driving force, but it is also a force that can limit and keep you down.
I struggled with confidence for years and would be lying if I said I don’t still wrestle with it from time to time. But a quiet that has inspired me to push through is this one from Martha Graham, an internationally renowned choreographer, dancer, author, and artist:
“There is a vitality, a life force, energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of the time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable or how it compares with other expressions.
It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware of the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others”
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a genderqueer, multicultural, feminist, devising, and interdisciplinary artist, and a human who desires connection and fierce conversations. As a director, choreographer, playwright, devisor, performer, and teaching artist, my work has been on stages around the country in cities like Chicago, Milwaukee, New York, and all over the Puget Sound area.
I am inspired to create theater experiences that foster curiosity and brave space for personal discovery and exploration into the many parts of who we are, who we were, and who we want to be, remaining dedicated to the act of creativity with the central question: “Are we really that different?” To that question, I fundamentally believe both of the following things to be true:
That we are all of our individual identities. That we are all intersectional and, most basically and essentially, human.
I have directed and choreographed musicals for audiences of all ages all around the country, all centered on the idea that when makes us unique is what can actually help bring us closer together. I love working on any theatrical work that has a bit of magic in it, something that takes something normal, human, and mundane and makes it special, ethereal, mystical, and magical. I think that it unlocks the hearts of audience members to remember that being alive is magical and that magic is what can change the world.
What am I known for? Probably saying “Yes” to any opportunity even in the direst of circumstances. Most of my work has only been seen by the local communities in which it is produced. However, during the pandemic, I self-produced 8 productions online including Henrik Ibsen’s Rosmersholm, one of his lesser-known political dramas, which I also self-designed, directed, and streamed online.
Additionally, I directed and devised an original work that was presented online during the pandemic through a theater in Milwaukee, WI about Social Media and Relative Truth called “RE: Social/Divide,” which featured performers from all around the world including Chicago, Milwaukee, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, New York City, and, even, India.
I think what sets me apart from others is heart-driven work that centers on the human experience and encourages brave exploration from every collaborator. I am not a director-choreographer who dictates. I, instead, really try to focus on making a space that allows every person to show up authentically and genuinely as their whole selves and, from that space of self, encourage everyone to bring their specialness to the creative process.
I believe “I don’t know” are 3 of the most powerful words in a rehearsal room because I will never claim to know everything, but I will explore, interrogate, research, and be curious with you, so let’s make some magic and go find the answer together.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
What a beautifully complex and difficult question…
I think success is so personal to every person. For me, it’s doing what I love full time, working on projects that I care about and directly engaging the community in a conversation to build a bright and better future, and providing for my husband and fur-baby in a home that is comfortable.
For others, it may look like awards or money or fame, but it’s enough for me to do what I love when I love, for who I love, and somehow impact whatever community I am in and a part of at that time.
Contact Info:
- Email: a.r.coopman@gmail.com
- Website: AndrewCoopman.com
- Instagram: @arcoopman
