Exclusive Interview

Sheldon Epps

Written by: Katherine B.

        Sheldon Epps is the current Artistic Director of the famed Pasadena Playhouse. He had directed such plays as the "The Importance of Being Earnest" with Tony Award-winning actress Shirley Knight at the Pasadena Playhouse and was production consultant on the hit musical, "Sisterella." Mr. Epps also conceived and directed the new Duke Ellington musical "Play On!" at the Old Globe Theatre and on Broadway where it received three Tony Award nominations. His productions were nominated for Tony Awards, Laurence Olivier Awards, Jefferson Awards - They also were awarded many of those awards. For television he has directed episodes of "Frasier," "Encore! Encore!," "Sister, Sister," "The Smart Guy," and "Evening Shade."

Modamag.com: When you pick a play to direct, on what do you base your decision?
Sheldon Epps: I like plays that have really strong stories, number one. I’m kind of linear in taste. I prefer linear stories rather than abstract. I also like plays that are very strong, [and have] good roles for actors. I really think of myself as an actor’s director. So I like juicy parts that actors can really sink their teeth into. And also I like to do what I haven’t done before. So I try to cover as many theatrical styles as I can.

Modamag: Do you feel that the Pasadena playhouse is different from other theatre companies? How so? Sheldon Epps: I would like to think that it’s a theatre that’s a little more eclectic.

That it has more diversity in terms of styles and things that we do. I don’t know too many theatres that would do strong dramas, and new plays and big Broadway style musicals with the same expertise that we do. Sometimes when people describe the programming as being a little bit all over the map, that’s by intention. That’s because there are so many styles of things that we want to do.

Modamag: How did you come to the conclusion that you wanted to be a director?
Sheldon Epps: I was an actor first, for 5 years. After I graduated from college, I studied acting. And I worked as an actor for 5 years after I graduated. And I just wanted a little more control of my career and wanted to be able to develop projects and work on things of my choosing, rather than just sort of waiting for the phone to ring to come in to an audition.

Modamag: I noticed that you have done some directing for television and I was wondering how you felt about film vs. theatre? How is the direction different? Sheldon Epps: Well, I haven’t really done film. I’ve done television, but no I don’t think it is very different. I think what you are always trying to do is get good performances out of actors.

You talk the same language and you use the same language. You have to be of course, or you rather have the opportunity to be more subtle, because the camera is so close to you. The only thing I might say is different is when you are acting for the camera it’s a lot more about what you are thinking and when you are acting on stage it is more about what you are doing.

Modamag:How did you make the transition from actor, to director?
Sheldon Epps: I started a small theatre company in New York City with 4 friends of mine and because we were the bosses [laughs] that was the place where I could choose to do what I wanted to do. So I started directing there and then I worked the scene at some off-Broadway theatres in NY and then I started directing at some regional theatres.

Modamag: How come you chose theatre vs. Film?
Sheldon Epps: Just because it was my first love. I moved to a small town in jersey just outside of New York City when I was a teenager. And I used to spend my Saturday afternoons going to matinees of Broadway theatres and I just always loved the theatre. I always had a great passion for, number one, going to see theatre and later on in my life for working in the theatre.

Modamag: Are there any specific Broadway plays, or plays which you really enjoyed the most?
Sheldon Epps: Oh well g-d, I’ve seen so many [laughs]. I think dream girls was one of my favorites. "Senses," with James O’Jones was a great favorite. A production of "Private lives," which I saw with Maggie Smith – was wonderful. There is a very famous production of a play called "The Royal Family," which I thought was one of the best style plays I’ve ever seen. But I’ve seen so many over the years; it’s hard to choose.

Modamag:What educational backgrounds do most of the actors who you worked with come from? Sheldon Epps: Most of the actors that I like come from good university training programs. So from Yale, or NYU graduate school. Carnegie-Mellon, which is where I went to school. Or UCSD out here [CA]. I think that now the university training programs have sort of taken the place of studios or private classes. And I find that people who went through good training programs are the most flexible.

Modamag: Do you feel that people’s view of theatre changed over the years since there is such a great focus on film now? Do you feel that more people go to see film, rather than theatre? Sheldon Epps: No. I think that as long as I’ve been in the theatre. People were called theatre a dying art – afraid that theatres are going to close and people will stop producing plays. And that’s been for 30 years, so I don’t think that’s going to happen.