suite life at kelly strayhorn theatre

This fall, I had the incredible opportunity to direct Suite Life at Kelly Strayhorn Theater—their annual holiday concert celebrating Pittsburgh legends Billy Strayhorn and Gene Kelly. This wasn't your typical concert gig; it was a fully realized directorial vision that required me to think spatially, narratively, and collaboratively in ways I don't always get to in traditional theater.

Working with musical director Hugo Cruz and his phenomenal ensemble of musicians, I shaped the evening's flow and staging to create something more than a series of songs, a cohesive experience. I worked closely with lighting designer El Wolhardt to craft visual moments that elevated the music, turning the theater into an immersive environment where light and sound moved together. Every transition, every spotlight cue, every shift in energy was intentional.

What made this project so fulfilling was the trust KST placed in me to honor their namesakes while bringing something fresh. Hugo's Latin percussion reimagining of Strayhorn and Kelly's work gave me this rich, rhythmic foundation to build on, and I got to think choreographically about how audiences move through an evening: how anticipation builds, how intimacy is created, how a room full of strangers becomes a collective.