12 STEPS, One-Man Show on the Addiction of Theatre, Set for McDaniel

Richard Sautter, adjunct lecturer in theatre arts at McDaniel College, performs his one-man show, "12 Steps," on Saturday, Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m., in WMC Alumni Hall at McDaniel College, 2 College Hill, Westminster, Md. An informal question-and-answer session with Sautter will take place following the show. The performance, which runs approximately 50 min., is free and open to the public. (Note: the show is suggested for ages 14 and over.)

"12 Steps," which premiered in July 2016 at the Capitol Fringe Festival in Washington, D.C., is written and performed by Sautter and was developed at McDaniel. He uses his humor and sharp observation skills to examine the conflicted feelings that most performing artists have about their careers. After more than two decades in the world of show business, he has decided that the theatre is an addiction rather than a profession, so he puts himself through the 12-steps of addiction recovery, making a show out of his quest to quit doing shows.

According to Sautter, "To me, theatre at its best asks difficult questions while making people laugh. That's exactly what this piece was created to do."

For his work on the show, Sautter received a Faculty Creativity Award from McDaniel College in August 2016. The Faculty Creativity Award is given to a faculty member for recognition in the fine or performing arts.

Sautter is a member of Actors' Equity Association, the Voice and Speech Trainers Association and the Mid-America Theatre Conference. He earned a bachelor's degree from Bates College, master's degree from the University of Exeter and M.F.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University. His performing experiences have ranged from Shakespeare to children's musicals and include stints in regional theatre, summer stock, fringe festivals and a national tour.

He has performed at Touchstone, the Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre, as well as Hedgerow Theatre, Cumberland Theatre and the Totem Pole Playhouse. In addition to his position at McDaniel, he teaches at Gettysburg College and has taught at Messiah College and Penn State-Lehigh Valley. He has written and toured several works of solo theater, and has performed as a stand-up comedian in Virginia.

No tickets are required. Call 410-857-2448 for more information. Visit www.mcdaniel.edu/theatre for more information about McDaniel College and the theatre arts department.

McDaniel College, founded in 1867 and nationally recognized as one of 40 "Colleges That Change Lives," is a four-year, independent college of the liberal arts and sciences offering more than 70 undergraduate programs of study, including dual and student-designed majors, plus 25 highly regarded graduate programs. Its personalized, interdisciplinary, global curriculum and student-faculty collaboration develop the unique potential in every student. A diverse, student-centered community of 1,600 undergraduates and 1,400 graduate students, McDaniel offers access to the resources of Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and is the only American college with a European campus in Budapest, Hungary. Visit www.mcdaniel.edu for more.

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