BWW Interviews: A Conversation with Producer/Director Martin Wilkins

A CONVERSATION WITH PRODUCER/DIRECTOR MARTIN WILKINS

I recently had the most rewarding, refreshing, and informative conversation with Charlotte-native, producer/director Martin Wilkins. Martin is the National New Play Network (NNPN) Producer-in-Residence at Actor's Theatre of Charlotte. And may I add, Martin has just been selected this past week as one of five emerging directors, out of 350 applicants from across the United States, to participate in the FIRST-EVER National Directors Fellowship. The National Directors Fellowship is sponsored by an expressive list of collaborators: The O'Neill Theater Center, NNPN, The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival and Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation. This five-year program will provide a total of 25 early-career with 18 months of professional development opportunities and hands-on experience each, ending with a potential directing opportunity with NNPN theatre.

One of Martin's passions is new work productions. He expressed the challenge for young directors to transition from assisting other directors to producing their own main stage productions. He is grateful for the opportunity Actor's Theatre of Charlotte (ATC) provided for him to direct the main stage production, Stick Fly, written by Lydia R. Diamond. This drama-filled stage play depicts an affluent African American family's "hidden indiscretions", parental expectations, relationship inequities and racial disparities, all in one weekend at Martha's Vineyard.

I actually met Martin at his spectacular directorial debut at ATC. This sold-out performance showcased superbly talented local actors Jeremy DeCarlos, Rahsheem Shabazz, Douglas A. Welton, Brandi Nicole Feemster, Rene´ Welsh-Noel, and Moriah Thomason. One of the best performances I've seen in the last few months.

In 2002, Martin graduated from Duke University, with a Bachelor degree in Music. By attending a Liberal Arts school, it also gave him the opportunity to study theater as well. During Martin's junior semester, he studied public policy in the Arts, in New York. The program allowed him to see several Broadway shows and Opera. This opportunity peaked his interest in theater production development and shifted his focus from music to theater.

Martin has a long list of internships, workshops, fellowships, assignments and productions. After graduation, he interned at the now defunct Charlotte Repertory Theatre, during the 2002-2003 season. There, he worked with such notables as Andre De Shields (the original Wiz), who he drove to the barbershop for routine haircuts. In addition, he worked with Hilary Swank in The Miracle Worker which was originally performed at Booth Playhouse, here in Charlotte. During this tenure, Martin met Charles Randolph-Wright (a good friend of then artistic director, Michael Bush), who he (Martin) later worked with and assisted in the development of the recently hit Broadway musical, Motown Live, based on the book, To Be Loved, written by Motown founder, Berry Gordy.

In 2003, Martin researched opportunities to participate in professional theatre. The door opened at Arena Stage in Washington, DC when he was selected for the Allen Lee Hughes Directing Fellowship. This fellowship was developed to increase the participation of people of color in professional theater. Martin worked on six main stage productions at Arena Stage. There, he re-united with and assisted his mentor/friend, Charles Randolph-Wright in the awesome revival of the musical Guys and Dolls, written by Frank Loesser. Frank's widow was so impressed with Charles' direction that she gave him permission to mount Frank's last musical that he wrote prior to his death entitled, Senor Discretion Himself. Martin again assisted Charles as assistant director during Senor's premier at Arena Stage. Wendy Goldberg, who was the artistic associate at Arena Stage at the time, was Martin's mentor. There, Martin assisted her with her main stage production, Proof.

In 2005, Wendy Goldberg became the artistic director of National Playwrights Conference (NPC) at the Eugene O'Neil Theater Center. For her first two seasons in 2005-2006, Martin served as Wendy's assistant for NPC. This is where his passion for new works took shape.

"The very first year there, I met Katori Hall who wrote the brilliant stage play The Mountaintop. Katori and I became really good friends and I was able to direct a few readings of the play." The Mountaintop, which premiered on Broadway in 2009, starred Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett in the fictional depiction of Dr. Martin Luther King's last night on earth set in the Lorraine Motel room 306.

Martin also met the creative team of the Broadway musical, In the Heights, with Lin-Manuel Miranda who were also there in development that year. In The Heights depicts an ensemble cast of characters in the largely Dominican-American neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York City. "To witness the success of these playwrights has truly inspired me as a director because they are my peers."

In 2007, Martin moved to New York. While in New York, he freelanced on several projects. "Returning to New York had been my goal since studying the Arts during my junior semester at Duke. A friend of mine, Maxine Lyle, who has a step dance company, wanted to do a similar musical masterpiece as Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da the Funk, using step dance. I worked with her to develop her show entitled, Step, which was performed at several music festivals in New York. I also assisted Darren Canady, who was my roommate, with his stage play entitled, False Creeds. In addition I assisted Colman Damingo, who recently portrayed Ralph Abernathy in the movie, Selma, in his directorship of a production entitled, Single Black Female at New Professional Theater."

In 2011, as previously mentioned, Martin re-united with Charles Randolph-Wright and assisted him with several workshops in the development of the hit Broadway musical, Motown Live.

Later in 2012, Martin reached a crossroad that we all face on this ladder called "Success" - that moment when the "dots" don't seem to connect as readily as before. Martin faced a challenge to create a balance between his professional development and personal challenges. "My father always told me that I could always come home if I felt like I needed to regroup. So prior to the opening of Motown Live on Broadway, I went on what I call my 'life sabbatical' and returned to Charlotte, NC." However, many of us who have travelled a similar road can testify that, 'a setback is a setup for a comeback'. Nine months after returning to Charlotte, Martin received a call from Martin Kettling (Martin K.), the Director of Development and Marketing at Actor's Theatre of Charlotte, who he previously met at Arena Stage when Martin K. was a literary intern, asking him to be a festival dramaturge at ATC's Nu Voices festival. "This was my first opportunity to do professional theater here in Charlotte. This opportunity set up my relationship with Actor's Theatre." While participating in the Nu Voices festival, Martin W. received the news that he had been selected as the NNPN's Producer-In-Residence at ATC. And the rest is history.

"What has been awesome about this experience is being in my hometown because it means that for the first time I can share my professional career with my family and friends. I graduated from Charlotte Latin School in 1998, so I've had an opportunity to reconnect with many of my friends from high school."

In parting, I asked Martin his opinion on the Charlotte theater community in comparison to other cities. "Although the theater community in Charlotte is relatively small, I believe that the talent here is comparable to large cities such as New York and Washington, DC. Being small, also provides excitement because the potential for development and expansion exists. I admire the trailblazing opportunities here - the creative and innovative possibilities are endless."

Two words ring loudly in my ear as I listen to the timeline of Martin's journey - relationship and connectivity. The ability to build strong relationships and maintain connectivity has garnered Martin an intensive and long-lasting career in theater...and the best is yet to come. I am so impressed with his experiences, mentors, professionalism, innovativeness, passion and insight. Though he has accomplished much, he is humble and has so much passion for emerging playwrights and the development of new works. As a member of the Charlotte theater community, I feel honored to call Martin Wilkins one of our own.

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