Interview: A Legacy of Ensemble Theater: Laura Ekstrand on Vivid Stage's 30th Anniversary

What does it take to build a thriving theater company? For 30 years, Vivid Stage (originally Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre) has been answering that question through its commitment to ensemble-driven storytelling with “humor and heart.” From humble beginnings in Montclair to finding its permanent home at the Oakes Center in Summit, this professional theater company has evolved while staying true to its core mission: creating intimate productions that foster genuine connections between actors and audiences.

We sat down with Artistic Director Laura Ekstrand—who has guided the company since its early years—to reflect on Vivid Stage’s remarkable journey. As she discusses everything from their innovative 30th anniversary season to honoring long-time supporter Steven McIntyre, Ekstrand reveals the philosophy that has helped them remain both relevant and rooted in the fundamental purpose of live performance—creating community through shared stories.

Congratulations on Vivid Stage’s 30th anniversary! How has the company’s mission evolved since its inception as Dreamcatcher Rep in 1994?

Thank you! The original idea was that we would be a New Jersey/New York showcase for a small group of actors. It was intended to be a democratic effort where everyone would make decisions collaboratively. We did our first production in NJ (at the original Luna-Stage/">Luna Stage in Montclair) and sold out. We were very encouraged, so we then took our proceeds and rented a space in NY, invited industry folks and friends, and… nobody came. It felt pretty obvious right away that NJ was happy to have us, and NY didn’t even register our presence! So our first decision was to work in New Jersey.

Over time, we realized that the strength of our work came from the consistent relationships among the actors, so we became more deliberate and intentional about being actor-focused. We made the resident ensemble a more formal part of the company, and clarified what company membership meant on both sides. And the structure of the leadership evolved, too, as it became clear that some of us were more interested in being members and others, more interested in leading. 

We began to refine our aesthetic and what we wanted to contribute to the community over the first several years. By the fifth year, I became the Artistic Director, and the company started to resemble what we have today.

Your recent gala, Love Songs & Laments, honored Steven McIntyre. Can you share a memorable moment from the event and explain how Steven has contributed to Vivid Stage’s growth over the years? 

One of my favorite moments of the evening was the song we sang to Steve, “We’ve Got a Friend in Steve,” a parody of “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story. Steve truly has been a friend of the company for its entire 30 years; he came to our first show in Montclair and most of them since. He has been a volunteer, board member, staff member, advocate and fan. He was on our staff during the change from analog to digital; he created our first online ticketing system, updated our primitive original website (also created by an incredible volunteer), and generally took us into the new century!

His latest feat of generosity is that he and his husband, Keith, opened their home to us when we were shooting our first feature film this summer. We moved furniture, hung stuff on the walls, took stuff off of the walls, and generally turned their house upside down for a full week. They have truly been foundational to all of our success.

Your 2023-2024 season included Gone Missing by Steve Cosson and Michael Friedman. What drew you to this particular piece, and how does it align with Vivid Stage’s artistic vision?

We chose it because it was created by another ensemble company, The Civilians, and paints a vivid picture of the lives of a host of different people, all portrayed by a cast of six actors/singers. We love speaking directly to the audience, and we love the opportunity to show our versatility by playing multiple characters. The show also highlights the things we find most valuable, that we hold close to our hearts.

We decided to approach our 30th season with an experimental perspective. Rather than looking backward, we are playing with forms and digging deeper into what it means to be an ensemble of actors. The three main projects this season are: 

• An artistic residency at the Webb Center in Arizona that allowed us to begin the process of devising a new theatrical work;
• The live series Gemstones, written by Phoebe Farber, which is unfolding over seven episodes throughout the season;
• A mainstage production called In the Mix, in which we’ve asked seven playwrights to write short plays on any current issue that inspires them.

These three projects are unique, flow directly from the creativity of our resident artists and affiliated artists, and feel like the proper way to celebrate our long history of bringing fresh and relevant theatre to the audience.

Your company is known for its resident acting ensemble. Can you explain why this model is so important to your artistic philosophy and the future of theater?

I hope that, as long as Vivid Stage is around, it contains at its heart the resident acting ensemble. I preach all the time about how the best work is done among people who love and trust each other. Theatre is already full of risk—artistic, financial, personal—and the least helpful element is the fear of unemployment. Do they love me? Will I ever work again? Am I allowed to try something new? These are questions that are the death of true creative collaboration. 

Theatre can follow the model of dance companies and symphony orchestras, where continued employment serves to heighten the quality of the work and the ability of the artists to freely experiment together without fear of judgement or rejection.

Vivid Stage emphasizes creating an inclusive environment both on and off stage. Can you discuss a specific initiative or production that exemplifies this commitment, for example through initiatives like the Dreamweavers collective for young playwrights? 

We truly want Vivid Stage to feel like home for anyone who participates in our activities. We’re aware that wanting that is not enough, so we’ve been looking at each of the areas of our organization to discover the best ways to make this goal a reality.

Dreamweavers, which had a good run of three years, has paused for the moment as we think about what other forms of support we can offer young artists. We are formalizing our internship application process, which until now has been an extremely casual way for high school students, college students, and young professionals to get hands-on training at the theatre.

One of the most immediate ways that we are increasing inclusion is on the stage. We are committed to diversifying our casts and playwrights. In the Mix, for example, has a cast of ten actors, four of whom are POC. Of the seven playwrights, four are POC. My personal goal is that our artistic circle becomes so diverse that this kind of representation is effortless.

Looking ahead to the next 30 years, what are your aspirations for Vivid Stage, and how do you see the company evolving to meet the changing landscape of theater? 

My hope is that Vivid Stage continues to reflect the world we’re living in, so it will necessarily change and evolve. Very rapidly, the way people participate in live theatre is changing, and what they want from it is still coming into focus after the pandemic. I’m excited to see how we can deliver the visceral, relevant experience of live theatre to new generations of patrons in ways that are both innovative and elemental to the historic function of storytelling. 

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