Originally from Petersburg, Kentucky--near Cincinnati--I majored in English Lit and Theatre at Eastern Kentucky University, obtained my MA from the University of Cincinnati in Directing and Theatre Management. After working in community and regional theatre in Atlanta, Memphis and the Mississippi Delta, I moved to New York City at the end of 1978, and co-founded Chameleon Theatre Co., Ltd. in 1988.
I've worked in various capacities on over 150 productions: actor, director, stage manager, designer (scenery, costumes, lighting, props, makeup, masks), publicist, assistant/associate director/producer. Representative acting roles: Doc Gibbs in "Our Town," Mr. Justice Wainwright in "Witness for the Prosecution," the Archbishop in Shaw's "Saint Joan," the title role in "An Inspector Calls," Bernard of Clairvaux in Ronald Millar's "Abelard & Heloise," Henry in "The Lion in Winter."
Currently, I'm seeking Co-Producers (fundraisers) for "Vacation Bible School: the Musical," by Tammy Smith, which I produced and directed in a 45-minute version at the the Kraine Theater (NYC's East Village) in 2006 and "Anything for a Laff!" a 1930s Hollywood 'Casting Couch' Musical Comedy, for which I revised and adapted the book and wrote additional lyrics, as well as directing in 2002.
"Vacation Bible School: the Musical" tells "the typical redneck story of what happens when boy meets church...boy hates church...boy meets Jesus...and All Heaven breaks loose!
"This show has something to offend absolutely everyone: Catholics, Protestants of all denominations, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Mormons and atheists...liberals, conservatives, reactionaries...men, women...straight, gay, undecided...and hamsters!
"It is also snort-out-loud-laughing, pee-in-your-pants-funny!"
"Anything for a Laff!" follows the adventures of 8 principal characters: the shyster producer, the minimally talented leading lady, her ex-husband--the fading matinee idol, his current mistress-- the long-suffering character actress, her younger sister-- the ruthless ingenue, the comic song-and-dance team--he's gay and she's in love with him, and our protagonist--a brilliantly talented young man who has hitchhiked from a coal-mining community in the mountains of eastern Kentucky to Tinseltown.
He not only saves the studio from bankruptchy, but straigtens out the lives of his fellow film Thespians, while they--and the "all-singing-all-dancing" ensemble--perform approximately 36 songs and dances!
I'm also writing books and lyrics for another half-dozen shows: "Psyche...and Cupid," "The Amateur Sinner," "No Money Down," "That Jones Boy! (or, the Adventures of a ***)," "Zarzuela de Ovejunador (The Sheepherder's Opera)," and "Pocahontas" (NOT the Disney version!) as well as attempting to organize a consortium of performing artists and finding a permanent home where their talents can be showcased and they can generate their own projects, take classes and workshops, and create paying jobs for themselves.
For further details, please email me at: robertdcarver@yahoo.com