By With more than 20 directorial credits and eight years of experience as chair of the Department of Theatre Arts, Joanne Gordon is far from idle.
“Making theater is like falling in love,” Gordon said. “When you fall in love, you’re the most in love with the thing you’re doing at that moment.”
Gordon announced that she will retire from her administrative duties in July 2013, but she will continue to direct and teach graduate students for the next five years.
Gordon also said that her administrative duties involved everything from plumbing to calling for an ambulance when a member of the theatre arts department is injured.
“All the problems ultimately land on this desk,” she said. “I just turned 65, and I’m an old lady, and I’ve got three grandchildren and a fourth on the way, and I want a life,” Gordon said.
Gordon has been the head of the theatre arts program since 2004 and head of directing since 1989, directing one play per semester.
Gordon said that despite her retirement, she will still keep her favorite parts of her job, which include directing and interacting with students.
“Joanne Gordon is an extraordinary educator, director, and friend,” theatre professor Sarah Underwood said. “I have had the opportunity to be in several plays that she has directed here at CalRep.” Underwood also said that Gordon has been helped her to grow as an artist and a person.
Junior theatre arts major Morgan McNees has also worked with Gordon in theater production.
“Joanne’s excitement is contagious,” McNees said. “Her creative process does more than to put you in the world of the play – it makes the play your world … Being able to learn so much through working with someone of her experience is worth every bit of my tuition.”
This semester, Gordon is directing “B.S.: Bukowski.Sondheim,” a play she created which fuses the poetry of Charles Bukowski with music by Stephen Sondheim. Gordon received permission from Bukowski’s family and Sondheim to produce the play, which is now showing at the Queen Mary until Dec. 8.
“At the moment, I’m most in love with [‘B.S.: Bukowski.Sondheim’] and very, very proud of it,” Gordon said.
Gordon completed her undergraduate work in South Africa and received her Ph.D. at UCLA. Next semester, Gordon will direct “Spring Awakening,” which she said is a rock musical.
Underwood said that Gordon has challenged her in the past, which served to help her grow both personally and professionally.
“If she believes in someone, she will fight for them,” Underwood said. “She doesn’t mince with words. I love it. I will say, too, that she gives the best notes of almost any director with whom I have worked.”
