In Elizabethan England or classical Athens... theater was at the center of, not culture, but society and politics and religion and civic engagement. Those things have a different audience. Diane Paulus More Quotes by Diane Paulus More Quotes From Diane Paulus Creativity and the world of the imagination - the beauty of what we see as a child and the kind of play that we experience as a child - can be a way for us to survive tough times. Diane Paulus creativity play children The idea of making audiences feel like they matter, that the theatre matters, and that they're a partner in the event—that's what fuels me as a director . . . I believe it's actually radical to think about the audience. Diane Paulus believe ideas thinking Im always interested in looking - historically - at how theater can animate history and how all of that can make us engage with our lives in an enriching way. Diane Paulus enriching theater way For me, the reason why people go to a mountaintop or go to the edge of the ocean is to look at something larger than themselves. That feeling of awe, of going to a cathedral, it's all about feeling lost in something bigger than oneself. To me, that's the definition of spectacle. Diane Paulus ocean feelings people I grew up with a beautiful gold harp sitting in our living room. My older sister played it. Diane Paulus sitting gold beautiful The musical theater is a glorious and distinctly American innovation in the history of theater. Diane Paulus innovation theater musical I don't want to be in an art bubble. Diane Paulus bubbles want art I had this epiphany that I like the interaction with people. I wanted to make things happen at a grassroots level. Diane Paulus epiphany levels people Im always interested in working with people who are good team players - that are selfless that way in their interests and dedication to the project. Diane Paulus dedication team player I had to drop a boulder to wake people up about the A.R.T. We've done that, and now we have audiences again who want cutting-edge work, who want to be challenged, but who also won't be falling asleep at the theater. Diane Paulus cutting people fall At the core of what I'm doing is a belief in the audience, a belief that populism doesn't mean dumbing down theater, but rather giving the audience a voice and a role in experiencing theater. Diane Paulus voice giving mean When you're a freelance director, you are hired to create the art, and it kind of stops there. Diane Paulus kind directors art Art cannot be looked at as an elite, sacred event anymore. It has to be embraced as an accessible, popular form, which is what I believe theater is at its roots. Diane Paulus roots believe art Theatre and opera were always the twin kingdoms that I felt I had to conquer, because they were my parents' favorites. Diane Paulus opera theatre parent Opera is the ultimate art form. It has singing and music and drama and dance and emotion and story. Diane Paulus singing drama art My generation of director has no illusions that we are going to be fed and cared for by subsidized theater in America. Diane Paulus generations directors america I've gotten to the point that I don't even know what tomorrow brings. When I'm teaching, obviously I'm in town for the class every week. Diane Paulus towns teaching class As a director, I never feel that I have the answers. Diane Paulus answers feels directors Creativity is a form of knowledge. Diane Paulus creativity form You have to think about why you're asking an audience to come to the theater. It's not that they should come because it's good for them, because it's the vegetables that they should eat and the culture shot that they should get... It's about experience and building community and catalyzing dialogue and bringing people together. Diane Paulus good you culture people
