Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Price.
Hi Allison, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
When I was little, about 7 or 8, I was really anxious and shy. Then one night, my mother decided to take me to see a production of West Side Story. This was a risk since she didn’t know if I would enjoy it or even be able to get through it all without getting too anxious and having to leave. However, the second the music started, a feeling washed over me and I felt brave for the first time. At that moment, in the fifth row, I told myself that I would create theatre for the rest of my life. I would help others feel brave. Ever since then, I have been directing non-stop. From plays in a living room, student plays in undergrad, an MFA in directing, developing new work with the Kennedy Center, directing operas in Italy and Turkey, and independently producing theatre. Storytelling through theatre has always felt so natural to me.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being a queer woman in a predominantly male-dominated field comes with its fair share of challenges. It can be hard to find your voice and to stand by it while others attempt to make you feel small. Through my time in education, there were many people who were unwilling or hostile towards a young person who wanted to share stories and put up shows. Professionally, you deal with a lot of rejection too. Sometimes places and people won’t even have a conversation with you. All the rejections and obstacles can be draining; however, it also teaches you how to stand by your voice, treat others with kindness, trust in what you have to offer, and keep trying even if that means creating your own opportunities.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a director based in Austin, TX with a focus on works that are intimate and have a bite; with a specialization in new work development, opera, queer performance, and performance exploring the female voice.
I have been awarded the Kennedy Center SDC Directing Fellowship and the Stage Directors & Choreographer’s National Directing Award (Kennedy Center). I have my MFA in Directing from Texas State University. Recent credits include A Collective Noise, How I Learned to Drive, What We Scream Underwater When No One Can Hear Us, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.
I also direct opera and am a directing faculty member with the Vocal Academy of Opera based in Bodrum, Turkey. My opera credits include Il Giuoco del Quadriglio, Cendrillon, Don Giovanni, and Carmen which will go up in July.
I believe that everyone is in the room for a reason and that together we can all create art in a healthy way that does not sacrifice anyone’s wellbeing. The arts should not have any gatekeepers and instead of fearing the unknown, we should embrace one another for what we each have to offer.
What does success mean to you?
Success is when you feel happy with who you are and what you are doing. In theatre, it can be hard to view success as anything that isn’t Broadway but there are so many other moments of success in life. That moment you did something that scared you, you were successful. When someone in the audience is touched by a show you were part of, you are successful. Success comes in many forms, in many colors, and it’s okay to define success differently from others in your life.
Contact Info:
- Email: allison.price.director@gmail.com
- Website: https://allisonpricedirector.com/
