Spinning Tree Theatre’s founders answer the Stage questionnaire

Andrew Parkhurst and Michael Grayman first met — and became friends — 15-1/2 years ago on a European tour of West Side Story. Grayman lived in Los Angeles, Parkhurst in New York City, but they kept in touch. “The ‘crush’ was still there for both of us,” Parkhurst says, when they landed on the same national tour of Mamma Mia! five years later, traveling and performing together for three years.

They’ve been in Kansas City since 2010, when they settled in Parkhurst’s hometown to start Spinning Tree Theatre (where both produce and direct). And this past December, just a month after Gov. Jay Nixon ordered that same-sex couples could file joint tax returns in Missouri, they drove to Iowa to get married. “His passion, commitment and artistry … inspire me daily,” Grayman says. “I learn from him constantly,” Parkhurst adds. They took time out from producing, directing and teaching to answer our questionnaire.

Why the name Spinning Tree Theatre, and how did it come about?

Grayman: We liked the strength of roots and the eclectic way we branch out.

Parkhurst: Michael and I worked for several years as a director-choreographer team for regional theaters across the country. We wanted to establish a way to work together on a regular basis.

What first lit the theater spark?

Grayman: I was the kid in the neighborhood who wrangled all the other kids to put on shows. I started attending the Cincinnati School for Creative and Performing Arts at the age of 10, so theater has been a part of my life for quite a long time.

Parkhurst: I performed, at age 9, in The Music Man at Theater Under the Stars, KC Parks and Rec’s version of Shawnee Mission Theatre in the Park which, at the time, was held annually on the north lawn of then Penn Valley Community College. I was given a dance feature and was instantly hooked!

How and when did you decide on a life in theater?

Grayman: I always knew I had a passion for theater, but touring the country with The King and I at the age of 14 sealed it for me.

Parkhurst: In the fifth grade at Martin City Elementary School, we had to make a career book. I think mine is in a box in the basement. I believe my choices were performer, puppeteer and baker. One out of three ain’t bad!

Where did you train?

Grayman: I graduated high school from the Cincinnati School for Creative and Performing Arts majoring in drama and musical theatre and received my BFA in theatre from the Boston Conservatory.

Parkhurst: Locally, I studied ballet with Kathy and Dennis Landsman, and tap with Shirley Marley. Graduated Texas Christian University with a BFA in modern dance, and was a Young Artist Scholar at American Dance Festival. I studied voice and acting all along the way, creating my own musical-theater program of study. I went back last year as a guest for the 20th anniversary of the Dance Department’s AIDS Benefit Concert, which I founded in 1993.

What drew you into acting? directing? dancing?

Grayman: I was on the national tour of Mamma Mia! for three years, and I started trailing the director when she would come out on the road for replacement rehearsals. It was about that time that I decided to transition to directing. I served as assistant director for a year at the Tony Award–winning McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, New Jersey. I essentially learned on the job from assisting the producer and many top directors.

Parkhurst: While most of my career was as a featured dancer in big musicals, I was always curious about the director’s job. In Vienna, I performed in Tanz der Vampire, Roman Polanski’s musical based on his film The Fearless Vampire Killers. As dance soloist, I had little opportunity to work directly with Polanski, who naturally focused most of his time on the principal actors. I asked to sit in on his blocking rehearsals. The stage manager reported back to me, “Roman isn’t sure why you’d want to watch his rehearsals. He thinks that would be boring. But you can watch.” I was a sponge. If he wasn’t getting exactly what he wanted from an actor, he would demonstrate it precisely the way he wanted it. Before preview performances, he would wander through the Maske (makeup department) backstage, instructing the artists to apply to the performers a bit more rouge. (“It’s funnier,” he said.) One of my proudest moments was having Polanski compliment me on my work as dance soloist after a performance backstage.

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How and when did you begin to direct?

Grayman: My first directing gig was at McCarter Theatre. I directed for their Youth Ink Festival: a festival of one-act plays written by winning high school students in New Jersey.

Parkhurst: Several of the directors I choreographed for would remark that I worked “like a director.” Some of them meant this as a compliment. Michael and I tend to co-direct musicals, although I would call myself his associate director. In general, where Michael’s work ends, mine begins … and vice versa. Motherhood Out Loud is my debut directing a play.

When did you begin to choreograph?

Parkhurst: The first “official” choreography project I can remember was the musical Oklahoma! at Grandview High School. The drama teacher was intent to cut the entire Act 1 ending, the dream ballet, and at age 16 I talked her out of that choice by persuading her that it furthers the action and is not “just dance.” I got some professional opportunities while working in Vienna. I assisted Rob Ashford on Curtains on Broadway, then choreographed The Wild Party for Michael John LaChiusa and Columbia University. In choreographing musicals, I’ve often had that challenge of working with directors who are not Michael or who do not come from a place of understanding choreography. And I think most people don’t. On one project, the director told me in preproduction, “I don’t usually direct musicals because I don’t like dance musicals.”

How does the audience affect your performance or directing decisions?

Parkhurst: In theater, we’re always aware of the audience throughout the decision-making process — from choosing titles to casting to preshow music to marketing. If it feels “right” in the rehearsal room, it tends to feel right with an audience added to the room. There are exceptions, and this is why we have preview performances.

What’s the best part about what you do?

Grayman: I have been a member of Actors’ Equity Association for almost 20 years. It is so rewarding as a theater producer to be able to employ members of my union.

Parkhurst: Employing and giving opportunities to artists, entertaining discerning Kansas City theatergoers.

What’s the hardest part?

Grayman: Grant writing, but we are getting into the groove with this one.

Parkhurst: As a producer, worrying about ticket sales. That can keep me up at night.

What’s the best thing that has happened during a performance?

Parkhurst: Laughter. And tears.

What’s the worst thing?

Parkhurst: Having the feeling that, for usually unknown reasons, the piece isn’t “landing” like it did the night before. The audience’s collective mood, what was in the news that day, the weather … these things can all affect audience members and actors alike.

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What are some of your favorite shows?

Grayman: Hello Again by Michael John LaChiusa, Translations by Brian Friel, Old Wicked Songs by Jon Marans

You both also teach?

Parkhurst: I teach private dance lessons, and Michael teaches private acting lessons. More than ever, if kids want a career in musical theater, they must be a triple threat: actor, singer and dancer. Dancer-singers are a dime a dozen. Our students are hard-working, disciplined, and love to learn and improve. Their parents realize that, for their children, this is not a “hobby” but a career, and that the level of dedication and work it takes to improve one’s craft, to develop and maintain technique, is immense and never-ending.

What’s next?

Parkhurst: The 2014–15 season of four shows instead of three! Hopefully a child is in our future. We’d like to give a good, safe home to a child who needs that. And we’d like to keep creating and producing artful theatrical productions with like-minded, creative and collaborative local artists.

Grayman: Motherhood Out Loud, running February 6–16 at Off Center Theatre in Crown Center