In 2024 l had the privilege of originating the role of Mad in Paul Hufker's Huntsville. The play focuses on a social worker entering into a men's maximum security prison with the goal of improving their quality of life before they face execution. Mad suffered from severe schizophrenia, and I felt some serious responsibility in performing him with truth, clarity, and grace.

Playing this role taught me a lot, but most importantly empathy. Playing a character facing consequences for committing a crime he has no recollection or understand of came with it's share of heartbreak, and taught me a lot about acting through the lens of justifying the characters action for yourself. To perform truthfully, I needed to approach mad with a sense of gentleness, and I think that was what made his story so heartbreaking.

Photos by Michael Moore.