Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/292443
PHOTOGRAPHY BY REBECCA SAHN (PAULUS); MARCIO JOSE BASTOS SILVA/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM (CHARLES RIVER) D iane Paulus may have roots in Manhattan, but her soul lives in Harvard Square— and her heart beats in the halls of the American Repertory Theater, where she is the Tony Award–winning artistic director. This is where she discovered her love of theater as a college sophomore at Harvard College. Since then, Paulus has devoted her career to updating the definition of theater, mostly through highly interactive performances (audiences find them- selves doing the hustle along with the actors in The Donkey Show) and modernized adaptations of the classics (cross-dressing Marie Antoinette bodyguards, anyone?). From May 11 to June 15, Shakespeare's The Tempest will be presented in true Diane Paulus form—a mash-up featur- ing magic created by Teller (of the legendary duo Penn & Teller), balladry by Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan, and a set design inspired by the Dust Bowl. Paulus has been rewarded gen- erously for her unconventional productions, nabbing the most prestigious awards in her industry. She credits Harvard Square for offering sustenance and inspiration for her work. "I first came to Harvard Square back in 1984, when I was a freshman living in Harvard Yard. You could literally tumble out of bed into the Square. I remember walking the streets as an 18-year-old—feeling adult for the first time, breathing in the intellectual electricity that was in the air. To this day, you can still feel the energy of great minds of the past and of the future, all intersecting in this bustling town square. The most important place for me, of course, is the halls of the AMERICAN REPERTORY continued on page 50 " I found my purpose in Harvard Square." AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DIANE PAULUS CONSIDERS HARVARD SQUARE HER MUSE. AS TOLD TO LISA PIERPONT FROM LEFT: Diane Paulus was studying government and law at Harvard when she fell in love with theater; when she needs inspiration, she often heads to the Charles River. 48 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM NATIVE 048-050_BC_SP_Native_LateSpr14.indd 48 4/4/14 2:38 PM