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Articles

A Tale of Two Louisvilles: Interview with Rand Harmon

By Sherry Deatrick

Entire contents are copyright © 2009 Sherry Deatrick. All rights reserved.

As we reported earlier on this site, Rand Harmon, artistic director of Specific Gravity Ensemble, has moved to Boulder, Colorado to pursue his doctoral degree in theatre, taking his wife and daughter with him. However, Rand can't get away from Louisville completely. The name of the town the Harmons moved to? Louisville, Colorado. I've often seen this mysterious town pop up when I'm googling restaurants in Louisville, Kentucky, and wondered what it must be like to live there. From Rand's description, it sounds wonderful, even though they mispronounce it as Lewisville).

Rand and Barb Harmon will be sorely missed by all who know them. But we are glad this opportunity has come their way.

Rand recently took some time out from getting settled in his new life to answer a few of my questions.

Where are you living now, and what are doing? I know you've lived in other parts of the country. Was it hard to leave Louisville again?
We have moved to Boulder, CO. (We actually live in a bedroom community of Boulder called -- are you ready for this?...Louisville, Colorado.) I am in the PhD program at the University of Colorado at Boulder Department of Theatre & Dance. I'll be teaching and taking classes full-time for the next two years, then working on my comp exams and starting work on my dissertation after that.

Yes, we've lived all around the country -- California, Texas, New Mexico. We love Colorado, and the Rockies, and have vacationed here often, so it was a really attractive opportunity. Boulder has a laid-back progressive lifestyle that coupled with the great outdoor recreation fits with many, many things Barb and I enjoy and appreciate.

It was an easy decision to accept CU's offer. They've been very generous and excited about what I am bringing to the program. This is an incredible opportunity for me and my career. BUT, it was very difficult to leave Louisville, my hometown, with Specific Gravity and loads and loads of great friends. The summer has been one long "good bye", which was wonderful, but really tough.

What will Barb do in Colorado?
Barb is going to continue working for Insight Communications in her current position, however, telecommuting from Colorado. She has an office in our home and dutifully grinds away daily at her computer. She is looking forward to having increased time with our daughter (no commute or Shelbyville Road traffic to contend with!) and doing some cycling and hiking, and time for her writing and painting.

Will you return to Louisville one day?
Louisville is my hometown, and my daughter's birthplace. We have family there. We have many, many good friends there. I still have ties with a number of theatre companies in Louisville. I know we'll be back to visit, perhaps for work, who knows?

I have creative collaborators in Louisville who I will always work with. There are conversations already happening regarding new projects we are creating for the future. I cannot think of creating new theatre without Paul Carney. I HAVE to work with Diana Dinicola, Roger Fristoe, Eric Algeier, and Ben Marcum again. I would love to direct for Michael Drury and Pandora [Productions] any time they'll have me. The bottom line here is I've got ties to people in Louisville who will be a part of my life and my creativity forever. I'll be back.

What will happen to Specific Gravity Ensemble now?
SGE as a business survives, however as a producing company we are dormant. The ensemble, sadly, has disbanded, so the company remains to protect and promote the Elevator Plays brand. There are still EP projects in the works in Seattle and Cincinnati, and nibbles of interest in other cities. After the course load lifts for me, I'm sure there will be other production projects for SGE as well. So stayed tuned. We'll let you know.

Aside from the Elevator Plays, what production would you say you're most proud of?
Though question Sherry. I have loved everything I've directed in Louisville, and everything that SGE has produced. As a director, I am very proud of what we accomplished with Macbeth. That was a project I'd worked on for probably 10 years. So many things came together and made that such a great experience for the audience. I think The Most Beautiful Lullaby You've Ever Heard was an amazing project and caused little explosions in Louisville every night. I'm very proud of both of the projects we did for ATL's Humana Opening parties, Greg Romero's Marco Polo, and this spring's InterLifeChangeCycle which I created with my wife Barb's amazing writing. The production of Noises Off I directed at IUS had such amazing comedic talent. The audience never stopped laughing! But, I also have to consider I Am My Own Wife with Roger Fristoe and Pandora. It was one of the most fulfilling rehearsal/discovery periods of my career. What an amazing actor, what a cool show that was. What a great way to exit Louisville -- for the immediate future, anyway.

What about long-planned projects like Clifford Odets' Waiting for Lefty?
Well we'll have to see. Many of those projects were generated by specific SGE artists, so they may still surface in Louisville with other companies or in different guises, or, SGE may take them up again, when we return to full-time production in a few years.

What have you learned from working within the Louisville theater community?
Anything is possible. Louisville has amazing theatrical talent and an audience that is hungry for something different. Sometimes production is very, very hard. There aren't enough technicians to go around. There aren't enough bodies to do the work ... sometimes. But, if you do something wild and imaginative, the audience will come, respond, love it, and give you feedback. The sweat and hard work will be worth it.

What advice do you have for people involved in theatre in Louisville?
To my fellow artists, don't be afraid. Keep open to new inspiration. If you dream it, create it. If you care about it, start the dialogue with your creation. And, don't be afraid to ask others for help.

To the Louisville audience, thank you, and keep it up. Just like you held SGE to its standards, demand high levels of creativity from all the theatres you support. Keep pushing for boundaries to be broken. Keep seeking more. Don't settle for mediocre. Stay loyal to LePetomane, Pandora, Finnigan, Lilith, Necessary, Catclaw. They won't disappoint.

Thank you TAL*. What amazing energy and ideas! What a great resource you are to Louisville theatre.

Thank you ATL** and LATE SEATING. What a great platform you've provided Louisville artists for showcasing new creativity.

Thank you Sherry.

* * * * * * * * *

*Theatre Alliance of Louisville
**Actors Theatre of Louisville

"When I first met Rand I already knew he would be directing me in the one-man show I Am My Own Wife, and I couldn't help feeling some anxiety about how we would get along, what his approach would be, etc," he said. "Within a few moments I felt tremendous relief and reassurance -- not so much by what he said as in the way he looked at me, as if he were peering into my soul! I saw passion and kindness in those big, intense eyes, and Rand would bring both of those qualities to our project, in abundance. He treated me as a collaborator throughout the process, always attentive to my concerns, patient with my mistakes and celebratory of my breakthroughs. Rand has been an inspiring presence on the Louisville theater scene, and I hope he'll be returning before long!"

I have no doubt that Rand leaves many more stories and memories like Roger's, and that we all join in hoping the Harmons return to Louisville.

In the meantime, I received an update from the remaining members of Specific Gravity Ensemble regarding the Harmons' relocation and its impact on the company. Unfortunately, the organization is dormant, and the ensemble has disbanded for the time being. However, SGE members have many creative projects in the works: