Lexington native Eric Seale is at home on stage, and in the director's seat, and in the sound booth, and in, well, just about any position you can find once you walk through a theatre's door.
Some accolades include co-founder and artistic director of the "Surprise Theatre" series, as well as co-founder for the Lexington based Apprentice Players, a self-producing group of high-school age theatre students. Last year, Seale was the director for the Studio Players' production of "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest."
After a 12-year, off-and-on affair with Lexington stages, Seale has found his role as the director of audience development for the Actors Guild of Lexington, where some, to name a few, of his duties include marketing and getting younger faces in the seats.
This month Seale will present his solo directorial debut with AGL with Martin McDonagh's "The Pillowman," after co-directing "Moonlight and Magnolias" last season. An incredibly dark and hilarious show, "The Pillowman" was the winner of the 2004 Olivier Award Winner for Best New Play and of the 2005 New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Foreign Play.
"I've worked on this for three years, conceptually," Seale said. "I can almost quote it by heart."
"The Pillowman" runs from Oct. 9 - Nov. 2 on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Downtown Arts Center. Thursday's preview night pay-what-you-can begins at 7:30 p.m.
Another one of Seale's initiatives is getting this production of "The Pillowman" involved with the national Free Night of Theatre, where many larger theater markets open their doors for a free showing. This year's Free Night of Theatre is Thursday, Oct. 16.
Meet Eric
Nickname: MacGyver or Slash (as in actor 'slash' set designer 'slash' props designer)
High school: Henry Clay
Childhood ambition: "To make movies ... and to be a paramedic."
First job: Movie theatre concessions. "I lied about my age to get the job."
Favorite play: "The Pillowman" (not a shameless plug)
Favorite movie: "Citizen Kane"
Favorite director: Terry Gilliam
Favorite quote: "Rise and drink your bliss, for all that lives is holy," William Bake
Dream production: David Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross"
Nightmare stage experience: "I got stabbed in the leg with a kitchen knife."