Artist profile: Leah Cooper, director

May 14, 4:43 PMMinneapolis Theater ExaminerZach Curtis

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   Leah Cooper

How long have you been working in the Twin Cities?

I moved here 11 years ago, and I think I’ve been writing, directing and performing here for about 9 years.

Which of your shows might we have just seen?

The Hunchback of Notre Dame with Cromulent Shakespeare Company, Everywhere Signs Fall with Gremlin Theater, and Anton in Show Business with Starting Gate Productions

Tell us a bit about your current show:

Teach Me Tonight, with 20% Theatre Company Twin Cities - based loosely on the experience of the playwright when she was only 15 years old, it’s the story of a charming, older man who comes between high school sweethearts, as told by the older man.

What drew you to this current production?

It uses a very theatrical approach to get closer to some very specific truths about this kind of man and these kinds of relationships. It’s well-written, funny, moving, and I was very excited to get to work with 20% Theatre Company.

What is the most difficult aspect of this show for you?

Well, it’s uncomfortably real and very specifically graphic. The cast is young, and these are complex, difficult emotions to explore. But the cast has risen to the challenge beautifully.

How did you get involved in directing theater in the first place?

I was a nerdy kid overdosing on math and science when a high school guidance counselor suggested – insisted actually – that I take one class in the arts. Ceramics was full. One semester later, I was hooked on theater. By age 19, I was running my own little theater company in Los Angeles, directing shows in run-down black boxes on miniscule budgets to tiny audiences.

What is it that excites you about Twin Cities theater?

Most of all, the quantity and diversity of audience. Also the professionalism of the artistic community and tremendous philanthropic support.

Give us a plug for MN Playlist while you're here:

MinnesotaPlaylist.com is an online trade journal for the performing arts in Minnesota. Each month we explore a new theme with tons of articles by Minnesota’s own talented artists. We also have audition posts and talent profiles for artists and a calendar listing of performances across the state. Soon, we will be adding audience reviews of shows to the site. Building and maintaining this site has been a fabulous way to connect with the community I value so much.

What’s up next for you after this show?

I’m super excited I’ve been accepted to a summer residency with Cornerstone Theater Company’s Institute in California this year. Cornerstone brings professional theater artists together with a community to work together to create an adaptation connected to the lives of the people in that community. When I get back, my next directing project is Landscape of the Body by John Guare for Prufrock Theatre.

Teach Me Tonight, by Ariel Pinkerton, directed by Leah Cooper, opens May 14 and runs through May 23rd at the Gremlin Theater in St. Paul  Order tickets online or call 612.227.1188