Variety of shows, programs planned as Coachella Valley Repertory welcomes Adam Karsten

Adam Karsten vividly remembers the night he fell in love with theater.

He was 11, living in Dublin (his father was on sabbatical writing a book overseas), and hanging out with his best friend, Timothy, at a sleepover. Suddenly, Timothy's mother rushed the boys into her car. Karsten thought they were taking a trip to get ice cream.

Instead, when they reached their destination, the boys were led through a door and told where to stand. Suddenly, the lights turned on and a rising curtain revealed Timothy's mother was in the chorus of the opera "The Mikado," by W.S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan, at the Abbey Theatre, known as the National Theatre of Ireland.

"I thought, 'What in the world am I watching? Where am I?' I loved it. it was magical," Karsten, a Pittsburgh native, recalled. "After that I'd go to my parents and tell them what I did and ask, 'Can we go again?'"

Now, as Karsten steps into the role of Coachella Valley Repertory's executive artistic director, he hopes to bring a little bit of that magic to local young people through a number of new programs and shows planned for the upcoming season.

Karsten is only the second artistic director in CV Rep's history, succeeding Ron Celona, who created the repertory more than a decade ago. The new Coachella Valley resident has spent more than 20 years working in the theater arts, primarily in New York City, from directing Off-Broadway shows and touring productions to producing the Emmy-winning series "Live From Lincoln Center."

Even though he garnered a lot of success in New York, he saw a great deal of potential in the repertory, which made the move even more attractive for him and his family (his wife is also a choreographer).

"Everything that we talked about, all of the programs that we can create because of what they have built, that opportunity does not exist everywhere," Karsten said. "We can still create so much more and that was really exciting."

A nationwide search for Celona's successor took place following his retirement, said Board President David Cohan. Candidates from all over the country applied until it was narrowed down to Karsten.

"We have been extraordinarily blessed to have Adam. Adam is the real deal," said Cohan. "Already in just a few months astounding things are happening."

New additions to CV Rep also include Jeniffer Hankinson, who is the new managing director and who has worked with Karsten in the past, and Doug Sorenson, the director of the Conservatory.

"We've hit the ground running, and we're so excited for what's going to happen this season," added Cohan.

Shows this season

CV Rep's season kicks off Nov. 8 with Stephen Karam's Tony Award-winning family drama "The Humans," which Karsten will direct.

The season will also feature Tony Award nominated and winning productions "Fun Home" by Alison Bechdel, "Dirty Blonde" by Claudia Shear, "Once" by John Carney and "Hand to God" by Robert Askins.

Karsten hasn't directed any of these shows previously, but many are among his favorites. "Once," a musical based on the 2007 film of the same name, tells the story of an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant who are drawn to each other by their shared love of music. Karsten called it a "beautiful story" and "a unique staging adaptation of the film."

"The Humans" focuses on a Thanksgiving family gathering and tensions that arise throughout the evening. It's a "deceivingly deep" play, Karsten said. While it starts off with a family enjoying themselves during the holiday, audiences soon see the depth and the fears of each character come to the surface until they reach their boiling point.

The shows in the upcoming season are "balanced" and offer a variety of viewpoints, he said, but Karsten also wanted to select works that offered complex character experiences.

"In each of the shows you'll be faced with observing and watching characters go through situations that are very relatable, but extremely challenging," Karsten said. "That's something that can be inspiring, and that's what I like to see theater arts do with an audience: Give them an experience that they can walk out feeling inspired, not just challenged, but enriched."

Karsten will also direct "Fun House," and possibly a third show, but he said he's more interested in inviting other artists to work on shows because "the audience deserves viewpoints ... conceptual vision and artistic vision beyond mine."

One of those guests includes Phil McKinley, who directed the five-time Tony nominated Broadway musical "The Boy From Oz" and whose production of "Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark" is one of the top 20 all-time box office grossing productions in Broadway history. He will take the helm on "Dirty Blonde." Karsten said attracting talents such as McKinley to the repertory is part of the pursuit to "[take] the theater space to the next level."

In addition to a new slate of shows on stage, the theater space itself is getting a bit of work done in time for the new season. Equipment, lights and audio aspects are being upgraded to better improve the audience's viewing experience, and the theater's exterior will also get a facelift.

Programs for all ages

A slate of new and ambitious programs are in the repertory's future that not only aim to attract local talent, but make the theater's name known around the world.

A conservatory training program recently kicked off with Broadway, television and film veterans teaching courses for children, young adults and adults. Classes include an introduction to musical theater and improvisation, building characters and vocal techniques.

Sorenson is leading the program, and Karsten said he has "great expectations" for it.

"We're going to build it, we're not going to give up on it," he said. "It's time for us to really take the time and provide that training program for youth in the community."

The theater is also planning to expand its Theatre Thursdays program, which had a different cabaret, concert or entertaining event each week during the summer months. In addition to one-night performances, Karsten envisions artists holding a training program or workshop with the conservatory.

But the most ambitious project planned, a new works development program, has one goal in mind: CV Rep is going to create the next Broadway show from page to stage.

A number of production readings will take place until one show is selected for additional development. That play or musical will then be incorporated into the following season's lineup. Karsten said audience members will be able to view readings and early productions of the show, which will provide creators with instant feedback. The Coachella Valley also has an educated theater audience, he added, so "they're aware of what can be done" and potential investors may be out there.

He hopes to start the program in January.

"If we get the right ones and they're good enough, they will have a life beyond Coachella Valley Repertory," Karsten said.

Cohan added that many successful Broadway shows started out going through the same process, and if a show that originated at CV Rep is produced, the theater will receive royalties.

It's a lot of work to tackle for any person, let alone a new artistic director, but Karsten wants to create enjoyable experiences for young people in the theater world just like when he first discovered the art form. And what's surprised him the most during his time in the desert thus far is the support he's received every step of the way.

"Theater, the art form itself, is essentially collaborative. You're working with many different minds, whether they're a lighting designer, set designer, costume designer, an actor. You're putting it all together, so you have to be able to collaborate, and the only way you can do that successfully is when you have a really positive community and safe environment," he said. "That exists not just within our creatives, but within our staff and board, and I found it to exist within the community."

As the season kicks off in just a few weeks, Karsten invites community members, especially those who have never visited the repertory, to "join the conversation."

"We're creating five shows and programs that will really begin that conversation about life, culture, our futures, our pasts, our hopes and dreams," he said. "All of those things are what you can experience with theater, and we're taking it to the next level. Come and be part of what all of that means."

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Coachella Valley Repertory welcomes new Executive Artistic Director Adam Karsten