Name:  Reg Flowers
Title/Occupation:  Theater Artist/Educator, creator of the the theater series Off the Hook; Riot Act, and Red Hook Theater Project
URL:  www.falconworks.com

1. Where did you grow up and how did you end up where you are now?

Grow up is such a relative term.  I’m sure this questions gets lots of
creative answers. In some ways, intellectually, emotionally and
psychologically, for example, I feel I haven’t grown up.  I’m aware of
the enormous amount of growth I have yet to experience.  I was raised
from childhood in Philadelphia.  For as long as I can remember I’ve
been directing people.  I was the kid who would marshal the other kids
into games of make believe that were usually based on whatever film was popular at the time.

2. Which performance, song, play, movie, painting or other work of art had the biggest influence on you and why?

Argh! I don’t know about biggest or influence or art even.  My mother
probably had the biggest influence,  other family members after that.
My environment has shaped me as a person/artist mostly, I think. I’ve really only ever tried to emulate a couple of artists:  One was George Barrick, my partner of three years (more counting the time before our first breakup), who happened to be a visual artist,  and the second was my mentor, Walter Dallas, who happened to be a director. My tastes as an artist were certainly shaped by these two.  Probably Camille Paglia as well.  My love for art in a the social context comes from having her as a teacher and from reading her books.

3. What skill, talent or attribute do you most wish you had and why?

I wish I had more patience and the ability to see into the future.
Wait, not the second thing — seeing all the bad stuff (any bad stuff
that I knew would happen) — would be a real bummer.  I’d like more
patience and maybe a do-over of my thirties.

4. What do you do to make a living? Describe a normal day.

Hah! I love the clarification.  I would not say I make a living doing
anything.  I am simply very lucky to have things fall into my lap in
time to pay the bills each month.  My normal day:  I wake up very
early–that’s pretty consistent.  I start thinking about what I need to
do to make progress (the towards is constantly shifting).  I try to do
something nice for myself these days, like meditating or going for a
light run or a long walk.  I start planning (the what is always
changing).  I spend a lot of time thinking up new ways to do theater
with the various populations with which I work.  I’m constantly in search of more effective ways to spark creativity in the people around me.

5. Have you ever had to make a choice between work and art? What did you choose, why, and what was the outcome?

No.

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Reg’s Falconworks Red Hook Theater Project will be performing May 24 – 30.