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Mallory Metoxen is similar to many creatives – she has a main passion (directing theatre), but many interests that help feed into that passion. Besides working full-time at Renaissance Theaterworks and part-time at Colectivo Coffee Roasters, she’s also interested in maybe bicycling to California, has a pile of scripts to read through, likes to crochet, and she’s already preparing for a young playwright’s festival with the Chamber Theatre in 2015!
Miss Metoxen’s interest in theatre began when she was young – as early as 8th grade, as after meeting an actress, she too wanted to be an actress. An intense reading habit also got her into the thought-processes of theatre: “When I was growing up, I’d read a lot – like 50 books a summer – and I in reading those books, I’d always imagine how those actions would look.”
Learning of the MHSA – the Milwaukee High School for the Arts – was amazing; she thought to herself, “There ARE such things??” She went on to attend MHSA and was there for all four years of high school. When she was a Junior, she got a lead role in the play “W:T”, as a woman diagnosed with cancer…and learned how much stage-fright she had, and how poor she was at learning lines! That changed her “theatre arc”, as she realized that acting might not be where she was needed, but that directing was.
She entered Cardinal Stritch University with much confidence, and instructor, David Oswald, allowed her, as a freshman, to take a senior-level directing course! After graduation from college, she interned at Renaissance and had a bit of “what am I doing?” crisis. Mallory wasn’t directing at the time; I “had no outlet and was feeling bad about not putting my theatre skills to work.” “I love Milwaukee,” she said, but “needed to get back into the scene, and start producing shows.”
To flex those creative energies, she began looking for opportunities to direct – which led to “The Understudy” at Renaissance. Besides theatre, she is also exploring a video project for the Renaissance. Of that, though, she says, “I really prefer the feeling of live theatre – it’s a different performance, a different audience every night. I think I just want to stick with live theatre.”
As to her directing style, Mallory says, “I tend to talk in feelings. I’m not a dictator when I direct. Part of what I enjoy is learning from the actors I work with, and having my own perception of a script change with the actors’ input.
With this past year, Mallory has really pushed her directorial pursuits into high gear: “before last year, I’d pick up a script for a read-through once in awhile. Now, I have a stack of them at home that I haven’t gotten through yet! Because of BRINK, I’ve read a ton of scripts recently.” A script that she’s been wanting to work with is “he Effect of Gamma Rays On Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds”. This story has a “family dynamic that’s not a good one – it’s truthful and heartbreaking and beautiful. It’s >real< characters, it’s something you can relate to.”
Metoxen recognizes that convincing people to come to live theatre is a challenge – Hollywood keeps creating more and more fantastic CGI-laden blockbusters, and she feels “like millenials are spending money on experiences – like trips – but Milwaukee has so much good theatre…>that’s< an experience they should try, too!” The talkbacks that many theatre have after performances are one of the things that really separates live theatre from movies or TV says Mallory. “People are so afraid to leave their house and do stuff, and the amazing thing about theatre is that you can connect with the actors right in front of you, and then can tell them about it! The talkbacks are what really amaze me – it’s a communal experience you can’t get from movies or TV. It’s even more fantastic when actions happen – like fight scenes – because it’s “real.””
Mallory’s passion for theatre is pretty evident. Whether she’s producing, directing, building sets, critiquing a script, running a rehearsal, or fundraising for a show, it’s pretty apparent that she’s giving her all. Theatre is her life right now and she’s off to a great start!
Check out her work at the Renaissance theatre for the Brink directed-readings on Aug 18+19 (she’s producing and directing the shows). In late October, for the Splinter Group, she’ll be directing “The Effect of Gamma Rays On Man-In-The-Moon Marigolds”. Next year, keep your eyes peeled for the “Young Playwrights’ Festival” at the Chamber Theatre – she’ll be directing one of the three scripts being worked on!
