The people around me

In many ways the company is a reflection of my life. It is comprised of pieces of the places I love. It includes individuals like our lighting designer Dan Gallagher who I grew up with right here in Amherst County, it includes our costume designer Sally Southall who I grew up watching do work in the Lynchburg theatre community, and people like our set designer Krista Franco who I went to school with at FSU.

Dan working on The Mind of Poe

Krista and I at Poor Paul's, one of our favorite bars in Tallahassee

There is no escaping the FSU presence at the Blue Ridge Summer Theatre Festival. None of this is by design, but because FSU was such a big part of my life, it has become a big part of the festival. Today we received word that the FSU alumni newsletter wants to do a story on the company. This created the need for an FSU/Endstation photo. I realized at this moment that we had 12 FSU graduates on the Sweet Briar campus and that was with three individuals involved in the festival missing (Jason Chimonides, Ryan Clark, and Bryce Page). This brings the grand total of FSU alums involved in this year's festival to 15. This may seem like a lot and it is, but when it is all said and done we probably have over sixty total individuals involved in the festival. So FSU is in the minority, but there is no doubt that the Noles are present. (I know it has to get annoying for many to constantly hear: "Remember back at FSU when...")

Walter, Josh, and I at Universal Studios in Orlando. We meant to ride rides, stayed in the bar and when we finally rode the Hulk, Josh lost his phone....

Josh and I at Poor Paul's. 2006

Michael is here, on the left, in my thesis production of Amadeus

Tallahassee and the Florida State School of Theatre is where I met and worked with an amazing group of talented young collaborators. I matured and grew as a director and teacher at FSU. The people I met shaped who I am and in turn they are a big part of my artistic path both in the past and the present. It is exciting for me to continue my artistic collaborations with so many of these individuals from my Tallahassee days. It is also exciting for me to infuse these collaborations with those that I know and love, right here in Virginia.

Sergio and Natalie in one of my favorite theatrical experiences, The Birds

Jason working on The Bluest Water in 2007

I love watching A Midsummer Night's Dream because it is the perfect mix of my past. It is filled with my peers from school and my peers from my home. I love it. I love watching this hybrid of people create magic on the SBC grounds each night. It is a reflection of my company and a reflection of the places I have been and the places that I am going.

Sally and Ryan discussing A Midsummer Night's Dream during tech

I am excited to build new collaborations, foster new partnerships, and expand my involvement with Virginia artists. I also love my collaborators that I share a deep past with. Both of these will share a place with Endstation and the Blue Ridge Summer Theatre Festival into the future. I love you all. Endstation is what it is because of you.

Geoffrey Kershner

Artistic Director