Spotlight on John Rea, Artistic Director

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John Rea has been MacGuffin’s Artistic Director for 18 years. Besides teaching, directing and managing he is also a playwright and composer. This fall he will be revising his musical comedy, More Than Anything to be performed in December. He loves his work. Working with youth is a challenge and reward for him. He named the company after a term acclaimed director, Alfred Hitchcock, used to describe as the object/thing that puts the plot into motion. He is delighted and inspired to make theatre and film every day with the bright and talented students at MacGuffin.

MacGuffin Questionnaire for John Rea

  1. What is your favorite word? Free.
  2. What is your least favorite word? Can’t.
  3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Collaboration.
  4. What turns you off? Micro-managing.
  5. What sound or noise do you love? My wife’s laughter.
  6. What sound or noise do you hate? Construction vehicles.
  7. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Politics.
  8. What profession would you not like to do? Factory work.
  9. Who are your personal heroes? Composer John Williams, directors Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Alexander Payne, and Martin Scorsese, the late teacher/writer Joseph Campbell, playwright William Shakespeare, poets Mary Oliver and Robert Bly, songwriters Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz and Stephen Sondheim.
  10. What is your favorite food and drink? Lasagna, strawberry fresa.
  11. What is your favorite color and flower? The color of our Green Room at MacGuffin, daisies.
  12. What are your favorite names? Madeleine and Ethan.
  13. What is your idea of happiness? Swimming in the Caribbean on a sunny day.
  14. What famous quote resonates with you? The best way to make God laugh is to tell Him your intentions.
  15. If you could come back as any person in history, who would you be? Mozart.
  16. Name a recent theatre piece or film that moved you.  The Big Short.
  17. Name something you learned at MacGuffin. I love to rehearse.