Director Liesl Tommy graduated from the Trinity Rep Conservatory in 1998. This fall she has directed in Dallas, Toronto, West Virginia and North Carolina. Recently, she talked with artistic associate Laura Kepley about her plans for A Christmas Carol.

Tell us about your days as a student here.
I loved it. I got to do everything I loved, all day long! Dance, act, sing, roll around on the floor, and wear sweatpants 24 hours a day! My teachers taught me things I use today. The words of Annie Scurria, Brian McEleney, Stephen Berenson, and Ed Shea are with me every single day. It made me the person I am today. There were a few pivotal moments, such as getting to see one of my all-time favorite plays in my very first semester: Long Day's Journey into Night. Those actors bared their souls on stage. It was so meaningful to see a play I adored given that kind of simple, clear, passionate life. And Angels in America, what can I say, I’m tearing up right now, just thinking about it. Approaching that enormous play with such incredibly simple design: it was a profound reminder of what that bare-your-soul Trinity acting company style can create with great writing and visionary directing.

What were your impressions of A Christmas Carol when you were a student here?
It was big fun. I played Belle and Lucy and Mrs. Dilbert. Had a blast. Coming back now as a guest director is thrilling, of course. One special memory is driving me, as I do my pre-production work: every night, while singing in the background during Scrooge’s reclamation scene, I would watch the audience. They were all so genuinely moved. Old, young, middle aged, they were so engaged and touched by the story.
 
What do you like about the story?
Dickens is one of my favorite authors. My father gave me Oliver Twist when I was very young – he was an activist and he approved of the politics -- and I read through most of Dickens’ work. I think the message of A Christmas Carol has never had more relevance than in our current consumer culture. But I LOVE ghosts and ghouls, and bad guys who find redemption. Plus singing and dancing -- it's all in there!
 
As a kid, did you have any family theater or musical traditions for the holidays?
I grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, during the bad old days of Apartheid. As people of color, there were so many things we could not do, so many places we could not go, that families became very creative. Music was a big part of my family life. My mother used to organize a Caroling Evening and invite our enormous family, neighbors, the ladies from my grandma's church. We would sit outside (Christmas is in the summertime in the Southern hemisphere) in the early evening and sing every hymn and carol known to man. My uncles would play instruments. It was wonderful. After we came to the United States, my mother and I used to see Boston Ballet’s Nutcracker every holiday. Also wonderful.
 
Tell us about your choices for Scrooge.
Scrooge this year is played by Mauro Hantman and Joe Wilson, Jr. Mauro is my homey -- we were in school together and I adore him. Joe is just rock-and-roll amazing. I mean, every one of those company members can act their faces off, but I wanted to inject a different energy into Scrooge this year -- a more dangerous, edgy bad guy. These two actors can sing and drive the play in the direction I'm thinking about.
 
Is your production set in Dickens' London?
Yes, it is. Traditional all the way, but with a few surprises.
 
How will you balance the production's opposing urges: tradition and innovation?
Well, this is the most exciting part of the task! We’ll have quite an array of Christmas music and the arrangements will be fun and surprising. The ghosts will have a much more contemporary edge. And we’re going to use a lot of fun design tricks.
 
What role will music have in the production this year?
Music is a huge part of my aesthetic. Those actors will be singing a lot, and we’ll be adding some extras.
 
Will it be scary?
Oh yeah! I love Asian horror movies and ghost stories, so we’re going to go to town on this. It will be scary, but not make-your-kids-cry-and-want-to-leave scary, more fun scary.
 
What do you love about directing?
Well, there’s a lot to love! I love collaborating with other artists. I love the pre-production stage when you have those initial conversations with the designers and everyone lets their imaginations get fired up, and we go away and imagine all the possibilities, come back and meet again and begin to specify the right ideas for this group of artists in this theater. Then there’s the collaboration with the actors. I used to be an actor and I love everything about actors and the way they work. I have immense respect for them and it’s a pleasure to be in the rehearsal room collaborating on the life of the play. Then there’s my silent collaboration with the audience. Whenever I direct a play in a new city I pay attention to the people who make up the audience, read their newspapers, walk around town and listen to their conversations, and allow the identity of the city to gently influence my thoughts. And the final part I love is giving my imagination free reign; integrating my research, the artists, the audience and my artistic impulses regarding music, movement and staging into a whole. I get to use all of my skills in one job. Total fulfillment.