My acting career started in the ’70s in Boston’s small theaters, which gave me opportunities to collaborate on the development of many new works – a great way to learn the nuts and bolts of performance. In 1980 I co-founded Theater Works, for which I performed, directed, and wrote adaptations. In 1982 the Boston Theater Critics Circle named me Best Actor, and in 1983 I received a Citation for Career Contributions from the New England Theater Conference. While in Boston, I did some acting at the American Repertory Theatre. 

I’ve worked elsewhere: Trinity Square Repertory in Providence, the Sacramento Theater Company, and Shakespeare festivals in Santa Cruz and Boise. I toured in an English-language production of Bernard-Marie Koltès’ Black Battles with Dogs to cities in France and Belgium; the show was invited to the Avignon Festival and the Athens Festival in 2006.

My wife and I relocated to Atlanta in 1990. I’ve acted at the Alliance Theatre, Theater in the Square, Horizon Theater, and Theater Gael. I did 10 seasons at Georgia Shakespeare, where I became an Associate Artist: roles included Lear (twice), Shylock, Malvolio, Moliere's Imaginary Invalid and Miser, and Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. In 1998 the weekly Creative Loafing named me Critic’s Choice for Best Actor. I received the 2009 Suzi Bass Award for Outstanding Featured Actor (Big Daddy, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof)and in 2010 a Suzi Bass nomination for Best Lead Actor (Lear).

From 1990 to 2017 I taught acting at Emory University, where I received teaching awards from the Center for Teaching and Curriculum (1998), the Residence Hall Association (2007), and Theater Studies majors (2002, 2009). I served two terms as Chair of Theater and Dance. 

At Theater Emory, an Equity company, I’ve played both central and supporting roles; adapted fiction and nonfiction, including stories by John Berger, Tim O'Brien, and Virgil; directed Shakespeare, Chekhov, and Wedekind; worked on many readings of plays in development for the Brave New Works program; and written and directed American Wake. I served as Artistic Director of Theater Emory from 2006-2009. 

I published Acting Narrative Speeches: The Actor as Storyteller in 2002. 

In 2011 I began work on a series of monologues about mortality and about acting. In 2018 I first performed a bunch of different ways i’d like to die.

I’ve been happily married for 25+ years to another actor, director, and teacher, Janice Akers, with whom I’ve collaborated on many productions. 

Acting

Adaptations

Directing

New Works