About Junkyard Shakespeare

After college, I inadvertently joined a back-to-the-land renaissance - I became a farmer. Something about the corporate lifestyle didn’t feel right, and I needed my work to be tangible. I craved growing something whole and nutritious - that I could hold in my hand. I craved the security of knowing exactly where my food came from and how beautiful it could be in its unprocessed form.

I also wasn’t interested in commercial or large-scale farming. I was drawn to market gardens, small organic farms, and homesteading. Growing a diverse collection of vegetables on the same land is ecologically healthier than growing acres of one crop. It is also extremely personal - the community buys produce directly from the farmer. 

As a theatre-maker, I am curious about that direct, personal connection between the actor and the audience through unprocessed, dare I say “nutrient-dense” theatre. No big tractors, flashy sets, lights or costumes - no spectacle that serves up a perfect product or conceals the process.

This is where Junkyard comes in. We’re going back to the messy, imperfect roots of theatre. It is simple story-telling - with the most moving and vitalizing results. Like raw, organic vegetables.

Part of this mission is also creating a world where being a theatre actor is a viable profession. Junkyard’s farmer-actors deserve to be compensated for their life-changing work. Currently, 2-5% of actors make a full-time living off acting alone, and only 14% of SAG-AFTRA members make enough to qualify for healthcare - $26,470 annually. 

Junkyard Shakespeare produces life-changing theatre - both for the actors and the audience.