Robert St. Laurence '11, a Theater Arts major, directed the play Lot's Daughters, which is set in the foothills of Appalachian Kentucky during the 1940s and tells the story of two sisters-in-law who find themselves falling in love with each other despite the harsh disapproval of their community. St. Laurence has previously acted in such student productions as City of Angels, Saturday Night, and last semester's production Woman in the Background: Scenes from Pinter. The production of Lot's Daughters was presented by the Brandeis Players, a student theater company that is part of the Undergraduate Theatre Collective. The show was staged in Ridgewood Commons from Oct. 22 to 25. JustArts: What was it like to be the director for Lot's Daughters? How has it differed from your previous experiences with theater?

Robert St. Laurence: As an actor, primarily, it was interesting to approach theatre from this different perspective. The process of shaping and instructing my actors ended up teaching me more about the art of theatre and craft of acting than any other experience I've had on this campus. Spending my entire life on the stage, I came to a point where I wanted to share the fruit of my experiences with a set of eager actors, and become the driving force behind the creation of great theatre.

JA: What was your primary creative influence for the artistic value of the play?

RSL: In a way, the cast of Lot's Daughters had the opportunity to experience a taste of each director I've encountered in my long career, as I attempted to strengthen their abilities using the same techniques that helped me. In envisioning and directing Lot's Daughters, I tied every aspect to answering the need for honesty and intimacy in theatre.

JA: What was the most challenging aspect of working on Lot's Daughters?

RSL: The most challenging aspect of the directorial process was building a set of verbal tools with which I could effectively communicate my ideas to my cast, seeing as up until this point the ideas never needed to progress beyond conscious thought. The entire process of shaping a production and finding my directorial voice and style was a welcomed challenge.

JA: What do you think the audience will appreciate most about this play?

RSL: The show is designed to better feature its actors, so the high caliber of acting should be apparent. I treated my cast like professionals and worked them very hard throughout the production period, and they've responded very well, growing and stretching themselves beyond their various starting points.