Meet Amanda Hallman | Theatre Director and Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Hallman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I am incredibly inspired by telling stories that need to be told. As the co-founder of a feminist theatre company, I’ve been so honored to have been able to bring to the stage brilliantly written stories of women who have been mostly lost to history. Most audiences have never heard of these incredible women who have been relegated to a mere footnote in mainstream history books. But these important and inspiring women still have so much to say and remain so relevant. I am driven to tell their stories in a way that is meaningful, beautiful, and entertaining.

I am also inspired by the amazingly talented collaborators that I work with. The ideas and artistry of the actors, designers, stage manager, and technicians on our team fuel my own creativity. Theatre is a collaborative art and I am made so much better by the artists I create theatre with.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m currently directing and producing a beautiful production of These Shining Lives at the Curtis Theatre. Based on the true stories of the Radium Girls in the 1920s and 30s, These Shining Lives exposes the courage and tenacity of women who were considered expendable in their day. It’s such a meaningful story that illuminates lives, loves, and friendships of women who refused to allow the company that stole their health to kill their spirits or endanger the lives of those who would come after them. We’re about 5 weeks into the rehearsal process and I am so happy with how it’s coming together. We open on June 13th. It’s going to be a really special production.

I am incredibly lucky to have been able to build a career in theatre as a director, producer, educator, and intimacy professional.

Theatre has always been my passion, but it’s been a long and challenging road to get to where I am today. I’ve had other careers, but always worked hard to be involved in theatre in some way. It eventually took a leap of faith for me to go back to school, earn my MFA in Theatre Pedagogy, and start a theatre company. It was the best decision I’ve ever made.

We founded Begins and Ends with ‘A’ on the dream of telling the stories that we want in the way we want to tell them. For my co-founder and I, that means a feminist-led company that tells stories of humanity, equity, and art; brings together the people we want to work with who hold like-minded values; and pays our artists as much as we can for their time and talent. With my background in consent-based and trauma-informed practices, we also commit to creating brave spaces for artists to play at their best and always working with Intimacy Professionals on our productions.

Begins and Ends with ‘A’ values the humanity of the people we get to work with. It is important to us that everyone we encounter, be it in the audition process, rehearsals, or even as an audience member, feels valued and respected. While I feel that should be the bare minimum, unfortunately I’ve been told it is a rare way of doing things.

So far, I’m most proud of the stories we’ve been able to tell, the way we’ve presented them, and that the people we’ve worked with have had good experiences. It’s no accident that the first 3 productions we’ve produced have been about brilliant, strong, and resilient women who have mostly been forgotten to history. It’s an honor to be able to tell their stories. And I’m so thrilled every time an audience member comes up to me after a show and tells me they had no idea about these women in history and that they are going to go learn more about them. I’m also proud of the caliber of work we put on stage. We produce shows at the Curtis Theatre, which is a community theatre, but I would put our production value and talent at the level of any professional stage. And this is 100% because of the incredible people I get to work with. Finally, it delights me that not only do the actors and designers I’ve worked with want to come back and work with us again, but that we have actors return to our auditions even if they haven’t been cast in one of our productions yet. Theatre and the entertainment business can be a tough environment but I really pride myself on working to make it a better place for everyone, even if it’s one interaction at a time.

I still have so much more that I want to accomplish. But I’ve learned that following your passion can really lead to amazing things. It certainly helps to have family and friends in your corner, cheering you on and believing in you. I’ve also learned that if you find people you work well with, keep working with them and you’ll do incredible things that will lead to more and more opportunities.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love the Griffith Observatory. Swan boats on Echo Park Lake are a must. It’s so hard to narrow down food. I love LA food! (Ok, I just love food.) Joon Shabu Shabu in Glendale is a fave. Black Market Liquor Bar is yummy. Good Korean BBQ, Ricky’s Fish Tacos. But the best hang out spot? My apartment. Steak dinner or Mark’s deep dish pizza, bourbon, good conversation, and a cute dog? Yes please.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dedicate this shoutout to my amazing parents and my partner, Mark. My parents’ unwavering support has allowed me to dream big and live such a full life. And they have never missed a show. Thank you, Mom and Dad! Mark, thank you for supporting me and loving me. And for not minding our office becoming a prop room and paper all over the house. I adore you.

I’d like to thank my theatre partner, best friend, and co-founder of Begins and Ends with ‘A,’ Aja Bell. Aja, because of you we get to live the dream. I’d like to thank Kris Kataoka for being the best and most supportive collaborator. I’m so lucky.

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Image Credits
Francis Gacad – All professional photos