I create art and support artists in the hopes of healing myself and others. I act as a mirror to society and a mirror unto myself. I am on a labyrinthine voyage into my most grotesque shadows and brilliant aortic auras for the sake of the work; I aim to leave nothing behind.
I believe in the power of theater and art to change the culture, and I believe strongly that it is the mindful artist’s responsibility to try and fail, and try again. I realize my work is sometimes controversial. I recognize it pokes and prods at the status quo, and that it has the tendency to make people uncomfortable. I am not interested in making the spectator comfortable. I am only interested in creating an experience that seeks to disrupt the privilege of their comfort (and mine) and stoke a flame of passion within us all.
I write about race, ancestral trauma, polyamory, sexuality, climate change and a vast range of topical issues we face today, of which I am personally invested. My work on A Man of His Time has proven to inspire real-life action in a historic communion, of which the ripples can still be felt, and of which a new play has spawned. I am always learning.
As actor, I dive into characters that seem to have no floor to them. I am interested in the classics and the theatrical provocateurs of today, and I am hardly ever satisfied. I seek to express and release my deepest truths on the stage, and reveal myself mind, body and soul. As teacher, I aim to evoke a sense of passion, play and sacrifice in my students. It is a great joy in my life to be able to teach what I love most and to see the work live in them so fully.
I am an artist. I find the work of the artist sacred, ancient and filled with the persistent longing for truth.
Kate Taney Billingsley
Kate Taney Billingsley 