ARTISTIC STATEMENT

At the age of ten, I meticulously transcribed by pen the entire script, line and verse, to the movie version of Bette Midler’s Gypsy. I then proceeded to organize a vagrant theater troupe out of my three younger siblings, forcing them to enact all the roles I didn’t personally want to portray. I produced, cast, directed and starred in that first glorious show, and I am stunned it took me over another decade to realize and embrace the fact that the theater is my greatest joy. 

Joy should be pursued, not glossed over. Joy should be acknowledged - nourished, honored, and shared.

In the last three years, I lost my marriage (abandonment), my job (teacher layoffs) and my house (fire). Now that the proverbial and literal dust has settled, I am amazed by the predominant emotion I feel for my life: Freedom. 

We hold onto art supplies because one day we hope to make mosaics out of buttons, or old love letters because we are afraid they might be the most beautiful words we will ever receive. But when the former dies away, new life can be born, and the possibilities of the unknown are far more fascinating and endless than the limitations of the past. The buttons can be reacquired if and when we need them, and there are far greater love letters to be read, to be written - to be lived. 

I aspire to write new life. I want to write the words which spark open the heart of those hurting, or seeking, and meet those moments with compassion, humor, and competency. My stories thus far have addressed the themes of home, interpersonal pain and communion, and the whimsy and perseverance it takes to transform brokenness into beauty. I seek to continue shining that light into the lives of those who access my work, and seek recklessly and devotedly the skills and nuance it takes to become an exemplary storyteller. 

Kara Emily Krantz