Theory and Practice

Action Theater™

Improvisation Practice

Choreography

Direction

Collaborators

Image Gallery

Ernie Lafky, Stokley Towles and Sten Rudstrom met in graduate school at  CalArts in 1988. They quickly began to influence each other. Through the process of writing collaborations, editing and rigorous critiquing of each other's work, Behind Every Great Man is a Thin Boy Struggling to Get Out was born. This piece was funded and toured in the U.S. Lafky and Rudstrom produced Radio Artaud, the first Artaud influenced piece in Rudstrom's career, which was aired in 1989. Towles directs his work more towards personal histories and installations. Lafky and Rudstrom are currently rehearsing To Have Done with the Judgment of God by Antonin Artaud, to premiere September 2006. Plans are in the works to produce The Hamlet Machine by Heiner Mueller in Spring 2008.

Ruth Zaporah has influenced Rudstrom more than anybody else. Her Action Theater™ improvisation training has become the core source of Rudstrom's work process. He remains in direct contact with her as a Senior Action Theater™ Teacher and consults with her on Action Theater writing and publishing matters.

Cassandra Terman has been an improvisational duet partner of Rudstrom's since 1992. Terman and Rudstrom have also collaborated on several writing projects. She and Rudstrom both remain members of the ever-evolving Action Theater™ Ensemble, an improvisation group under the guidance of Ruth Zaporah.

Sabine von der Tann has been working with Rudstrom since 2001. Von der Tann and Rudstrom annually produce Uncontrolled Improvisations, a series of improvised duets on parkbenches in the city of Berlin. Both remain members of the ever-evolving Action Theater™ Ensemble, an improvisation group under the guidance of Ruth Zaporah.