Theatre/Film Director, Actor, Producer SDC (associate), AEA, SAG-AFTRA
Biography
Directing Philosophy
With nearly 40 years in the entertainment industry, having worked in multiple aspects, my philosophy is one of total collaboration. "The best idea in the room wins, regardless who it comes from." Studying for a summer in Ireland, I was able to interview various artistic directors, playwrights, actors, designers and educators. Those interviews taught me how to explore the complexities of a new script, to keep an open mind when uncovering the often hidden and impactful meanings in subtlety and to always look for the new, untried and fresh. Combining new talent with seasoned veterans is always highly rewarding and allows for a team that creates from multiple perspectives. As a director/producer it is my pleasure to bring diverse voices together to create something beautiful, entertaining, challenging and a little educational.
Carl founded Transformation Theatre, Inc in April of 2019 where he is currently Producing Artistic Director.
Transformation Theatre (TT) provides a collaboration venue with ‘up-and-coming’ and established theatre artists to focus on socially relevant original, unpublished plays and adaptations celebrating underrepresented groups. Simply stated. Transformation theatre helps to develop and produce new plays that are by, for and about underrepresented voices.
Carl earned his MFA in Directing from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC and a MA in Producing Film and Video from American University. His thesis production, Futureproof by Irish playwright Lynda Radley was also the US premiere. Carl interned as the Associate Artistic Director for The Washington Stage Guild in DC. He has worked in many aspects of theatre including Producer, Director, Choreographer, Actor, and Special Effects Make Up Artist for nearly 40 years. A proud member of SDC (associate member), AEA and SAG-AFTRA Carl served as the Balto/Washington AEA Liaison for six years. His directing credits include productions of A Chorus Line , My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls and Terra Nova (winner best director, Burlington Footlighter’s in NJ). He directed the world premieres of Greg Jones Ellis' All Save One for the Washington Stage Guild and Audrey Cefaly's Consider The Ficus for the DC Queer Theatre Festival. He is also the producer, writer and director for the film, Never Dream, The Beginning. Film acting credits include leading roles such as Gabriel Utterson in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Satan in Fall of the Morningstar, Devlin the Destroyer in Sorcerers of Stonehenge School, and Gordon in Nocturne. TV credits include lead roles in episodes of The Prosecutors on the Discovery Channel, Civil War Combat on the History Channel and Special Forces; GSG-9 on the Learning Channel. Theatre credits include performances at the Kennedy Center (Shear Madness), Bobby in the National Tour of A Chorus Line, the Fulton Opera House, Fort Salem, Signature, MetroStage, Henlopen Theatre Project, Wayside, Round House (Helen Hayes Award, A Prayer for Owen Meany), Ford's, Washington Stage Guild, Imagination Stage and Olney Theatre (Helen Hayes for A Chorus Line). Carl was choreographer and lead dancer with Illusionist John Bundy and Morgan in their Halloween special Spooktacular on Tour for over 6 years. As the former owner of Dragon Fire FX (formerly Morphaige), he is an award winning make-up and effects artist. His make-up designs have been seen in productions of The Jungle Book , The Wizard of Oz, Into The Woods, Spooktacular, national commercials including Chevy Trucks with Cal Ripkin, Jr. and numerous independent feature films , such as Never Dream the Beginning (TIVA DC award), Nocturne, The Suffering, and Dark Therapy as well as the DC promo of AMC's The Walking Dead.