ByQuotes

Diane Paulus Quotes

Powerful Diane Paulus for Daily Growth

About Diane Paulus

Diane Paulus is an acclaimed American theater director, best known for her innovative productions that re-envision classic works and explore new forms of storytelling. Born on January 5, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York, Paulus grew up with a passion for the arts, developing an early love for theater from her family's frequent visits to Broadway shows. Paulus attended Swarthmore College, where she majored in English and Theater, before earning a Master of Fine Arts degree in Directing from the University of California, San Diego. Her career began in regional theaters, including the Seattle Repertory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and the Guthrie Theater. In 2005, Paulus was appointed as the Artistic Director of the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) at Harvard University, a position she held until 2018. During her tenure at A.R.T., she directed groundbreaking productions such as "Hair" (2009), which won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, and "Pippin" (2013), which won four Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival. Paulus is known for her unique approach to directing, often blending elements from various disciplines such as circus arts, puppetry, and technology to create immersive theatrical experiences. Her major works also include "Finding Neverland" (2015), a Broadway musical based on the film of the same name, and the critically acclaimed "Waitress" (2016), which was originally developed at A.R.T. Currently, Paulus serves as the Artistic Director of the Public Theater in New York City, where she continues to push boundaries and redefine the possibilities of theater. Her influence extends beyond the stage, inspiring a new generation of theater artists with her bold, imaginative vision for storytelling.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I believe that theater is a place where transformation happens."

This quote suggests that theater is an environment where personal, emotional, or cognitive change occurs. It's a space where individuals can engage in immersive experiences that challenge their perspectives, evoke emotions, and inspire growth. The power of theater lies in its ability to transport us beyond our everyday lives, allowing us to explore new ideas, empathize with different characters, and maybe even transform ourselves along the way.

"The role of the artist and the arts in society is to challenge us, to ask us questions, to make us see things differently."

This quote by Diane Paulus emphasizes that artists and art are instrumental in provoking thought and fostering change within society. By challenging our perceptions, presenting new ideas, and offering unique perspectives, art serves as a catalyst for questioning the status quo and sparking meaningful discussions. Ultimately, it encourages personal growth and societal progression by pushing boundaries and stimulating fresh insights.

"When I walk into a space, I don't think about what it is or was; I think about what it can be."

This quote by Diane Paulus expresses her forward-looking perspective on any given space or situation. She doesn't limit herself to the current state of things but instead envisions their potential, embracing the transformative power of imagination and creativity. It implies a mindset that seeks possibilities rather than limitations, fostering innovation and adaptability in the process.

"I always say that we need more miracles in the theater. The more miraculous the experience, the more transformative the experience will be for the audience."

This quote suggests that a powerful, extraordinary, or transcendent event (a "miracle") is essential to create an impactful and transformative theatrical experience for audiences. The idea is that if theater can transport us to another realm or offer something unbelievable yet believable, it has the potential to profoundly influence our emotions, thoughts, and perspectives, much like a real-life miracle does. This miraculous quality can inspire personal growth and change in the audience members.

"Theater has the power to remind us of our shared humanity and to help us understand each other better."

This quote by Diane Paulus emphasizes the unique ability of theater to foster empathy and promote understanding among diverse individuals. By immersing audiences in different stories, perspectives, and experiences, theater breaks down barriers and encourages us to see ourselves reflected in others. It serves as a powerful tool for reminding us of our commonalities, thus strengthening social connections and promoting a more compassionate and inclusive society.

I listen to music, I read scripts, and I know pretty intuitively if I can unlock it in a way. It's actually very liberating when you understand that not everything is for you.

- Diane Paulus

Pretty, Very, Read, Liberating

The mission of the A.R.T. is to expand the boundaries of theater through works of the canon and the new works of tomorrow.

- Diane Paulus

Mission, New, Through, Canon

In Elizabethan England or classical Athens... theater was at the center of, not culture, but society and politics and religion and civic engagement. Those things have a different audience.

- Diane Paulus

Politics, England, Audience, Civic

Music is rhythm, and all theater is rhythm. It's about tempo and change and pulse, whether you're doing a verse play by Shakespeare or a musical.

- Diane Paulus

Play, Doing, Musical, Pulse

I had to drop a boulder to wake people up about the A.R.T. We've done that, and now we have audiences again who want cutting-edge work, who want to be challenged, but who also won't be falling asleep at the theater.

- Diane Paulus

Falling, Drop, Boulder, Cutting-Edge

Theatre and opera were always the twin kingdoms that I felt I had to conquer, because they were my parents' favorites.

- Diane Paulus

Opera, Always, Favorites, Kingdoms

We're a depraved civilization. All this technology, all the computer games and the iPhones... nobody will sit for art anymore. What a dismaying state of humanity.

- Diane Paulus

Art, Civilization, Will, Depraved

When you're a freelance director, you are hired to create the art, and it kind of stops there.

- Diane Paulus

Art, Kind, Director, Freelance

I really challenge every actor at the beginning of a process, and I always say, 'I have an idea that I'm going to bring to the table. I hope and expect that you will have an idea and bring it to the table. But the way I really want to work is that together we're going to have a third idea that is better than either of our ideas.'

- Diane Paulus

Beginning, Bring, Idea, Table

I knew ART was was going to give me this opportunity to expand my role as a director and finally let me have a seat at the table where I could get involved in these policy discussions and producing discussions and, frankly, the financial discussions.

- Diane Paulus

Financial, Role, Discussions, Table

I'm sorry, but to ask an audience these days to invest three hours in a show requires your heroine be an understandable and fully rounded character.

- Diane Paulus

Audience, Hours, Invest, Fully

Being a director, whether you're in rehearsal or you're in auditions or you're in a creative meeting, is so much to me about being present in the moment. There's a sense of time stopping.

- Diane Paulus

Rehearsal, About, Auditions, Stopping

Politics, to a degree, is about legislation, administration. You can't be there in the trenches.

- Diane Paulus

Politics, Administration, Legislation

Look at where I lived! Four blocks from Lincoln Center. I used to play in the fountain. And then I started taking dance lessons. I was in 'The Nutcracker' for the N.Y. City Ballet when I was 8 and dancing in 'The Firebird' for George Balanchine when I was 9. Believe me, that's something you don't ever forget.

- Diane Paulus

Dancing, Play, Fountain, Lessons

My generation of director has no illusions that we are going to be fed and cared for by subsidized theater in America.

- Diane Paulus

Generation, Cared, Fed, Illusions

I am always looking for what piece, what artists, what playwrights, what directors, what subject matter is going to catalyze an audience.

- Diane Paulus

Audience, Always, Going, Playwrights

At the core of what I'm doing is a belief in the audience, a belief that populism doesn't mean dumbing down theater, but rather giving the audience a voice and a role in experiencing theater.

- Diane Paulus

Voice, Doing, Audience, Experiencing

I'm always interested in looking - historically - at how theater can animate history and how all of that can make us engage with our lives in an enriching way.

- Diane Paulus

Always, Enriching, Lives, Engage

For me, the reason why people go to a mountaintop or go to the edge of the ocean is to look at something larger than themselves. That feeling of awe, of going to a cathedral, it's all about feeling lost in something bigger than oneself. To me, that's the definition of spectacle.

- Diane Paulus

Reason, Larger, About, Awe

I grew up with a beautiful gold harp sitting in our living room. My older sister played it.

- Diane Paulus

Living, Older Sister, Harp, Sister

I think actually what keeps the intensity manageable - it's a little counterintuitive - is that it's changing all the time. Every week is different for me.

- Diane Paulus

Think, Week, I Think, Keeps

It's freeing to not be caught up in your own personal baggage.

- Diane Paulus

Own, Caught, Baggage, Freeing

I had this epiphany that I like the interaction with people. I wanted to make things happen at a grassroots level.

- Diane Paulus

Happen, Like, Level, Grassroots

I want an audience that will come sitting forward in their seats.

- Diane Paulus

Forward, Audience, Will, Seats

Opera is the ultimate art form. It has singing and music and drama and dance and emotion and story.

- Diane Paulus

Art, Drama, Opera, Art Form

I'm always interested in working with people who are good team players - that are selfless that way in their interests and dedication to the project.

- Diane Paulus

Dedication, Always, Players, Interests

The musical theater is a glorious and distinctly American innovation in the history of theater.

- Diane Paulus

Innovation, Theater, Musical, Glorious

Art cannot be looked at as an elite, sacred event anymore. It has to be embraced as an accessible, popular form, which is what I believe theater is at its roots.

- Diane Paulus

Art, Which, Accessible, Elite

You have to think about why you're asking an audience to come to the theater. It's not that they should come because it's good for them, because it's the vegetables that they should eat and the culture shot that they should get... It's about experience and building community and catalyzing dialogue and bringing people together.

- Diane Paulus

Asking, Why, About, Dialogue

I think in our culture there's been a tendency for people to blame the audience. There is a tendency in our industry to say, 'The audience has left the building. People don't want culture anymore.'

- Diane Paulus

Think, Audience, Been, Blame

If you're searching for quotes on a different topic, feel free to browse our Topics page or explore a diverse collection of quotes from various Authors to find inspiration.