Director/Creator Raymond Bobgan’s work centers on collaborating with performers to create performance. Raymond’s work engages actors in the creating of physical, mental, and emotional “scores.” Through the montage of these “scores” with original text, song creation, storytelling, and the moving of objects to transform space, Raymond creates layered performances that work on multiple levels. Raymond will share some of these techniques and perspectives as a way for artists to grow and develop.  

The Directing Creation Class is for theatre directors, choreographers, writers, actors, designers, and composers who wish to explore the rigors of directing and creating original performances. In this class everyone will direct, act, and create. Students may be paired to collaborate on some assignments. The class will not follow a conventional curriculum and will evolve throughout the process.  

Students may only miss one class and must make up work for that class. This is a working classroom environment, and students will be expected to come to each class ready to dive in.  

Students must also be prepared to cast, create, and rehearse 3-4 scenes for in-class presentation. CPT will make one rehearsal room available for the students of this class to share. Students need to plan 4-8 hours of rehearsal time for each scene. Scenes will be presented at the start of class on due dates. 

“I valued working with talented actors, my peers, and the convening of a dynamic, diverse group of creatives. Clearly defined parameters, expectations and deadlines with creative assignments set up opportunities to speed date with both ideas and collaborators. Raymond’s energy and passion is contagious.” 

―Pandora Robertson, Director  

Instructor’s Bio:

Raymond Bobgan creates new performances that are bold, multilayered, and highly physical through an ever-evolving ensemble process. Raymond’s work has been seen Off-Broadway, in Romania, Brazil, Denmark, Serbia, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and Canada, and has been featured in American Theatre Magazine, Canadian Theatre Review, Theatre Journal, and in Lisa Wolford’s book Grotowski’s Objective Drama Research. 

Raymond has created well over 25 full-length productions including works with Teatro Público de Cleveland, Masrah Cleveland Al-Arabi, Y-Haven Theatre Project, STEP and The Cleveland CORE Ensemble. His works include Dream Rust Workshop for CPT and Kennedy Center’s Arts Across America; Frankenstein’s Wake with Holly Holsinger, and Red Ash Mosaic with The Cleveland CORE Ensemble. Raymond was the overarching director and conceiver of The Elements Cycle a four-play series that focused on the environment and sustainability. His most recent creations include the immersive performance Candlelight Hypothesis and the improvisational show Reverie Oracle. 

Raymond was the first recipient of the Cleveland Arts Prize in the discipline of theatre. He is a two-time winner of the Creative Workforce Fellowship and a recipient of the Ohio Arts Council Fellowship. He is an alumnus of the National Theatre Artist Residency Program (Pew Charitable Trust and TCG). 

Fee for class is $600 but $500 can be paid through work exchange for Pandemonium (Details to be mutually agreed upon by each student and CPT.) 

Dates of Classes and Assignments 

APPLICATION 

Students must apply for admission into the class. We want this class to have a strong impact, so we are seeking people who have interesting strengths and weaknesses and who have a real hunger to learn new perspectives and approaches. We are also looking to “cast” a good mix of people with different levels of experience and backgrounds who will create a strong environment and may play well off each other.  

Please complete the application and submit it with your supplemental materials via email to rbobgan@cptonline.org  Applications will only be accepted by email.  

Deadline for application is May 20, 2024.  

General Information 

Name:
Address:
Cell phone:
E-Mail: 

Attach up to two sheets for the following questions: 

1. How do you define yourself in theatre? (I.e. “director first, playwright second,” or “primarily an actor”) 
2. Why do you want to take this course and what do you hope to learn? 
3. What is your prior experience in creating new work? 
4. What are the most important things you are working on as an artist? What’s really exciting you? What weaknesses are you addressing and what strengths are you building on? 
5. Explain why you think you have the resources to create 4 scenes for this class?  
6. If you would like to apply for a work-exchange scholarship (up to $500 of the $600 fee), please list skills you could offer or ideas for volunteering for Pandemonium. 

Attach your theatre resume