Directing Plays, Four Theatre Directors Explore Creative Lessons from the Stage

2025-10-20

Collaboration Lessons from Theatre Directors That Apply to Any Creative Project with Stacy Zuberi, Sara Ruiz, Basil Rodericks, and Andy Reiff. What can a directing class teach us about creativity, leadership, and the art of telling stories that connect? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda Trakhtenberg sits down with fellow directors Basil Rodericks, Andy Reiff, Sara Ruiz, and Stacy Zuberi to share lessons from their time training with master teacher Karen Kohlhaas. You’ll hear how working on plays like

Collaboration Lessons from Theatre Directors That Apply to Any Creative Project with Stacy Zuberi, Sara Ruiz, Basil Rodericks, and Andy Reiff.

What can a directing class teach us about creativity, leadership, and the art of telling stories that connect? In this episode of Your Creative Mind, Izolda Trakhtenberg sits down with fellow directors Basil Rodericks, Andy Reiff, Sara Ruiz, and Stacy Zuberi to share lessons from their time training with master teacher Karen Kohlhaas. You’ll hear how working on plays like Sweet Bird of Youth, A Streetcar Named Desire, Mala Hierba, and The Revolutionists shaped their vision, sharpened their communication, and strengthened their confidence as creative leaders. If you want practical strategies for directing theatre, leading collaborative projects, or building a more mindful creative practice, this conversation is full of insights you can put to work in your own life.

Andy Reiff

Andy Reiff is a director and costume designer. Most recently, Andy directed and designed the costumes for Sugar and Salt as part of the Circle Theater Festival, produced by RJ Theatre and The Actor Launchpad. Directing credits include: Anton Goes to Heaven (?) at Theater for the New City. Costume design: The Fundamentalist (Theaterlab), My Name is Susan (Scandinavian American Theater Company), Miracle of the Danube (Philipstown Depot Theatre), Expression of Regret (Philipstown Depot Theatre). Film: "Down the Shore", "Gender Studies", "Goodboy", "Egg", "Lifted" for Gucci and Garage magazine. Styling credits include music videos, editorial projects, red carpet styling for Tony nominee Max Vernon for the opening of KPOP on Broadway and Ben Levi Ross for the premiere of Tick, Tick…Boom!. Andy is passionate about creating opportunities for trans actors onstage. For three years, Andy has been working towards directing and playing Sally Bowles in Cabaret, which you can follow at @prairieoysterclub. @andyreiff andyreiff.com

Basil Rodericks

Basil Rodericks trained with John Basil at the American Globe Conservatory Theatre, where he performed for more than ten seasons. He later continued classical work with unShout the Noise (Tricia Mancuso Parks) under Ron Canada and as a member of Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre Company. Favorite roles: Othello, Iago, Claudius, the Ghost, Lord Capulet, Oberon, and the King of France. Recent: Langston Hughes in Harlem to Moscow: A Soviet Film on Negro Life as Told by Langston Hughes and Bill in PINK, both by Alle Mims under David Henry Hwang/Columbia U.. Directing: Kindergarten Confidential (Debbie Goodstein), The Wanderer (David Glover), and Pecking Order (59E59). Basil served as an evaluator for Hedgepig’s “Expand the Canon” initiative and a nominator for The Drama League. An accomplished theatrical photographer, he teaches photography at a South Bronx high school. basilrodericks.com

Currently: 2nd Murder, Soho Shakes at the Flea Oct 9-Nov 1. Tix: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2nd-murderer

Sara Ruiz

Sara Ruiz is a director, producer, writer, actor and activist from the San Fernando Valley. In 2020, she graduated with degrees in Political Science and Theatre from CSU Channel Islands. Since she was in high school her passions have been making politics and policy more accessible through the use of theatre and film. She believes that the arts can be used as a tool to break down barriers in the political world. Previously, she served as President of Ventura based theatre company, Unity Theatre Collective and is a founding member of Sana Sana Productions, a guerilla theatre and film production company based in LA. Currently she is Co-Directing "Everybody" by Brandon Jacobs Jenkins at CSU Channels Islands alongside her former Professor Laura Covault. Her past directing credits include: Asteroid Belt by LM Feldman, Collective Rage: a Play in 5 Betties by Jen Silverman, (un)American Activities, Sana Sana’s first original short film, Mi Cielo, an original radio play, and a handful of staged readings.

Stacy Zuberi

Stacy Zuberi has been acting since 2020. She has been in several short films and community plays. Her most recent stage productions were playing Mary in City Jail, Lorna in Surviving Grace and Mrs. Soames in Our Town. She has also been the director of Walnut Springs Middle School Drama Club since 2023. This past year they produced Shrek jr., the musical. In her spare time she loves hiking and biking and playing with her grandkids.

https://www.instagram.com/zuberistacy/

Izolda Trakhtenberg

Izolda Trakhtenberg is a director and playwright whose work spans stage and screen. Many moons ago, she directed Pam Gems’ Dusa, Fish, Stas, Vi on a 50.00 budget. She also created original projects including the One-Minute Movies community short film series. With NASA, she wrote, directed, and produced award-winning films such as Breathable: A Story of Air Quality and Touch the Earth, along with over 30 films on Earth’s biomes. As a playwright, her work has been featured in festivals across the USA, including Expiration Date at the 29 Palms Festival and Perhaps, Maybe? at Gi60. She is the creator of the If She Had Lived play cycle, exploring untold women's stories. She's currently writing three books, two plays, and a musical. She's also the president of the Tri-state New York chapter of Sisters in Crime, crime writers organization.

Connect with Izolda

Get exclusive content and bonus podcast episodes when you join my Patreon.

Website: https://IzoldaT.com

BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/izoldat.bsky.social.

Book Your Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/izoldat/discovery-call

New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org/users/90481/izolda-trakhtenberg

Submit a Play to the Your Creative Table Read Podcast Series

https://crossroads.consulting/

This episode is brought to you by Brain.fm. I love and use brain.fm! It combines music and neuroscience to help me focus, meditate, and even sleep! Because you listen to this show, you can get a free trial and 20% off with this exclusive coupon code: innovativemindset. (affiliate link)
URL: https://brain.fm/innovativemindset

It’s also brought to you by my podcast host, Podbean! I love how simple Podbean is to use. If you’ve been thinking of starting your own podcast, Podbean is the way to go!**

Listen on These Channels

**Affiliate Link

Comments (3)