For Rebecca R. Kastleman ’05-’06, directing a classic Greek drama is more than just a job: it’s part of her thesis. Along with her written work, Kastleman—a special concentrator in Cultural Aesthetics and Performance Studies—will present Euripides’ “Alcestis” at the Loeb Experimental Theater this January, adding her own interpretation to the play’s long production history.

I think one of things that we’re focusing on is that it’s a parody of a tragedy, that a lot of it is not a joke, but has comical elements. For us, it’s a masquerade. It’s much more like a carnival…The show is about confronting oneself in an inexplicable universe, what it means to be alone, to make someone lonely, to be on the brink of death. But it’s also a farce. Those are all pretty grand ideas to fit into an hour and half play, but that’s what we’re aiming for.

A veteran actor, techie, and theatergoer, Kastleman recognized the allure of directing late in high school, and refined her directing skills by working through several Harvard plays, which she describes as a “learn as you go process.”

I’ve known since my junior year that I really wanted to direct, but didn’t know how much I would enjoy it. Since being at Harvard, I decided to make it my academic focus as well. This will be my fourth show in the Loeb Ex[perimental theater]. I’m really looking forward to “Alcestis” because it’s been a real challenge. It’s probably the most difficult show I’ve ever worked on as a text, really confusing.

We’re doing a lot of collaborative work to try and shape the play organically from the cast that we have. My cast is great. They really helped this experience to be a positive one, and also, working with the composer, who’s doing original music. In general, I think this is one of strongest artistic teams I’ve had building a show. It’s really electrifying. It’s just creative.

Kastleman’s semester abroad sparked the change in her academic focus and continues to influence her work. The experimental theater program she attended concentrated on how theater culture integrated with the Czech Republic’s historical, social, and political climates.

The turning point in thinking of myself as a director was when I studied abroad in Prague…The way that theater works in Central Europe is very different from the way it works here. That was really inspiring, and that’s what made me declare my special concentration focus on Central European drama. I guess more than any director, I would say a place, Central to Eastern European culture, is where I draw my inspiration from.

To Kastleman, graduating “basically consists of my swipe card no longer working,” and indeed, the senior is “ready for the next step.” She encourages those who remain to keep an open mind and be willing to learn from other people.

Don’t be afraid to let your interests evolve and take risks. There’s definitely a mentality that you have to know the moment you come in that you’re going to x-doctor or y-whatever else, but it’s the quality of your direction, the strength of your direction, that’s going to govern your success.

—Lindsay A. Maizel