Mentors

The idea of mentorship is one that comes up again and again.  It's one that has been brewing in my mind for the past little while.  Last week I had the good fortune of attending an amazing event organized by New York Theater Experiment called The Generations Project.  This event was an inspiring forum between generations on artistic vision, leadership, and of course mentorship.  Anne Bogart, Seth Barrish, Virgina Louloudes, Beth Milles, and Maryellen Karnaghan all discussed their experiences as visionaries, as teachers, as students of the world, as mentors and as mentees.  What I found interesting was that their definitions of mentors all varied.  For them, a mentor could be a person who guides you one on one through rough learning patches.  It could be someone who inspires you.  It could be someone who comes and goes in your life.  It could be a fleeting moment or an interaction or even a piece of art...not even a person at all!  This idea comforted me.  I have been searching for mentors ever since the notion of its absolute necessity in life came up!

What I realized after attending this inspirational evening was that I have mentors in my life-a lot of them, and they will continue to present themselves as my journey continues.  Some of them I have a deep relationship with.  Some of them I have only met once or twice.  Some of them I look forward to meeting in the near future.  So with that in mind, I want to acknowledge and thank my many mentors: Wynn Handman, Austin Pendleton, Tom Woodrow, Ted Hope, Robert and Michelle Colt, Bob Fraser, Dallas Travers, Anna Wood, Benjamin Salley, Oron Stenesh, Dawn Mora, John Mossman, Michael Forman, Dani Super, Marci Phillips, Betsy Capes, Mitzi Hamilton, Franny Liebergall, Donna Drake, Robert Tunstall, Paul Russell, Evan Cabnet, Philippe Ifergan, Teri Shulman, Robert McKee, Jody Austin, Robert Ian Mackenzie and the old PST clan, Andrew Pifko, Michelle Martin, Lisa Donadio, Kelly Gillespie, the folks at NYTE, Meghan Rafferty, Shirley Curtin, Steven Spielberg, Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep, Sandra Bullock, Julianne Moore, Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman, Helen Mirren, Judi Dench, Jackie Earle Haley, Gosford Park, E.T., and of course, all the members of my family who have guided and will continue to guide me on my path.  I am grateful to you all.