The imagination of a child is a beautiful thing. When a child discovers they can direct their imagination into something fruitful—it’s even more precious. Jonathan Vandenberg was such a child.

As a schoolboy, growing up in the arts rich San Francisco Bay area, he was introduced early on to theatre, opera and film. He was exposed to theatre through school outings; thus opening up a world of wonders in his mind. “The earliest theatre experience I can remember is being bussed to the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco to see “The Damnation of Faust.”

Our class sat in the last row of the orchestra and the mezzanine overhead partially obstructedthe stage view. That, combined with the nefarious nature of the story, gave me the impression that I was watching something secret on stage, something that I shouldn’t be able to see. To this day, the theatre experience I enjoy most is indirect and carefully considered, which I think subconsciously evokes that feeling of being privy to a secret that I had at the opera as a child,” explains Vandenberg.

This secret world became a reality. He began acting in school plays and was introduced to directing when stepping in for an ill director. “Another teacher observing our rehearsals came up to me during a break and told me that I was a director. To this day I don’t know what a director is,” he confides.

Vandenberg caught the bug! He studied theatre in college and a director is exactly what he has become. His influences vary but his vision, modern thus why he chose contemporary theatre as his medium. With help from colleagues, Vandenberg raised the curtain on Naked Masks, a theatre company initially housed in Berkeley, CA.

He describes the mission of Naked Masks as “presenting dramatic work that looks beyond appearances to explore what lies beneath” which he himself claims to be “extremely vague.” Perhaps so, but his productions were minimalist in nature though very thought provoking.

In theatre, using masks on stage is an ancient theory of drama, practiced as far back as the Greek tragedy. Vandenberg explains, “This theory of mask-face-soul, is the notion that human beings have a mask we construct for the world, a face which hides behind it but still conceals the true self, and the soul within which is bared only under extreme circumstances. Penetrating these facades is obviously an artistic ideal-maybe an unattainable one- but that was what Naked Masks aimed at.”

Was? Yes, unfortunately all good things come to an end; in mid 2008, the house lights darkened for the last time on the Naked Masks stage. But the show must go on! At least it is for Vandenberg who is currently taking on new challenges: Graduate studies and New York City. When asked about his decision to lower the curtain on the company, Vandenberg revealed something not too many people would admit: “I felt there were real gaps in my abilities as a director and wanted to get formal training. Until now (this fall), I have never received formal training in directing, which was both a blessing and a curse.”

But why move across the country and why Columbia University: Well, NYC is the epicenter of American theatre. Vandenberg explains that NYC is the place where you can see a little bit of everything—both American and international theatre. “There is an artistic culture here that’s unique to the country. Similarly, the culture at Columbia’s program is very open-minded. The instructors don’t judge aesthetic, they judge craft and results, which is a useful pedagogical approach to the performing arts.”

The tone of our nation is one that has been hit hard with the current economic situation. Historically, when times are tough economically, people turn to entertainment (theatre, film, sports) to get their mind off of things. But over the last decade or so the theatre world has experienced it’s own challenges, both artistically and financially. Vandenberg offered his thoughts. “For years the same debate in American theater circles has raged: Ticket prices are too high; there is not enough government subsidy to support new work or risk-taking; schools cannot afford to incorporate arts programs into their curriculum.

Tragically, very little gets done politically. The good news is it’s clear that American people want arts in schools, and that their communities want theaters. What’s more, despite all of the obstacles, audiences still flock to a great show. Today the burden for funding the arts is really shouldered by independent grant-giving organizations and individual contributions. That is a testament to the individuals who keep the performing arts alive, but we still need change at a political level.”

With the “big box” atmosphere on Broadway the air has shifted, but Vandenberg offers, “We don’t have to accept it. Political change is possible, but it would require a significant cultural shift. We spend billions on weapons and virtually nothing on the arts. That’s a reality that must be addressed on a societal level. It says a great deal about who we are as a people. That said, considering the national debt, I don’t anticipate that any politicians will be suggesting we triple NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) funding in the near future.”

When asked how theatre will survive the next 50 years Vandenberg subscribes to a broad definition of what theatre is and feels that theatre will always exist. He explains, “Human beings had theatre before they had verbal language. It’s part of our nature to watch and be watched. The question is: How can theatre remain relevant? It needs to address the issues of our era and do so in a theatrical language that speaks to contemporary audiences. Above all, it needs to involve audiences actively rather than allow them to sit as passive viewers. We desperately need antidotes to the apathy of our age. When art suggests rather than illustrates, viewer imagination is stimulated. We become actively engaged in the experience and reflection is induced. I think the most interesting work being done these days abandons realism and language-driven plays in favor of creating new forms. We must remind ourselves to not only think outside box but understand that there is no box.”

So, for a theatre professional who has already run his own company we wondered what he would be doing a couple of years from now? He hopes to be freelance directing and then eventually found a new theatre company.

Good luck Mr. Vandenberg—we will keep a watchful eye out for you in the years to come. You can learn more about him at: http://jonathan-vandenberg.net