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A New Road Begins at Endstation for SBC Mainstay Geoff Kershner, Son of Theatre Department Chair
By Katy Johnstone '09
STAFF WRITER

Just who is the real Geoffrey Kershner?

Is it the Sweet Briar professor who taught Acting I last semester and now heads the Directing class? Perhaps it’s the guy flipping burgers at the Bistro, or the lifeguard on duty at the ACAC swimming pool in Charlottesville. Or maybe it’s the professor at Lynchburg College who just directed the school’s production of Marisol.

Although he has worn many different occupational hats in order to pay the bills, Kershner’s true passion lays in the theatre—particularly in his own company, Endstation. The group, which he founded alongside college friend Krista Franco last January, is putting on its first production, The Tell-Tale Heart and the Mind of Poe, in Sweet Briar’s Black Box Theatre on May 1st and 2nd.

Why, one might ask, would a brand-new, struggling theatre company choose to put on its debut production at a tiny women’s college in the mountains of Central Virginia?

According to their mission statement, “Central Virginia’s rich traditions and culture are fertile ground for our theatrical exploration. This fantastic community is ready to enjoy the experience of having a professional theatre company to call its own, a company that will provide quality productions ranging from classics to musicals as well as original productions about local history.”

Kershner had another reason to work out of Amherst County. He is no stranger to the rolling hills of rural Virginia—his father is Dr. Bill Kershner, head of SBC’s Theatre Department. Kershner spent many of his childhood and teenage years on campus, playing soccer on the fields, taking occasional classes, and even appearing in Sweet Briar plays.

“When I was younger, I used to do shows here,” Kershner said. “My favorite experience was playing Edgar in the production of King Lear.”

Upon his graduation from Amherst County High School, Kershnerff studied acting at Philadelphia’s prestigious University of the Arts. It was during this time, however, that a trip to London with his father triggered a major revelation.

“I made the discovery that what I loved about theatre was watching it—seeing the overall effect. I decided to become a director, because I wanted to express myself and the [art] form onstage.”

While completing his Bachelor of Fine Arts, Kershner jumped on every opportunity available to direct. Often, he mounted his own productions featuring his classmates as actors. After he graduated, Kershner spent a year in the Arden Theatre Company’s professional apprenticeship program. He now recalls this as a crucial step in his directorial journey.

“It taught me how a non-profit regional theatre runs. When I finished the program, I started a company in Philly with a friend of mine. We ran it for three years, until I went to Florida State’s School of Theatre to receive my MFA in Directing.”

Things really began to fall into place for Kershner during his time in Florida. He formed a friendship with Scenic Design student Krista Franco, and when the pair discovered that they shared very similar ideas and dreams of running a successful theatre company, they decided to join forces and found their own.

A year and a half later, Kershner and Franco have put together a top-notch, talented team of designers and actors for their company: sound designer Bryce Page, actors Walter Kmeic and Josh Mickel, lighting designer and Amherst native Dan Gallagher, and playwright Jason Chimonides round out the troupe.

Kerhsner’s decision to return to Virginia had a lot to do with his father.

“He and I cooked up plans when he graduated from Florida State,” said Dr. Kershner. “Theatre’s sort of like the family business, and I have a lot of contacts in this area.”

Originally, Kershner intended to work out of Charlottesville, where he and Franco rented a house. But when the theatre they planned to use asked for half of the revenue Endstation made each time the company reserved space—both for performances and rehearsals—Kershner decided to look elsewhere.

“It was silly to pay for renting rehearsal space when both he and Sweet Briar stood to benefit from a different arrangement,” said Dr. Kershner.

Kerhsner and his father proposed to SBC that Endstation become the school’s resident theatre company, which the administration quickly approved.

In the negotiated deal, Endstation receives office space, access to the scene and costume shops, and a place to rehearse, perform, and put on an annual fundraiser—but only when it doesn’t conflict with a Sweet Briar production.

In return, the company must debut the first two performances of every show free of charge at SBC, speak and put on workshops for classes, and include the school’s name in all promotional materials. Also, SBC students are provided with open access to rehearsals and design meetings, internship opportunities with the company, and priority in casting.

The administration seems pleased with the agreement. “I think the cultural and artistic life of the college will be enriched significantly by having a professional theater company in residence,” said Dean Green.

Students, too, have already begun to experience some of the perks the arrangement entails.

“The great thing about Geoff is that he has a vision,” said Liz Caldwell ‘07 and cast member in Tell-Tale Heart. “He is a nice guy and a wonderful director. He strives for the best work he can get out of us while encouraging us to have fun, too.”

Liz has had previous experience working with Kershner—she had a leading role in Endgame, the SBC play he directed earlier this semester.

For the production, Endstation company members came in as guest designers, and transformed the Black Box Theatre into a scarily believable post-nuclear fall-out shelter.

“I thought the production of Endgame that [Kershner] directed was excellent,” reported Dean Green.

Kershner was also hired this year to be an adjunct professor, taking over two classes usually instructed by his father. So far, students and faculty alike have responded very positively to his presence on campus.

“It has been great to have Geoff teaching for us at Sweet Briar,” continued Green. “I know students have really enjoyed his classes.”

“It’s been wonderful taking classes with a professor who has such real-world experience in the field,” said first-year Carina Finn, who has taken both Acting and Directing under Geoff. “He has new and innovative ideas that theatre students wouldn’t usually be exposed to.”

Geoff seems to work well with Dr. Kershner, too. Though some people may have predicted that their close relationship, both professionally and personally, would have inevitably led to conflict, both father and son were quick to refute this presumption.

“It’s been great,” raved Dr. Kershner. “It’s like having an extra colleague. We go out to lunch, talk about theatre, and share our problems and solutions. We’ve learned a lot from each other.” Geoff was quick to agree.

“My father is an amazing man. I am so lucky because he understands what I do and he is always supportive. Through him, I have had many doors open in terms of relationships with the local community and theatres. I’d be ‘Dr. Kershner’s son’ any day of the week.”

Perhaps one reason the pair gets along as well as they do is because they differ greatly in their styles and methods of directing.

“Geoff approaches theatre like a dance choreographer,” described Dr. Kershner. “He focuses on movement and music. I tend to concentrate more on the words—on how to make textual things come to life.”

The pair has big plans for Endstation’s future. After Tell-Tale Heart premieres at Sweet Briar, it will move to Lynchburg’s Renaissance Theatre for several performances in mid-May. From there, Geoff will take it to the Live Arts Theatre in Charlottesville, and then to the Capital Fringe Festival in D.C.

The next project Endstation has in mind is a play based on the events surrounding Hurricane Camille, which tore through Nelson County in the 1960s. Long-time residents of the area consider the disaster to be a monumental event in their pasts.

This new play will be written by Chimonides, who is currently in the process of interviewing dozens of local survivors. Although Geoff and Franco met Chimonoides in Florida, he too has strange ties to Sweet Briar—one of his childhood friends was David Muhlenfeld, one of President Mulhenfeld sons. They met while she was the Dean of Florida State University.

In addition, an annual summer Shakespeare theatre festival performed at Sweet Briar is in the works. Although nothing has officially been approved, both Geoff and Dr. Kershner seem very excited about the possibility.

“I really hope this works out,” said Dr. Kershner. “I really think it would be fantastic.”

Though Endstation is obviously very important to him, Geoff has thoroughly enjoyed his time as a professor as well.

“I have loved working with Sweet Briar students. Academic life is something I want in my future.”

Geoff will not return to SBC as a professor next year, but was hired to teach two courses at Lynchburg College.

If you want to see for yourself just what Endstation is all about, come to the free performances of Tell-Tale Heart here at Sweet Briar’s Black Box Theatre on May 1st and 2nd at 8PM.