Hi welcome

Hi I'm Austin, but people also call me Sauce, Saucetin, Saucey, or some variation ever since my little brother struggled to pronounce my name as a kid.I grew up in Memphis and moved to Chicago for school where I studied dramaturgy and American Sign Language. I've been working in theatre professionally since I was 14, but I only started focusing on dramaturgy during college.I made this website to show off my cool projects and connect with other people doing their own things. I have professional experience in dramaturgy, directing, acting, writing, social media, and merchandise. I'm on a mission to try out every possible skill, so I would love to collaborate with you and learn something new.I also like rock climbing, crochet, knitting, reading, stringed instruments, puzzles, and trying out different art forms. Brown is my favorite color, Ravel is my favorite composer, and Tanooki Mario is my go-to for Mario Kart . I am also very passionate about grammar (ask me to recite all of the prepositions).Anyway, let's be friends or work together on something cool. I'm happy to teach you an instrument or how to make a scarf.

Transcending

DCASE IAP Grant Fall 2023A few good friends of mine and I got together to devise and put on a show funded by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events about the "future of gender." Over a few months we researched the past and future of gender, sharing our insights. We devised a play about our experiences with gender and how things might change. In October we put on performances (complete with handmade pins) at a local Chicago art gallery.Show programCheck out some of the script under writing

Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812

Roving Violin Playhouse on the Square 2023My track for this production covered the violin parts as well as being part of the ensemble, so I got to work at playing violin while also "performing." I had never sang/danced while playing before, so this was a fun challenge. Check out some production videos below:The Abduction from backstageBalaga from the audienceDust and Ashes harmonies from backstage

Hannah Johnstone Photography

HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical

Dramaturgy Columbia College Chicago Fall 2024As a dramaturg for this production, I delved into research on 1960s hippie culture, the Vietnam War, and the history of Hair productions in order to aid the team in creating this show for modern audiences. Our director set the show during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, so I connected with the Chicago History Museum to collaborate with us and share their knowledge on the riots of the time. I also helped to host a talkback with the audience about the show and its historical context. Check out some of our work below.Dramaturgy PacketDramaturgy Website

Small Mouth Sounds

Assistant Direction + Dramaturgy New Moon Theatre 2023This was one of my first directing roles, so I was very excited to flex those muscles. For the dramaturgy I studied yoga and East Asian spiritual practices in order to not only display them in a respectful way but also to showcase how to "not" follow them respectfully for some of the characters. I brought a lot of my research into my direction and played with more movement than past works due to the silent nature of the play.Dramaturgy resources for castShow program

Statue of King Neptune by Paul DiPasquale

GALATEA, or Whatever You Be

DramaturgyThis is a modern adaptation of a play from 1585 set in Ancient Greece, so my research was very expansive across history. The script discusses gender, climate crises, and humans' power over fate, so it was very relevant to modern audiences.Dramaturgy packetDramaturgy overview

Antigone (or And Still She Must Rise Up)

Dramaturgy Germantown Community Theatre 2024This show is a modern adaptation of Antigone that discusses effects of COVID as well as how media can empower activists and aid in their causes. Throughout the process I wanted to provide resources both on modern issues as well as Greek theatre, specifically Antigone. The production was educational, so it was important to me to be a reliable resource.Dramaturgy packetDramaturgy resources for cast and crewShow program

Sean Moore Photography

How the Light Gets In

Dramaturgy Columbia College Chicago 2023This play was very character driven, so I categorized my research around them and their circumstances. I got to compile resources on Japanese architecture, youth homelessness, breast cancer, origami, and Japanese gardens. I ended up reaching out to cancer nurses and Japanese language teachers in order to refine the information I was sharing to the team and make sure it was as accurate as possibleDramaturgy excerpts

Meeting Points

Production Assistant The Theatre School DePaul UniversityI initially joined this production to sit in and observe, but I was lucky enough to get to swing among different roles throughout the process. It was especially exciting since it was a new work, and I could watch the script develop and see how new plays are workshopped. It also gave me my first opportunity at calling a show as an SM! I don't have much to show for my work on the production, but I did have to take endless line notes as the script was changing.

The Droll {Or, a Stage-Play about the END of Theatre}

Dramaturgy + Production design Lightswitch Theatre Company 2022This production had a very small team, so I started doing just research and ended up working some production design for lighting and costumes. The script takes place in a fictional Puritan England where theatre is being outlawed, so I tried to provide information on the history of the arts in Puritan England as well as the story's relevance today. A major struggle was the heightened language of the script, so my glossary was very beneficial.Design and dramaturgy excerpts

What to Bring to Inpatient

An anecdotal zine I made by hand about preparing to check into inpatient.Check out the full PDF

Transcending

A few good friends of mine and I got together to devise and put on a show funded by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events about the "future of gender." Over a few months we researched the past and future of gender, sharing our insights. We then devised a play about our experiences with gender and how things might change.Check out some of the script sections that I wrote

198 Days

A 10-minute play featuring a woman and a great white shark inspired by various stories of Kate Chopin, Céline Sciamma, and Virginia Woolf.
2 characters
Approx 10 minutesContact me for access to the script.

Woman by the Seaside, 19th century

Willem van de Poll, 1932

If You Work It

A one-act play featuring two women in rehab bonding over their desire to heal while trying to figure out their new lives.
5 characters
Approx 45 minutesContact me for access to the script.