In Dance Magazine's insightful exploration of play choreography, Susan Stroman joins fellow theater artists Sonya Tayeh and Sam Pinkleton in discussing the nuanced art of movement direction in non-musical theater. Stroman brings her choreographic expertise to the direction of Left on Tenth, Delia Ephron's intimate story of late-life romance currently at the James Earl Jones Theatre and starring Julianna Margulies and Peter Gallagher.
Author Sylviane Gold highlights Stroman's approach to incorporating movement in plays, whether through actual dance moments—as with the tap dancing sequences in Left on Tenth—or through her dancer's understanding of timing and rhythm in dialogue and staging. "I zoom in on the character and try to make the character three-dimensional," Stroman explains. "I want to make sure I'm delivering a story to that audience, whether through dance or through directing a scene."
Drawing from her experience directing plays like Colman Domingo's Dot (2016) and Selina Fillinger's POTUS (2022), Stroman emphasizes how choreographers can help any actor feel confident in their physical performance, from simple movements to complex staging. Her expertise shapes not just dance sequences but the overall physical language of theatrical storytelling, demonstrating how movement can strengthen character emotions and identity in profound ways.
