David Henderson
He’s worked in fine art. In film. On Broadway. Off Broadway. And wayyyyy off Broadway. Like Rochester.
And the city’s lucky to call this South Wedge resident one of its own.
As the Artistic Director of Method Machine, David has directed The Lipstick Massacre, Closer, Edge, Lux in Tenebris, and The Second Coming of Joan of Arc.If you’re remotely familiar with Rochester’s theatrer scene, you’ve probably heard of David. If not, it’s easy to find one of his productions. It might mean a trip to GeVa Theatre. Or a smaller, more humble, but equally charming venue like the MuCCC (yes, it’s pronounced “muck,” short for Multi-use Community Cultural Center).
Currently artistic director of a theater company he helped found, Method Machine, David is a 1997 Nazareth College grad with a degree in Theater Directing.
“I’ve been working in theater and the arts for over 15 years,” he says. And in that time, he’s seen experienced some dramatic professional twists.
Born and raised in Rochester, David lived in New York City for eight years, where he worked as a director, producer, stage manager and deck hand on some of Broadway’s most celebrated productions, including Doubt, Jersey Boys, and Phantom of the Opera, as well as directing theater workshops there.
Then, something brought him home.
“I got pretty frustrated at the end of my time in New York,” he says. “I had great jobs in management but I was unable to further my directing craft. I came back here and directed a few shows and produced great results. I had found a place where I could live humbly and create my work.”
David, as captured by Kate LemmonIn 2007, having resettled in his native town, David founded Method Machine with his friends and collaborators, Marcy Savastano and Mike O'Connor. The trio shared a vision for introducing emerging artists to Rochester’s stages.
David raves about the local talent. He recently produced an original murder mystery, The Lipstick Massacre, by local playwright Michael Steck. The early success of the production led to an invitation from GeVa Theatre across town, where Lipstick reappeared a few months later.
“It was a hit!” he says. “It feels great to support such a creative mind and help them realize the play that they wrote. Rochester has a healthy community of playwrights and companies that produce them.”
Whether it’s a portrayal of the grim, imagined final hours of Sylvia Plath or a madcap, cloak-and-dagger satire starring drag queens, David’s forte is putting fresh work in front of people.
His advice for would-be playwrights, directors and producers is simple.
“Put on a show. Do it. Pick something you could die for and just do it,” he says.
“No one is gonna do it for you.”
* * *
Robert Swanger and Hannah Karpenko perform in the Method Machine production of Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom, a zombie tale of suburban teens whose real lives begin to collide with a video game about—what else—suburban teens fighting off zombies. If you’re in the Rochester, NY, area, Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom, By Jennifer Haley, runs through Sept. 26 at the Multi-use Community Cultural Center, 142 Atlantic Ave.
See more: www.methodmachine.org
Say hi: david@methodmachine.org