‘Star Wars Trilogy’ actor beams (back) down to Laguna

Tom Titus

They say if you want a job done right, give it to a busy person, and

the new artistic director of Laguna Beach’s No Square Theater

certainly qualifies in that regard.

Steve Josephson is a director, an actor, a choreographer, a

dancer, a producer, a playwright and a teacher, as well as a husband

and father.

His theater commitments have taken him from New York to Paris, to

Edinburgh, Scotland and to Los Angeles.

Home base, however, is Laguna, which is one reason he recently

accepted the top spot as artistic director of No Square Theater, the

Art Colony’s community theater group.

“Community theater is so important. It is the essence of theater

itself,” Josephson says. “Theater is the communication between actors

and audience. Where else can you find that full-blend participation

on every level that covers the entire spectrum?”

Josephson is no stranger to No Square. In the past he has directed

the group’s productions of “Gypsy” and “Bugsy Malone.” But he has a

full plate in front of him for the company’s 2003-04 season. He’ll be

putting together shows such as “Follies,” “Annie Warbucks” and “Into

the Woods,” the first and last named being creations of Stephen

Sondheim.

“No Square Theater is at an exciting new point in its life,”

Josephson says. “I guess it could be called a growth spurt. After six

successful years, I am thrilled to be on-board to help in this phase

of its development.”

His professional work has taken him far and near -- “near” being

the Laguna Playhouse where he choreographed “Mamet” and “A Wonderful

Life.” Josephson also wrote and directed the off-Broadway musical

farce “Some Summer Night,” winner of the New American Musical Writers

Festival and has traveled to France as resident

director/choreographer for Festival Theater USC-USA.

Laguna, however, has been home since 1976. Josephson graduated

from Laguna Beach High School and attended USC with several

scholarships from the Festival of the Arts, the USC Alumni

Association and the Bank of America.

Choosing a successor to No Square co-founder Bree Burgess Rosen

was “a difficult decision because we had several very talented and

highly qualified candidates,” commented Phoebe Ward, president of No

Square’s board of directors.

“Ultimately, Steve has the right combination of skills and an

overwhelming enthusiasm,” she declared. “Plus, he has been involved

with our work for a long time -- as a performer, a director, a

choreographer and an amazing mentor for people of all ages interested

in participating in theater.

“We cast a wide net, and in the end, the perfect candidate was

right here at home,” Rosen added. “Steve has been an integral part of

many of our productions, so he understands the mission of community

theater.”

He also is well versed in theater’s professional side. For eight

months last year, Josephson performed in “Star Wars Trilogy in 30

Minutes” at Los Angeles’ Coronet Theater, enacting the characters of

C3PO, Yoda and Grand Moff Tarkin in Patrick Gorman’s one-act spoof of

one of Hollywood’s most successful franchises.

Variety’s review of that production commented that “Steve

Josephson’s Yoda, in gray bathrobe, arms up to his ears and thumbs

out, steals every scene he appears in.” The Los Angeles Times called

his performance “hilarious.”

Laguna audiences, who have tasted Josephson’s work in the past,

now will be able to avail themselves of the full meal as the

multi-talented actor-director- choreographer-instructor has come full

circle and landed back where he started.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Coastline Pilot.