Website:  Mikel Rouse 

Date:  June 15, 2008

Location:  Factory Theater

In Google
In Acanac
In YouTube pt.1 , pt.2 

After all the emailings to request for a seat and interview, it was an exciting moment to meet him in person at the lobby of The Factory Theater after his show 'Failing Kansas'!  There were several people talking to him in a circle, including his agent Michael Mushalla, his retired dancer wife Lisa Boudreau, and Luminato's CEO Janice Price.  He had to sign some papers then a Luminato van brought us to Delta Chelsea Hotel.  It was interesting to see him shift  mood from onstage, seriously telling in a poetic way about the murder of the Kansas family, to playful in the van ride to the hotel.  He probably took acting lessons where one develops an 'ON stage' and 'OFF stage' personality!  Standing outside the hotel for lighting, we did the quick interview.  Another interesting shift was his way of talking in an interview in contrast to how he talks on stage, like the difference between journalism and poetry -- clear, logical and complex versus obscure yet simple; when University-educated artists try to simplify something complex in words and images, it can take years, including the technical presentation. From the technical difficulties and budget constraints, to the method of storytelling, his educational background, meaning of his lyrics and images, the interview went fast and smooth in one straight shooting.  There was a lot of background research and technical planning to do each show, taking years from concept to reality.  Understanding poetry and analyzing how images and words can describe an experience can be an individual level of realization.  Mentioning words like 'sunflower' or 'sunset' and explaining them, he said that a simple 'word can have multiple meanings'.  The road to success and fame was difficult and in multimedia, still a rare method around the world, Rouse is definitely a man ahead of the times.  Like every genius, he can be misunderstood by both the media and the public, until more artists use the same multimedia methods.  He does not want to teach however, so other artists will just have to watch him perform to learn how he does it.  Those who watched his trilogy of operas probably changed in some way, marvelling or baffled by his performance, poetry, imagery, music and technical genius.  With time, the purpose of art to stimulate and arouse the imagination and influence culture, will be experienced at the individual level and Rouse simply triggers that within.

Refer to Bundler Interview 
Refer to Wilder Blue 
Refer to Robert Crew