Gabriele Schafer

Actor, Producer
New York, New York USA

Where do you look for inspiration?
In the laws of the universe – physical and metaphysical: attraction; polarity; the vine that winds inexorably around the pole in the same direction; give and you shall receive; what goes around, comes around; the circle of life. And all the other true cliches. I spend my life/art alternately testing them, ignoring them, worshiping them, trying to opt out of them, representing that I invented them, scoffing at them, forgetting they exist… and thus suffering from them, rejoicing in them, burning myself out in them and, much like Homer Simpson, having the same epiphanies over and over again.

Which brings me to one of my favorite quotes (by Tim Kreider): “I’ve demonstrated an impressive resilience in the face of valuable life lessons, and the main thing I seem to have learned from this one is that I am capable of learning nothing from almost any experience.”

And one of my favorite books: Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude

PS: Did you know that Webster’s first definition of commerce is “social intercourse: interchange of ideas, opinions, or sentiments”? (The third is “sexual intercourse.”)

PPS: Something you don’t know about me: That picture is 6 years old. But that’s me now, and I’m sticking to that.

Gabriele Schafer. First stage role at the Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern, Germany – age 7. Has created theater with her husband Nick Fracaro for over 31 years. Acts and produces internationally. Co-artistic director of International Culture Lab.