Life Reimagined: To the Director's Chair

For Phil Jordan of Whidbey Island, he had to leave the theater behind but the theater never left his blood. Today, he's directing a major production at the Whidbey Island Center For The Arts.

Phil was heavily involved in theater productions in college and shortly after. But then, life got in the way.

"It's a cliche that you're a starving artist in the theater but that was certainly true in my case," says Phil. "I felt a need to do something more adult, more responsible. So I did."

Over the years, Phil managed a retail store and got a master's degree in public administration. His later career was in non-profit organizations and finally, a job at the King County Prosecutor's Office. He even found time to umpire baseball for 14 years.

But when Phil and his wife downsized and moved to Whidbey Island, he reflected on his life.

"It's very much a 'life reimagining'," says Phil. "When I came up here, I didn't want to work full-time anymore. I said, 'what am I going to do with my time? And the first thing that came to mind was theater. Because I missed it. I felt like I had some unfinished business. Then we went to see a play at the Arts Center and it all started from there."

Phil ended up auditioning and being cast in a play. He started meeting people and getting involved. Today, as the director of the play " Dead Man's Cell Phone", Phil has spent up to 100 hours a week preparing the production, which runs Oct. 9th-24 at the Whidbey Island Center For The Arts.

"It's kind of all-consuming," says Phil. "I love it! It's exhausting, exhilarating and fun and frustrating. But so satisfying to see it all coming together."

For Phil, acting and directing is a return to a passion. He says drawing on his life experiences has deepened him as an artist.

"I do feel I have a purpose and creating theater is very important to me," said Phil. "Telling humanity's stories is important. In my own small way, up here on Whidbey Island, I feel proud."