We’re looking forward to introducing you to Robert Cooperman. Check out our conversation below.
Robert, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Have you stood up for someone when it cost you something?
Recently, my theatre company put on a production of Eugene O’Neill’s “Desire Under the Elms.” I announced prior to the start of each of the first three performances that I was dedicating the performances to the memory of Charlie Kirk and his desire for open, civil dialogue. On the third night I was met with audience resistance (from a vocal few). I then received two requests for refunds from ticketholders who had tickets to an upcoming performance. One of my lead cast members threatened to quit. I stood my ground. It may have cost me a friend or two on Facebook and the (co0ntinued) displeasure of the local theatre community, but it was well worth it.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am the founder of Stage Right Theatrics, the country’s only conservative theatre company. The fact that we are the only such company is both sad and unique. Our goal is not to make fun of the Left, but to show, through theatre, an alternative point-of-view. We produce plays with themes and situations guided by our nation’s founding principles of individualism, moral virtue, reason, and human nature. We reject victimization as the cause of conflict and substitute dismay and meaninglessness with hope and redemption. We are not Pollyannish! We recognize that being alive means sadness, tragedy, and conflict (the stuff of drama), but that is tempered with an outlook that says the suffering, sadness, etc., has a moral message and the hope for a better tomorrow. We call such plays “The Natural Theatre.”
In addition to producing original works that embrace our philosophy described above, we also educate our public about American theatre history. we have created a new program entitled “Before They Were Gods”. each year we focus on a master American playwright and present short one-acts from their early years as writers, followed by a lesser-known full-length play. We “edutain” our audiences with discussions of the playwright’s life, themes, and evolution as master craftsmen and women. The program, launched in March 2025 with Eugene O’Neill as our focus; next year we will produce plays by Tennessee Williams.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
That I was better than I thought I was and worse than I thought I was. As a child, I was certain that I was a very talented person who wouldn’t have to work hard to achieve success. I learned that was not the way the world worked and that I really did not possess the skills and experience to earn me immediate fame. As time went on, I realized I did have talent that had to be nurtured–raw talent that had to be shaped through time. Today, while I do not believe everyone is capable of anything just by putting his or her mind to it, I do know that the joy is in the trying and even small victories are to be celebrated on the road to greater personal fulfillment.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear of failure. This is a paralyzing fear that can prevent someone from moving toward a goal. I did not want to face rejection and therefore tried little, again assuming that success would come my way without much effort, Today, I put myself out there, often swimming against the tide of the arts world. I can face that now, knowing that failures, when they come, are all learning experiences and that finding fault in everybody and everything for my lack of achievement was dishonest. “The fault,” as Shakespeare said, “lies not in our stars but in ourselves.” Today, I look inwardly first to find my culpability for my life’s setbacks.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
To entice conservative and more traditionally-minded people to stop complaining about art they don’t like and to pursue truth and beauty themselves by learning about and even creating art. This is a cultural change so it will take some time. Conservative people shun the arts (not without reason). What they need to do is forward the arts in their own way and to reclaim and celebrate the values found in Western civilization. We do not have to be stuck in a world where truth and beauty are relative. Instead, we can reinstate standards and reject values that do not speak to us or the American experiment. And we need not fear rejection! There are many conservative artists who are hiding their true beliefs for fear of societal rejection. This should not stand. We want to get to the day where our point-of-view is accepted in the marketplace of ideas and that will take everyone’s effort.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
That I was the voice of reason in an unreasonable arts world. That I made a difference for people who feel truly marginalized and gave them a platform to present their ideas with respect and dignity. And that through my efforts, theatre became more inclusive and more representative of the majority of Americans who are reasonable, God-fearing, and morally upright.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stagert.org/
Image Credits
Robert Cooperman
Cynthia DeGrand
