By Sofia Lamento, Free State Festival Contributor

What happens when a story is so personal, so raw, it demands to be told? For director Markus Potter, the answer was Stalking the Bogeyman, a gripping stage production based on journalist David Holthouse’s account of childhood sexual assault and long-held trauma. The play earned a New York Times Critic’s Pick and an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination. Now, Potter brings a short film adaptation of the same name to the 2025 Free State Festival.

In a recent conversation with multimedia intern Eddie Haith, Potter reflected on the weight of storytelling. He explained the importance and power of truth and why pushing creative boundaries has shaped his career.

“I’m drawn to stories that hit me in the gut, emotionally raw narratives that demand to be told,” Potter said. “Sometimes it’s the characters, sometimes it’s the themes, but most often it’s that visceral reaction that tells me this story will challenge an audience.”

Potter is the founding artistic director of NewYorkRep Theatre and has directed acclaimed productions in New York, London, Kansas City, and beyond. He said his strongest creative foundation has always been directing.

“Directing is my home base, it’s where I feel most alive creatively,” he said. “I love the collaborative problem-solving, the dramaturgy, the chance to shape story and performance.”

His witnessing of Stalking the Bogeyman became a defining moment in his career. Potter recounted the feelings that washed over him, motivating him to work on making it into a film.

“Watching a deeply personal story land with such force, seeing survivors in the audience feel seen, and hearing from people who said it gave them the courage to speak about their own trauma, that was it,” he said. “I realized that theatre can be more than entertainment; it can be a form of justice.”

He explained that working directly with Holthouse added a layer of responsibility and intensity.

“He’s unflinchingly honest, and he trusted us with one of the most traumatic experiences of his life. His presence kept us honest, it wasn’t about fictionalizing trauma, it was about telling the truth, no matter how uncomfortable.”

One scene in particular stands out to Potter. “The scene where the assault is recounted, told in David’s adult voice, but through the lens of his seven-year-old self, was especially hard,” he said. “We didn’t want to retraumatize anyone, but we also couldn’t flinch.”

As the story shifted from stage to screen, so did Potter’s approach. He leaned into visual storytelling to express the inner world of trauma.

“Film opened up visual and stylistic tools that the stage doesn’t allow,” he said. “It gave the audience access to David’s inner world; his fear, confusion, rage, in ways that weren’t possible theatrically.”

In addition to his directing work, Potter has taught at institutions across the country and holds an MFA from Columbia University. He currently holds the position of Artistic Director for the University of Kansas in the Department of Theater & Dance. Teaching, he said, enhances his own work and keeps him grounded.

“Teaching keeps me sharp,” he said. “It also makes me more empathetic. I’ve come to value process over perfection, which translates directly into rehearsal rooms and production planning.”

When asked what advice he gives students, Potter kept it simple.

“Craft matters. Talent is great, but discipline and rigor are everything,” he said. “And above all, to lead with kindness. This industry can be brutal. You can either add to that brutality, or you can be the antidote.”

Stalking the Bogeyman screens as part of the Free State Festival’s Short Film Trio on Friday, June 27 at 5 p.m. at the Lawrence Arts Center.