@LakeDevine: Kimberly Faith Hickman directs THE INN AT LAKE DEVINE

Kimberly Faith Hickman is a gifted director and choreographer with an impressive background which includes Broadway, Off Broadway, national tours and regional theater, with a focus on new works by contemporary writers.

For the world premiere of The Inn at Lake Devine, she ably juggles working on an adaptation, a big cast of 15 actors, in a story which spans over a decade, and includes 8 musical numbers.  Nonetheless, she's indefatigable!

The play with music runs for 16 performances, October 7-24, 2015 @ 7:30 pm (matinee on Sunday, October 18 @ 2:30 pm) at Theatre 54 @ Shetler Studios, 244 West 54th Street, 12th Floor.  The show runs 2 hours and 15 minutes with an intermission.  Tickets: $18 at www.tictheater.com and 212-868-4444.

Favorite trip you took as a kid?
I grew up in the south, and every summer, my parents would take my sister and me to Panama City Florida.  Our getaways to the beach would include amusement parks, water parks, lots of sea food, candy apples, and shopping at the "cave mall" (a mall designed to look like a cave, and it had a waterfall and real alligators inside.  I have no idea why).

I loved those summers!  And I love that my sister is continuing the tradition by taking her two sons to those same spots.  (And yes--the cave mall still exists, as well as the waterfall and alligators!)

Favorite coming of age story?
Where to begin?!

I read constantly as a kid.  The Anne of Green Gables series was a favorite.  It provided the perfect literary heroine: a feisty red head who embraced her intelligence as much as her femininity. I also love anything by Judy Blume.  I read Are You There, God, It's Me, Margaret over and over again like every teenage girl. On a darker note, I was also obsessed with Lord of the Flies. As an adult, my favorite coming of age story is the Harry Potter series.  I can't wait to introduce them to my nephews.

What touches you most about the play?
There are many moments in this play that I identify with, but I especially love Natalie's sense of social justice and her desire to be independent.  The first moment in life that challenges us to define who are can be daunting.  It takes courage and tenacity to be your own person, but for those brave enough to do so, there is a lot of joy to be found along the way.