Askew: (adverb or adjective) out of line, not straight, or at an angle. From the French eschiver (to escape). Originally a hunting term that described the zigzag motion of an animal avoiding becoming prey. The theatrical term kabuki is derived from the Japenese word for something slanted or tilted (i.e., askew).

Askew has always resonated for me because it connotes not doing things the conventional way. Being queer. Stepping out of line to speak uncomfortable truths. Honoring theatrical tradition by refusing to adhere to mainstream psychological realism and reveling in theatrical grand gestures for their own pleasurable sake. Defining “success” on my own tilted terms, not the biz’s.