Verse & Violence – Fight choreography for plays, musicals, & opera.
View Fight Choreography Resume
“Kim sculpts fights that are not only impressive displays of combat technique, but valuable expressions of character – as The Bard would have us do, he ‘suits the action to the word’. And he kicks ass.” – Steven Barkhimer, Actor/Director
“Kim added that realistic touch that gave the play its authenticity.” – Ronan Noone, IRNE and Eliot Norton Award winning playwright.
“…Ronan Noone’s sharp dialogue and metaphoric reach get superb backing from Wesley Savick’s smooth direction (with help from fight director Kim H. Carrell)”. – Ed Siegel’s Boston Globe review of “The Blowin’ of Baile Gall”
Whether the scene calls for swords, wrestling, bare knuckle punches, or working with more esoteric implements such as hammer and trowel, I work to keep things safe and truthful. From a simple slap to a rapier and dagger duel, it is of the utmost importance to me that the fights do their part in telling the story. Showing who the characters are, and why and how they fight has much greater impact than an “action for action’s sake” scene.
I have choreographed fights for professional companies and university theatre programs around the United States and in the UK, including: productions of all Shakespeare history plays, “Othello”, “Romeo and Juliet”, Troilus and Cressida”, “As You Like It”, “Macbeth”, “The Pirates of Penzance”, “Little Women”, “The Most Dangerous Game”, and world premiere productions such as “The Blowin’ of Baile Gall”, “Jasper Lake”, and “Training Wisteria”.
In musicals and opera, my music degree and performance experience allow me to seamlessly integrate the action with the score without hampering the performer’s ability to sing.
Teaching:
Along with teaching as a guest instructor at Harvard and the University of Exeter, I have taught stage combat to adults and children of all ages. Kids from North Shore Music Theatre to Lynn high schools have enjoyed learning the basic hair pulls, slaps, and punches in a fun but safe atmosphere. Learning basic swordplay with foam swords and rapiers is a big hit with would-be pirates. Actors who wish to improve their stage combat skills can set up one-on-one classes also.
For more information regarding fight choreography or lessons, please call me at my new number at (781) 605-5374 or e-mail me at kim@kimcarrell.com.
Lord Douglas fights Sir Walter Blunt, HENRY IV PART 1 – THE WARS OF THE ROSES – Elysium Theatre Company (UK), 2012.
As “The Hessian” in THE TURNCOAT book trailer.
As “The Hessian” in THE TURNCOAT book trailer.
As the Riot Leader in “Oil Storm”, F/X Network 2005
Billy Meleady, Aaron Pitre in “The Blowin’ of Baile Gall” by Ronan Noone, Boston Playwrights Theatre 2002 – Elliot Norton Award – Best New Play 2002
Billy Meleady, Ciaran Crawford in “The Blowin’ of Baile Gall”, Boston Playwrights Theatre 2002.
Choreographing fights for New England Shakespeare Festival, 2001
As Charles the Wrastler, with David Ellis as Orlando “As You Like It” NESF 2002
As Sir Phillip Sidney fencing in the Living Chess Game New York Renaissance Faire, 1997