Just because someone has a career as a professional doesn’t mean they can’t explore the creative side of life. Such is the case for Ross Hewitt who is a retired infectious disease physician who always had a passion for the theatre.
He worked much of the time helping those with AIDS and HIV but also took time to audition and appear in plays in New York City and Buffalo. As an associate member of the American Dramatists Guild and a former member of the LGBTQ Village Playwrights, Ross has produced and appeared in many plays and musicals and is a writer and singer.
His one-act plays produced by the Village Playwrights include Quicksand, Mother Knows Best, The Middle, Crossover, and Witches Brew. His full-length play, When October Goes was produced by the Ujima Theatre Company in Buffalo, N.Y. It received an ArtVoice Artie Award nomination for Best New Play. His one-act play Booties was part of the 13th Fresh Fruit Festival in New York City and his musical Rainbows and Ribbons premiered at Don’t Tell Mama in New York City in 2017. He is a founding member of the American Bard Theatre where his full-length family drama Echos in the Garden was produced Off Off Broadway in 2021.
Watch my interview with Ross Hewitt on my YouTube channel
Click on the player below.
Transitioning from doctor to filmmaker
Ross got involved in theatre before he went to medical school. Aside from 5 years of intensive training as a physician, when he had to take a break to finish, he auditioned, took acting classes, wrote, and performed on stage.
He realized that film is where it’s at these days with Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. To reach a broader audience, it’s easier to do that with film as audience exposure is limited in the theatre.
At one point, a writing festival gave him a prompt to write a short story about Iceland. His story was inspired by an Icelandic folktale about a commoner who brings a cat to the King’s castle to solve his rat problems. The King tells the commoner he could either marry his daughter or give him land. The commoner chose the daughter. Ross wondered what happened to the cat and used that angle as the story’s genesis. He called it Kris the Cat.
A friend told him he should make the story into a movie and Ross agreed. It was for children so Ross felt it would be best served if it was animated.
The cast and crew for the film
Ross had never produced a film before let alone an animated one but that didn’t stop him. He put together a team of people who he had worked with in the theatre. Aimee Todoroff is a freelance director, producer, and arts advocate in New York City with numerous theatrical credits who had directed Ross in a play. He hired her as director for the film even though she had never directed a film before. Jeanne Travis was the sound editor who had worked with Ross in the theatre as well.
Ross found animation designer Arnel T. Dime Jr, from the Philippines online and felt his work was exactly what he was looking for. Composer Michael Harren wrote the original score solving the issue of dealing with music rights.
Ross wanted to make sure his actors were protected by going union even though it was a difficult process dealing with SAG-AFTRA and its bureaucracy. The film was also made during COVID, but Ross wanted to have all the actors record in the studio together. There were COVID protocols to deal with at that time, but it worked out in the end.
Kris the Cat is 13 ½ minutes and is currently seeking distribution
Advice for seniors with a creative bent
Toss tells others who want to pursue their passions to make time to do the things that are important to them.
If you are seriously interested in something, dabble in it first to be sure. Take classes.
When I asked Ross what his next goal is, he said he wanted to make a full-length feature film based on another short story he wrote called The Alligator and the Catfish. It touches on climate change and teamwork and takes place on the Mississippi River. The idea was also inspired by a writing prompt.
It is so interesting reading about where folks put their time and energy in retirement. Interesting guy and great blog post. Thank you!
Thanks, so much, Meryl. Ross was fun to talk to.
It’s fascinating to see how many physicians have creative hobbies — music, film, writing, etc. The arts are a wonderful hobby and outlet for every human being.
It just shows there is creativity even with those you would never expect, Laurie.
I love this. It is important to make time do follow through on things you’re interested in.
You are so right about that Jennifer.