Labyrinth Theatre Company's Mimi O'Donnell Opens Up About Life After Losing Partner Philip Seymour Hoffman

In a recent interview with the New York Times, Mimi O'Donnell, who lost long-time partner Philip Seymour Hoffman last year, opens up about finding peace in theatre. The Labyrinth Theatre Company Artistic Director told NYT: "There are so many people who have written beautiful books about grief, who have been able to say it much better than I, but I guess I would say that, after a year has passed, I'm able to function, if that's the right word, or be in the world a little bit differently."

Seeing Cate Blanchett in Sydney Theatre Company's The Maids helped her to get back to her work. She continues: "That was the first play that I saw after Phil had died, and she did that thing you want every actress in theater to do: She left her heart on the stage. And I knew enough in that moment to go: 'I love theater. I love it. I love what it can do.' And, not making a concrete decision, but knowing that I wasn't going to leave the theater company, I wasn't going to stop doing this."

O'Donnell is currently directing Labyrinth's production of Melissa Ross' Nice Girl, which runs through June 7. Click here to purchase tickets.

Click here to read the full interview.

Labyrinth Theater Company was founded in 1992 by a small group of actors who wanted to push their artistic limits and tell new, more inclusive stories that expanded the boundaries of mainstream theater. In doing so, they created a tightly knit, uninhibited and impassioned ensemble that created incendiary and vital new works for the stage that redefined the landscape of New York City theater.

Today, based at the Bank Street Theater in New York's West Village, Labyrinth is home for diverse theater artists and the daring and visceral work they create. Driven by a diverse group of over 120 actors, directors, playwrights and designers, Labyrinth produces new works for the stage, giving voice to new perspectives that are powerful, groundbreaking and that have changed the face of America's theatrical landscape.