Nothing lasts, nothing holds all of me.

OK, so I realize this is a bit out of the norm for a blog, but as this interview relates to my topic of discussion, I have to take a personal route here and do it. And you get to learn a little more about me in the process. Plus, theatre people generally like to talk about themselves a lot.

FAVORITE MUSICAL(s):
There are so many of these! My all-time favorites are RENT, Les Miserables, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Godspell, Damn Yankees, Guys & Dolls, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown, Beauty and the Beast, Avenue Q, The Phantom of the Opera, and Me and My Girl.

FAVORITE PLAY(s):
There are lots of these too, but if I have to pick a few, I suppose Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya would be near the top of the list. Marisol is also dear to my heart; I directed a scene from it in Directing I a year and a half ago.

FAVORITE ROLE OVERALL THAT I WOULD LOVE TO PLAY:
Belle from Beauty and the Beast!

YOUR GOAL IN SHOW BUSINESS:
There's no business like it! It's all about taking your performance seriously, of course, but it's also about having a good time and enjoying every minute.

FAVORITE DIRECTOR YOU HAVE EVER WORKED WITH:
After working for so many years with Mr. Trowbridge in high school, I can't say I really have a favorite other than him. But Naoko Maeshiba oversaw our directing scenes in Directing I, and she's so knowledgeable and interesting.

WHAT WAS YOUR VERY FIRST SHOW?:
Damn Yankees when I was a freshman in high school!

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN THE LAST PERSON TO TAKE A BOW?
One of them, but not the very last.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO NEW YORK?
What kind of theatre major would I be if I hadn't?

HAVE YOU BEEN TO L.A.?:
Now that I will admit to never having done. But I hear it smells, anyway.

WHAT'S THE SCARIEST PART OF AN AUDITION?:
I hate doing monologues in general....I don't really think they tell you anything about an actor except that they can play one specific character semi-well. The scariest part, then, is performing your monologue, although the wait for the cast list is never fun, either.

WHAT'S THE BEST PART OF AN AUDITION?
Usually no one knows you, so you walk in with a clean slate. Then you get one shot to razzle dazzle 'em.

NAME A SHOW YOU WOULD NEVER DO AGAIN:
All of the shows I've been in have been spectacular, but if I have to choose one, I'd say How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, only because it's close to three hours long. That's asking a lot of an audience.

NAME A SHOW YOU COULD DO FOR YEARS:
You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown! I would reprise my role of Lucy van Pelt in an instant!

DO YOU KEEP IN TOUCH WITH PAST CAST MEMBERS?:
Oh, heck yes. I've made some dear friends from being in shows with them.

ON A SCALE OF 1-10, HOW IMPORTANT IS GETTING PAID?:
It never hurts, but it wouldn't really matter to me. I've never been paid for a show before and I've always had an amazing time.

EVER BEEN NAKED ONSTAGE?:
I only left this question in because I actually HAVE been "naked" on stage. Well, a naked simulation. I was in Verdi's AIDA with the Baltimore Opera Company last fall, and I played Amneris' body double as she rises out of the bath. So my costume was a nude-colored bodysuit, basically, and it really looked legit from a distance. It was definitely the most daring thing I've ever done in my life!

IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOUR THEATRE EXPERIENCE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I wish I took chances more when it comes to auditioning for shows I really want to be a part of. I don't like auditioning, period, but unfortunately for me, that's how this business functions and how actors get their starts. You have to prove to the director that you fit what they already see in the character, and you only have a couple minutes to do it if it's a big production. It's a very unforgiving industry, so if you don't make an immediate impression, you're forgotten.

Congratulations. You now know more about me and my theatrical experience than you did two minutes ago. I think I even learned something about myself.

Always,
DQ