Hometown: Silver Spring, Maryland and Evergreen, Colorado
Education: Denver School of the Arts; NYU, Tisch, Stella Adler
Select Credits: Keep Your Baggage With You At All Times (Julie, Theater for the New City); Cloud Nine (Maud/Lin, The Nola Project); Too Little Too Late (various, HERE Arts Center); Sunken Living Room (Tammy, Theater 80); Squealer (Caroline, Lesser America).
Why theater?: Because we can't help it. Because this is where we find ourselves. Because though other mediums of performance are also thrilling, there's nothing like sitting in a room and experiencing a story live. Resonating with another human's spirit several feet away. And because some of us are addicted to working for no money, I guess.
Tell us about Exit Carolyn: I've been chomping at the bit to do this show since we workshopped it with Slant Theater Project last year. The first time I read the script - literally three lines in - I already knew I was a fan of this writer - Jennie Berman Eng. Her characters are crisply individual, uniquely intelligent, fun and brilliantly messy too. Exit Carolyn is about the death of a young woman, her closest friends and what happens to the people she left behind and their relationships. And Jennie deals with this incredibly heavy subject matter as hilariously as I think is possible. Which is what makes it such a human play. Even in our darkest moments we are a funny and ridiculous species just trying to figure out what to do next.
What is it like being a part of Exit Carolyn?: Hard to summarize. It's a complicated piece. And I think each of us on stage has to really confront and delicately navigate some gut wrenching material in rehearsal every day. We're always carving through these intricate moments together, and often picking through some almost ridiculously detailed nuances. I assumed it would be a breeze because I play a couch-bound danish-consuming stoner, but every day I leave rehearsal totally drained. It's a tight process and everybody is really kicking ass and taking names.
What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as artists?: Whatever is truthful. Bonus points for funny. My tastes tend to vary across style and convention but I love anything that moves me and that does so without pulling any dirty tricks. If an artist can really let me into the weirdest and darkest part of their artistic soul I'm into it.
Any roles you’re dying to play?: They haven't been written yet.
If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Charlie Kaufman. Mitch Herwitz. Anna Shapiro. The list is too long. I'm tempted to say something about making out with Ryan Gosling but I respect his talent too much to objectify him. Whoever's around and ready to play, I'm down to work with.
Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: It would be called "It Really Ties the Room Together: A Misguided Career in Interior Design", and I would be played by David Cross in a really thrilling gender bending biopic.
What show have you recommended to your friends?: Hand to God at EST is fantastic. That show has gotten so much well-deserved attention I'm probably being redundant, but it truly is great. And the people working on it are the loveliest. Also Suicide Incorporated at Roundabout Underground. Brilliantly well acted.
What’s up next?: I just wrapped shooting on a divinely little web series with Alex Anfanger, written by playwright Adam Szymkowicz called Compulsive Love. It'll start releasing in the new year. And in the spring I'm working on the final show in the inaugural season of my theater company, Lesser America...yet to be announced ;)
For more information on Laura, visit http://lauraramadei.com/
