Hometown: Clifton Park, New York
Education: The Catholic University of America, B.A. in Drama (2009) and New York University M.F.A. in Dramatic Writing (2013)
Favorite Credits: (un)real, of course ☺
Why theater?: Theater offers us a point of connection. No two people will have the same experience of one show. One person may love it, relate to it and need to see it again while another person may have no use for it or be offended by it. But regardless of opinions, the experience of seeing a play inevitably sparks a dialogue. That conversation is invaluable in society; it gives us a chance to cope.
Tell us about (un)real?: (un)real is about resilience made manifest in a young woman named Catherine; it’s her story. She pushes herself to get through some tough stuff by being highly imaginative.
What inspired you to create (un)real?: I had flashes of ideas of twin siblings and a woman in a break with reality…as time went on I started to solidify what the play was trying to say (read: what I was trying to get off my chest) and I let myself have fun with it. It’s not an autobiography per-se, but it’s all heart. The story dramatizes my feelings about my childhood, my parents and my very real fears about transitioning to adulthood.
What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Anyone who’s out there doing his or her thing inspires me. Especially people who self-produce because it’s like, why wait for the world to say yes? Create your own opportunities. I love that.
If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: I’m fairly new to this, so there’s no one I wouldn’t want to work with!
What show have you recommended to your friends?: Anything off, or off-off Broadway. There’s incredible work being made that doesn’t cost hundreds of dollars a seat.
Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Emily Blunt, because I think she’s awesome. And the title...I think it would be: “Bitty”. Bitty is a nickname some friends gave me in college (it has since taken over as my real name). They thought it suited me because I’m “small” and I can be very quiet. I think the movie would be about being “bitty” but with mighty ambition. Maybe it would be called "Bitty Fights Back"-- yeah I like that!
What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Re-watching JUST the love scenes from period pieces like Sense and Sensibility or Jane Eyre. So basically, if it’s an old-timey British novel that has been made into a film, I’ve seen it, and I can recite it, I am a permanent SAP. Also, chocolate chip cookies from the bakery at Fairway.
If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: I think about this a lot. I want to say I’d go into fashion, but even then I think I’d still end up doing some sort of writing. Maybe writing for a fashion blog or magazine, that would be exciting!
What’s up next?: More writing, more theatre!
