Hometown: Gulfport, MS
Education: Boston University
Favorite Credits: KitKat in The Deepest Play Ever
Why theater?: I love that, for a couple of hours, strangers sit in a room and believe together.
Tell us about Family Play (1979 To Present)?: Family Play is a devised piece by CollaborationTown. Children of the 80's dig through three decades of their lives: humorous, mundane and revelatory moments between parents, siblings and friends, all fighting to love each other amidst radically shifting notions of family, gender, and sexuality. Part dissection of the past, part love letter to the present -- a fast-paced, unsentimental memory play.
What inspired you to write and perform in Family Play (1979 To Present)?: My company and I were interested in the idea of family; specifically, how this idea has evolved in our lifetime. The standard narrative of “This is what a family looks like” has shifted and we wanted to explore how people navigate these changes. The canon of American theater focuses on the deconstruction of the nuclear family, and the dramatic structure of these plays rarely varies. We knew that if we wanted to explore non-traditional family units, then we had to explore a non-traditional structure. The opportunity to explore family, memory, relationships, and storytelling is a real gift. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to work on this with such an incredible group of artists.
What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I like theater that has a whole lot of heart. I appreciate cleverness, but when I go see a show I want to laugh and cry (preferably both at the same time). Basically, I don’t want to have to “get” something---I want the actors and the audience to be on the same page throughout the piece.
If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Elizabeth LeCompte, Taylor Mac, Lisa Kron
What show have you recommended to your friends?: Here Lies Love at The Public Theater. Not to be missed.
Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: A busted Julia Roberts and it would be called “Drink, Smoke, Cry”.
What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Nachos. "The Voice".
What’s the most played song on your iPod?: "Check On It" by Beyonce.
If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Tom Cruise’s gig in the movie COCKTAIL doesn’t seem so bad.
What’s up next?: I really need to clean my apartment and get a haircut. Both will happen after the show.
For more, visit www.collaborationtown.org