Hometown: Santa Monica/NYC
Education: Yes
Favorite Credits: A great smile, Write Out Front at the Drama Book Shop 2012, and Lesser America's production of American River (You can buy it @ IndieTheaterNow's woot woot!)
Why theater?: I like being in the dark with other people looking for meaning.
Tell us about The Feminism of a Soft Merlot or (How the Donkey Got Punched): The play explores female sexuality through the relationships of two friends – a sexually-adventurous Kareena who tries out monogamy with her boyfriend and the sexually-inhibited Sam who experiments with a pornographer.
What inspired you to write The Feminism of a Soft Merlot or (How the Donkey Got Punched)?: I started writing one of the scenes around the time of the Eliot Spitzer Affair. I was curious about the cultural dialogue revolving around the themes of infidelity, monogamy, prostitution, love and desire. It was also inspired by Ariel Levy's book, "Female Chauvinist Pigs: The Rise of Raunch Culture".
What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I like theater that is unafraid, visceral, not necessarily perfect, but still wreaking of the impulse that created it.
If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: There are so many but I LOVE what Rattlestick Theater is doing so I'd love to play with them, as well as work with Rising Phoenix Rep again because I had such a great time working on Untitled Degradation Play for their Cino Nights Series (directed by the amazing Kel Haney), also Partial Comfort; the FARM and Padraic Lillis, I love the raw energy of the Amoralists and their whole crew, as well as TerraNova and what they do and the director Jessi D. Hill, Jackson Gay, Leigh Silverman, Daniel Talbott and I could go on and on and on. I mean, how lucky are we to live in this time and place with all these amazing artists and opportunities to create new compelling work?
What show have you recommended to your friends?: I had recommendation turrets syndrome with Rob Askins’ play Hand to God produced by MCC. I couldn't stop recommending that play, I loved it so much.
Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Miranda July, Kim Gordon, Kathleen Hanna, and Alan Cummings and it would be called "This shiznit is awesome and sometimes fucked up but mostly awesome". It would be unrated of course but we would do an animated version for the kiddies and we would call it "Princess Shiznet and the Awesome Donut Whole".
What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: I don't feel guilt when experiencing pleasure.
What’s the most played song on your iTunes?: Lately it's "You've Got the Dirtee Love" by Florence & the Machine and "Disorganized Fun" by Ronald Jenkees cuz’ they make feel like shakin’ my bootay.
If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Self-medicating.
What’s up next?: Well, in a minute I'm probably gonna eat some popcorn but starting May 24th - June 22nd, Ivy Theatre Company is producing The Feminism of a Soft Merlot or (how the Donkey got Punched) with an awesome cast featuring Diana Oh, Lauren Dortch-Crozier, Patrick Daniel Smith, and Justin Anselmi and directed by Audrey Alford (you can get tix here: The Feminism of a Soft Merlot or (How the Donkey Got Punched).