Hometown: Watertown, WI
Education: University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Favorite Credits: Dating: Adults Embracing Failure (co-writer/co-star), Period Piece: The Musical (Lead), Twisty and Infinite Sundaes - Second City House Team's
Why theater?: There is nothing like the intimacy of a live audience. The audience and performer live the experience together, the mistakes, the brilliant moments. It is polished and yet unpredictable. Similar to sporting events, it means more and is a better story when you were there, not just watching it on TV. Also, there is instant feedback, you know when a joke worked and when it didn't.
Tell us about Dating: Adults Embracing Failure: Dating: Adults Embracing Failure looks at the first dates and break-ups of 8 couples to see if there is a recipe for a successful relationship. The show is a honest, funny and sometimes an unflattering look at the different experiences love and romance can take.
What inspired you to write Dating: Adults Embracing Failure?: I always thought that there was a secret to relationships, that if you could do everything “right” you could avoid pain. The older I have gotten, the less black and white the world has become. “Dating” was our expression of the humor in the pain. To express that while it feels hopeless it is worth the giant risks, just to be able to find someone you want to hold hands with, and the joy that brings.
What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Theater that reflects life in its simplicity and its difficulty. I love when there is a bittersweet take away. There is power in making people think because you made them feel. Artistically I am inspired by human interactions. Interactions with each other, nature, pets, and bugs. There is a lot of complexity in relationships. The dynamics of a family are intricate and tumultuous but are rarely truly broken. I love it. My family and friends are a constant source of inspiration as well. Most of my characters are someone I know. I just hope they don’t know! I don’t need to look very far to find tragedy or comedy. We all live here, we get it.
If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Frances McDormand and Julianne Moore. They pick great roles where the women are strong and real. I think I could learn a lot from them. They have emotions without being crazy, and motivate without having to kick down a door in stilettos. Plus I think we would have a blast getting coffee.
What show have you recommended to your friends?: Pocket Universe. It is an unknown play written by an LA playwright. I wept, in an ugly way. It was beautiful and emotional and I walked away looking at life under a different lens.
Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Catherine O'Hara or Bonnie Hunt, "How the Midwest Was Won" or "Don't Listen to my Mom, I'm Fine!"
If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I would have loved to see Gilda Radner: Live from New York and The Goodbye Girl with Martin Short and Bernadette Peters
What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Puzzles. They waste so much time, but I love them.
If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: Writing children's books or a Psychologist
What’s up next?: We are always writing new material. We don't have anything specific yet, but that is when we create our best work. We have a lot of pots on the stove and are excited to share them as soon as they are ready!