
Playing an icon and wanting to meet audience expectations, but being able to bring something new to the field. And working with the fab people who are a part of Wily West. Thanks to Brady, Ryan, Wes, Quinn, and all the gang! And especially Morgan for the role!
And of course, the jewelry!
What is the greatest challenge you face for this show?
OH MY GOD JOAN CRAWFORD!
What kind of research are you doing to prepare?
My research has been looking at old film clips, but mostly clips of her as herself...interviews, moments where she is on camera--not as a character, but as herself. And reading articles about her--how others saw her....
Susan, you are a teacher, actor, director, and award-winning playwright...what came first? Who have you played before?
Acting came first (the witch when I was 15--perhaps a precursor to Joan?) and then directing, then playwrighting. I have portrayed many famous women--Thomas Wolf's mother, Stevie Smith--British poet, Dorothy Parker, Jackie Kennedy--and I wrote a play about Rock Hudson and his wife, so I knew a lot about the references/movie world of Joan.
Since this play is about our public and private selves or personas - what parts of you as an artist are very public and what are some more private or personal interests that you would be willing to share?
Public and private--I'm on Facebook, so I have to be careful as my students read the messages. As a teacher, I am sometimes overly cautious about the distinction between me as a person and me as their instructor. And then there are days that I bring donuts and they fill me in on the latest slang. Sometimes we let our guard down to complete strangers--tell them things we would never tell another living soul. The expectations people place upon us as teachers, writers, actors, and famous stars...
What do you hope audiences will take from this production?
A new way of looking at what we thought we knew...
