Meet the cast and crew of Seminar: Samantha A Camp

Samantha plays Kate, the Bennington-educated and defensively prickly aspiring novelist who provides the apartment for the Seminar to take place.

We asked Samantha about some of her own writing experiences.

Have you ever written anything that you had published/presented? What was it? How was that experience for you?

 

I have actually been pretty lucky in that regard albeit on a small scale. I was lucky enough to be a "night life" columnist at a small newspaper in Texas for several years (Abilene Reporter-News). I got to review touring shows, discuss/plug/experience local and national musical artists and even had a year-end "Best of" list that people actually seemed to care about. I also wrote feature stories for the paper. My favorites were a story about a local mom of a boy with Autism who worked very hard with the small school district to get her son the care and education he needed and a story about a local family who adopted a dozen special needs (aka "hard to place") kids. People can be really inspiring if you give them the chance. 

In some ways working for the paper was one of the best experiences of my life. You don't always realize how much of an effect the words you say/write have - both good and bad. In the play, Leonard has a line about how writers tend to be like "feral cats." It was interesting because the more popular my column became (at one point it was the second most read column after the sports section),  the more some of the other reporters complained about my writing. I was accused of "writing like she talks" as if that was a bad thing.  I had totally forgotten about that until we started rehearsals. 

Have you ever taken a workshop/seminar/master class and had it turn into a nightmare? What did you learn?

Luckily, no. I did, however, have an acting teacher in college who scared us so much that the rumor was that he made all of his students cry at least once a semester. I learned a LOT from him. That man knew his stuff. Although, he never made me cry. Not on purpose anyway.

Who were/are your favorite writers? Why?

I am a sucker for the dead Russians - Tolstoy especially. I am also a huge fan of Paula Danziger who wrote the Amber Brown books (Middle Reader books) and Judy Blume. As far as playwrights go, I might be a hair obsessed with Henrik Ibsen (A Doll's House and Hedda Gabler).

Mostly though, I read non-fiction. There is a lot of stuff I don't know yet and I am trying to figure it all out.

If you could have any career, what would it be?

If I wasn't an actor or soap-maker (which is what I do in "real life"), I would want to write children's books. Especially ones aimed at the 8-10 year olds. I have already written one (not published) and NEED to find time to finish the series that is bouncing around in my head.

Dream project?  

I NEED to play Diana in Next to Normal and/or Margaret in Henry VI, Part 3. That and I need to take over the world with my soaps. You know, the usual.

Why might people know who you are? If you are recognized on the street, what is it usually for?

I sometimes get recognized as The Soap Lady. Shockingly, I have been recognized on the street most for having done The Last 5 Years which I did 4 years ago and hardly anyone saw. The ones who DID see it seem to remember it really well though.

Tell me one thing about you that people would find surprising.

I have 5 kids - ages ranging from 6 - 25 and one step-daughter aged 23.

Meet the cast and crew of Seminar: Michael LoSasso

Michael plays Martin, a sullen, intense writer who is very private about his work.

Michael can often be seen assisting at the Wednesday Actor Workshops: laughing out loud, timing audition monologues and helping the other actors with their lines. This time, however, it is Michael's turn in the spotlight.


Michael is really having to dig deep into his acting chops for this role as he is "no writer" as he says.   

A huge fan of the writer Frank Herbert (the Dune series), he is more interested in WHO he works with than he is WHAT he is working on. When asked what his Dream Project would be, Michael simply said "As long as I am working with the right people, it is a dream project." In another lifetime those dream projects might include time spent with the talented crazies in the orchestra pit.

Michael says he has only taken one workshop and it "was when I was working at a Futon store. There were five of us and we had to deal with a 'work guru' who would teach us how to work together." He says the problem was the owner. "He was a nice enough man," Michael says, "but a horrible manager. We wound up having to go through the workshop because our boss did not know how to manage us. We had to 'learn how to work together' when we employees got along just fine and worked well together." Sadly, the boss was so bad at being a manager, he was the one who needed to go to a workshop on how to get along with his employees, Michael continued.

People frequently stop him on the street thinking he is their father/brother/uncle/next door neighbor. It must the way he treats and greets everyone like they are a long lost friend. 

Seminar opens tomorrow (July 11) and runs through August 3. Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 2 p.m. ALL performances are Pay-What-You-Can-Afford.

Meet the cast and crew of Seminar: Monica Finney

Monica Finney plays Izzy, a sexy young writer willing to do whatever it takes to get where she wants to go.

We asked Monica if she had ever had an experience like the class her character takes in Seminar.  Her experience wasn’t quite as intense but terrifying nonetheless.  The same experience also served as an introduction to the world of writing for the public.

“I participated in an instant play festival at college, where I wrote a piece overnight that was then rehearsed the next day and put on the following night,” she wrote. “It was fun! It was scary to have something you wrote get presented on stage, scarier I think than performing. Luckily I had a good response.”

Monica’s favorite writers include Tana French - an Irish author (and actor) best known for her novel Broken Harbour. Monica finds French’s characters well developed and interesting. “They're just really good.” Monica is also a fan of Jane Austen (Ms. Austen gets treated a little harshly in the play). “She too has a really keen way of describing characters and she's funny,” Monica notes.

Like many of us, Monica dreams of a career as an Actor (with the Dream Role as Hedda Gabler being the pinnacle), but she also thinks it would be really fun to compose movie scores as a career.

“Not sure if I have ever been recognized off the street,” Monica wrote when asked why people might recognize her out and about. “I suppose if I was it would be for being in a show.”

Oh and here’s an interesting tidbit about Monica. She plays the drums in her boyfriend’s professional gypsy jazz band fairly regularly.

Seminar by Theresa Rebeck runs July 11 – August 3, 2014. Fridays & Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.