Karina Richardson is Making. Things. Happen. She’s an actor, writer and now can add film producer to her list of credentials. Plus, she’s a huge sports fan, an expert dog-portrayer and she knew fellow member Bernardo Cubria back when he had a bowl cut. Read more about her and be sure to catch her in Lia Romeo’s ENDS OF THE EARTH on June 18th and 19th!

 

InViolet: How do you identify in the theater world?

Karina: As a performer and a writer and a self-producing make-it-happener.

InViolet: What’s your InViolet journey been like so far?

Karina: It’s been warm and fuzzy! I had been an InViolet supporter for a few years and seen how supportive the company was so I was really happy and grateful to be welcomed to the company. I’ve had opportunities to perform and see my writing performed, which is super exciting.

InViolet: Do you have a favorite InViolet memory you can share?

Karina: That would be Bixby catching me singing the chorus to Karma Chameleon over and over again to myself in a dark room in preparation for performing in his play at my first retreat.

InViolet: Let’s chat about your play ROUND SHE GOES. We were lucky enough to present it as part of our Play Festival last year. What are your hopes and plans for the play?

Karina: I’ve had the wonderful opportunity of seeing the play in two positively magical readings in New York and would love to do a full production one day with my co-artistic director Kyra Lehman and our company Proximity.

InViolet: Tell us about your longtime collaboration with Kyra Lehman. What have you done together? What do you plan to make next?

Karina: Kyra and I are basically artistic soulmates who are at that part of the story where they’re like – I OBVIOUSLY LOVE YOU AND CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT YOU – but also have to like, find themselves and take a few years to learn to stand on their own two feet. We went to NYU together and met as little 20 year olds and had a theater class together and the first thing she said to me was in a sideways whisper when we were supposed to listening to the teacher and what she said was… “My dad is making a movie this summer. Do you want to be in it?” And I whispered “Totally” back and that summer I went on the first of many great adventures with Kyra (and took Bernardo Cubria along for the ride). Over the years, we have taken risks and learned and taught and danced and played for many many summers in Santa Barbara with her partner and my dear friend Ken Urbina and the rest of the members of our company Proximity and I couldn’t be prouder of what we have made together.

Kyra is about to start grad school in Chicago this fall and we are in the lovely process of figuring out what our next project will be because we are about to enter that part of the story where we get back together and ride carousels and shit.

InViolet: You are one of those glorious theatrical hybrid people, i.e. you act and you write. How do you balance the two? Does one ever win out over the other?

Karina: I am still finding my way into balancing the two. If I do too much of one and not enough of the other, I really miss the muscle I’m not using. Lately, I’ve been scratching the itch by working on projects that I write and act in to be able to do both. I also want to give a huge shout out to Rich, Intelisano & Katz, LLP and Dan Katz for being so supportive of my creative life and letting me work a schedule that allows space for figuring that out.

InViolet: You and member Bernardo Cubria go way back. High school, right? We KNOW you gotta have some fun dirt on that guy. Spill!

Karina: Omg yes we have known each other since I had braces and he rocked a bowl cut. One of my favorite memories is of him directing our Spanish class in a skit for the whole school on International Day called “Titanic en Tres Minutos.” I played Jack, our friend Perico played Rosa, Gaby played Billy Zane and Nicolas Ferreyros played the iceberg as Mauricio & Bernardo channeled Celine Dion and sang “Mi Corazon Seguira.” It was a smash hit but what people didn’t know was that behind the scenes Bernardo went full “director” on us, wore a black baseball cap to every rehearsal which was a 15 year old Texas boy’s version of a black turtleneck, barked “otra vez!” at us again and again until we got the scenes just right while waving around a copy of Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty and taking drags off the two cigarettes that were dangling out of his mouth the entire time.

InViolet: You have a holiday play (every playwright should have a holiday play!) called SCROOGE AND HER GHOSTS. Without giving spoilers, what is the premise? Are we going to see this play at every regional theater this December and for years to come?

Karina: I do! It’s set in the not so distant future and Scrooge is a tech giantess who has created a program that can erase the memories people don’t want to hold on to. She thinks it’s the best gift she could give humanity but her sister (and a few other ladies) don’t agree. It’s a mostly female cast with a couple of dudes in it and will hopefully be in a regional theater near you this holiday season!

InViolet: You are currently playing a dog named Frankie in our InProgress workshop of Lia Romeo’s ENDS OF THE EARTH. Have you been doing doggy character work? Why should folks come see this play on 6/18 and 6/19?

Karina: This is my third time playing a dog, so I feel pretty confident in my barking abilities at this point. This time around, I’ve been getting deep into the power and agony of knowing a squirrel is cracking open a nut in the park around the corner and only I can hear it.

In all seriousness, Lia’s play is a really special and timely piece and it needs to be seen! Her writing is funny and smart and delicate and then you layer on the gifted cast I get to work with and it’s just one of those plays I’m so grateful to be a part of.

InViolet: You’ve been keeping secrets from us. You have a “super secret solo project”??? How exciting and mysterious. Anything you’re able to share about it at this point?

Karina: Haha yes! I’ve been teaching myself filmmaking by creating a short film that I wrote, acted in, lit, designed, and am in the process of teaching myself how to edit. It has been wildly messy and I’ve made a thousand mistakes but I’ve learned so much and it’s also reminding me to play. I can get very perfectionisty and this approach is also teaching me the joy of being a beginner.

InViolet: Sports! You’re a sports fan! Which sports? What team? Do you play or spectate? Are you one of those people who screams profanities and throws things at the screen?

Karina: I looove sports! I love all the sports but basketball is my favorite! I will never be able to root for a team like I root for the Houston Rockets who gave me not one but back to back NBA World Championships in my young life. My mom loves basketball and my dad is also into sports, so I grew up being a fan. I played sports growing up, but as happens, I eventually left soccer practice for drama practice and that was that for playing and it was on to just watching. I am definitely an emotional spectator. I like that I can be furious and heartbroken and agonized and watch a fierce battle where at the end of the day it’s just a game and no one died. Although I still can’t talk about the way this year’s Rockets playoff run ended and possibly may not ever (NOT WELL). I want to hug James Harden and tell him it’s ok that he’s emotional and that I love him because he plays for my team and has given me so many moments of dancing magic. I cried happy awestruck tears last year when LeBron James won a championship for his city. Sometimes I watch the last few minutes of that game because it’s one of the most beautiful few minutes I’ve ever witnessed and I got to see it with millions of people. That’s one of the reasons I also love soccer, especially the world cups. It’s such a global sport and it’s like watching gladiators battle for glory and triumph over adversity (but again without the death and the dying).

InViolet: What’s next for you?

Karina: I’m on to step two of my independent film school curriculum and am shooting a short documentary about my grandpa in Puerto Rico, who is in his 90’s and still makes time to go out dancing.

Links:

www.karinarichardson.com

 

Aubyn Philabaum is one of the original InViolets, a proud Yale grad and Marilyn Monroe re-incarnated with aspirations to be the next Ronald Reagan. (If that doesn’t pique your interest to read further, we don’t know what will!:)

 

InViolet: How do you identify in the theater world?

Aubyn: Actor, Collaborator, Lover of.

InViolet: You are one of our original members. How have you seen the company change over time?

Aubyn: The company has gone from a group of young, passionate, unsure but driven artists to an expanding group of mature, grounded, passionate artists with a lot to say. I am continuously blown away by not only the desire, but the overwhelming “HAVE TO” attitude of the members today, to create change through storytelling. This past election and the state of current affairs has driven every member in both individual and communal ways to take a stand. From the post-election Second Monday Social that focused on supporting each other during this confusing time, to our One Night Stand “Post It” Plays ( #invioletinsolidarity ), to company members gathering at marches, to so much more.

And the babies! We have so many precious InViolet babies now! Like, actual babies. I want to nibble them all.

InViolet: Do you have a favorite InViolet memory you can share?

Aubyn: Oh gosh, so many. Shucking corn with a (then) stranger Megan Hart at my first retreat, the entire rehearsal process of Melanie Maras’ Kiss Me On The Mouth (led by fierce women- Melanie, Angela Razzano, Sara Van Beckum), singing “Sweet Caroline” with the whole company to celebrate the birth of company member Annie Carlson’s beautiful baby Caroline, beers with Bernardo Cubria post-rehearsals for This Is Fiction, stealing cigarette breaks with Michelle David (Chicken), sobbing through the first read of Bixby Elliot’s “Sommerfugl” with Peter Graham at retreat, Angela’s dancing- anytime.

InViolet: When you were 8, you were convinced you were Marilyn Monroe reincarnated, and determined to become the next Ronald Reagan. Whaaaat? You gotta tell us what was going on.

Aubyn: Yeah, I was a busy little 8 year old. Or..imaginative. So the Marilyn thing- we weren’t allowed candy in my house growing up, so when I found a roll of fruit flavored tums I ate the whole thing in about 5 seconds, they were so sweet and delicious. I got scared that I’d poisoned myself, and my little friend told me that Marilyn died of a drug overdose. (I’d also recently learned about past lives, so was constantly searching for a sign of my own). The tums was my sign, and Marilyn and I both being actresses…well, I’m sure you can see the connection. Clear as day.

I was also the President of my student body in elementary, which, at that age, just meant I led the morning’s assembly – I stood on the cafeteria stage and led the school in the national anthem and various songs, etc. But since I was already on my way to fame…see this connection? Again, clear. As. Day. Like Ronald, I was going to be a famous actor and POTUS. (With a different platform, of course. :))

InViolet: You went to Yale for grad school. How was that whole experience?

Aubyn: Yale was a dream. I was allowed to be solely an artist for 3 years! I worked among some of the top professionals in our field and was challenged and motivated and inspired, daily. One of the greatest gifts Yale teaches its actors is to honor the unique self, and not only honor, but really flesh out what makes each individual unique. The professors help cultivate the light inside every actor to shine as bright as all the stars in the sky. I mean, I don’t walk around shining beams of light out of my eyeballs everyday- I struggle a lot and have been working hard these last few years on shedding the notion that I need to make myself like everyone else in Hollywood. But sometimes lessons we are taught take years to sink in. This one is finally showing up for me.

InViolet: You are an LA girl now. Thankfully we’ve stolen you back several times to do plays with us in NYC since you’ve moved, but we still miss you! How’s life different for you out there?

Aubyn: Oof. I never thought I would be called an LA person. I miss NYC everyday, and speak of it often. LA is….fiiiiiiiiine. It is easy. And by that I mean, living here is easy. The weather is easy. Grocery shopping is easy. I can hike into the mountains IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY in the middle of the day. But you know, it’s also Hollywood. Which is both magical and exhausting. Sometimes I wish I could go to a coffee shop or a party and meet someone who is a chemical engineer or a 3rd grade teacher or a plumber, get to know people who spend their days in ways different from me. But I have been very lucky- I met some INCREDIBLE people as soon as I landed who are grounded and kind and make me laugh and remind me to leave my apartment. Aaaaand, I am grateful that I have an artistic home (and the most amazing friends I call family) in NYC to go back to.

InViolet: We’re so proud of how you’ve taken the reins in your career and created your own projects. What are you working on now?

Aubyn: Thank you!! This last year I’ve spent co-writing a 1/2-hour comedy with one of my best friends of 20 years. We met in high school, and then both attended Boston University to study theater. She is a phenomenal writer and director. We were constant collaborators back then, and it feels so good to be back working with her again! We are so proud of the television show we have created. It is a show about women, for women- nah scratch that- it’s for everyone, but it honors women. You know, comedically. We also just shot a short, based off of the TV show. It is a proof of concept for the show, using the main character and themes from the show. I star in it. It is currently in post but I am so excited to share with you all when it is finished! I also shot a series a few months ago that was a blast, called Relevant. See link below for episodes.

InViolet: Depression has played a part in your life and work. Is that something you’d like to discuss? You talk about how the stigma against mental illness needs to change. What can we all do to help make that happen?

Aubyn: Yes, it’s played a huge part in my adult life. In my 20’s and into my early 30’s I was deeply ashamed and embarrassed, I tried to hide my depression. I thought it meant I was crazy or unstable or different. The more I started to share, the more I realized how not alone I was.

1 in 5 adults in America alone suffer from mental illness every year, whether mild depression or something more debilitating. That is a LOT of people. We need to be making it more of a topic of discussion, and not be so afraid of what it might MEAN about a person. Often those suffering hide, or worse- harm themselves or others. I think the most basic thing we can ALL do, is listen more. Stop, breathe, and listen to our loved ones, listen to those around us. There might be someone in a lot of pain, needing help, either scared or embarrassed to ask for it, or completely unaware that they are in need. Compassion compassion compassion.

InViolet: You come from quite a creative family. How has growing up in that environment shaped your own path?

Aubyn: My Mom was a potter and also wrote educational children’s books. Dad is a glassblower. My parents’ community of artists would often gather at our home, to sketch, talk politics, watch bball, eat, drink, make music. Lots of music. Dad on trumpet, Mom and her piano, my brother on guitar, some of the other guys would break out a harmonica or whatever, and jam. Those gatherings were powerful learning experiences for me, because they were about being free, about letting go and being silly and open and vulnerable and trying things that were out of your element—we had reclusive artists singing Louis Armstrong or picking up an instrument foreign to them- people taking chances for the sake of joy.

I think also being witness to my parent’s unwavering dedication to their individual art has certainly shaped me. I have and continue to be a student of my craft, always in awe of the impact of storytelling. And I am grateful I always was and continue to be, 100% supported by my family. Not only my parents and brother, but my whole extended family-I have a lot of amazing cheerleaders in my corner. Because of them, I never thought twice about pursuing acting. It is in my blood, and they honor that.

InViolet: You’ve mentioned that working on Bixby Elliot’s SOMMERFUGL changed your life. How so? (PS- you were fantastic in it!)

Aubyn: Thank you! I hope to have the privilege to speak those words again someday. It changed my life…in so many ways. I entered that rehearsal room believing I knew a lot. Believing that because I was a liberal, a self-professed humanitarian, that I was open, void of judgment, aware of the ways of the world. We had so many incredible conversations during rehearsals and wow was a mirror brought right to my face. I learned about spectrums. I learned that I, like most of society, have a hard time comprehending anything unless it has a label, fits into a box. And I am not just speaking of my understanding of the trans community. This realization opened me up to so much more. Really seeing my own racism. Really seeing my own sexism. Really seeing my choices, my judgments, my fears, where those all stemmed from…I mean, I am still wading through a lot of this and everyday I find something else. Work in progress. But seriously, compassion, compassion, compassion. The world needs more of it.

For my role in the play, I had to tap into a love so deep, so pure, that nothing would stand in it’s way- I myself live in fear of loving this deeply. Fear of the pain that might result from it. But this story, Bixby’s telling of it, taught me that sharing this kind of a love is more powerful than any emotion like fear or pain. And how glorious, to be able to live that! I wish for all of us, to share a love and understanding like Grete and Lily had.

InViolet: What’s next for you?

Aubyn: Getting this TV show made, making a load of money, breathing, laughing, traveling more. Not necessarily in that order.

Links:

Relevant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYGdf8yGaBI&t=174s

IMDb: http://www.imdb.me/ aubynphilabaum

Philabaum Glass Gallery and Studio: http://www.philabaumglass.com/

 

Nurit Monicelli has played it all: roles in Richard Gere and Russell Crowe movies! A kidnapping victim in a suitcase on Blacklist! An exercising starfish on PBS! She also juggles teaching young actors and mothering an awesome kid. Read all about here here and be sure to see her perform this month in our InProgress showing of Lia Romeo’s ENDS OF THE EARTH! 

 

InViolet: How do you identify in the theater world?

Nurit: Actor, teacher, sometimes director/coach, and New York mother!

InViolet: What has your InViolet journey been like so far?

Nurit: Incredible! I love being in the rehearsal room creating something from the ground up. I love our Inviolet monthly meetings, where people share pages of their work. I am in awe of the talent in this company and feel so lucky to be in the room with this special group of people. I love the Monday Night Socials and the sense of community, support and humor that is being shared! I first heard about Inviolet through Marguerite and Gerry and Bixby. I saw Megan Hart’s show This is Fiction at the Cherry Lane and was blown away by it. A year and a half later I was invited to join the company. It’s been almost two years, and I still pinch myself that I get to be part of this wildly talented and generous group of people.

InViolet: Do you have a favorite InViolet memory you can share?

Nurit: Too many to name! Of course retreats are a highlight. Before I was a member, I was invited to the retreat and encouraged to bring something I was working on. As one of my many side gigs over the years I cleaned apartments and I had a lot of wonderfully odd NY encounters. I wanted to sketch out a process to develop something off of that. Angela and Michael gave me a space, two wonderful actors and let us play! We improvised a few scenarios and then presented to the company and I had a blast. It was incredible to feel such generous support, and it allowed me to go out on a limb and take a creative risk. It is that environment of collaboration and trust, coupled with fierce intelligence and talent that makes this company so special.

InViolet: You went to grad school with fellow members, Marguerite Stimpson, Gerry Rodriguez and Dan Domingues. When we interviewed Dan, we tried to get him to do an expose´ on you all, but he kept is classy. Can we entice you to give us some dirt?? What was it like training with those three?

Nurit: Those are probably the three classiest people I know so I don’t have much dirt. I will say that I met Marguerite and Gerry before they were a couple. Marguerite and Gerry fell in love in grad school. They tried to keep their torrid love affair under wraps but even though they are wonderful actors, the chemistry was undeniable and we all knew what was going on.We were in different classes (years) but all studied with the same teachers, a crazy and brilliant mix of Russians and Americans. We’ve collaborated in various ways since getting out of school: devised pieces, readings, plays, short films you name it and that’s how the friendships developed. It is wonderful to now officially be “in company” with them.

InViolet: You grew up in a house that has been described as Woody Allen meets THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS . Do tell.

Nurit: Ha! My parents have since moved to Brooklyn and I now live in Queens, so that time of my life feels like another world ago. My dad is Italian and my mom is a pianist and daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants. There are enough professional musicians in my family to make a small string orchestra, including a conductor! My parents renovated a place on the Upper East Side and I grew up in a house filled with music. We always had family and friends visiting for months at a time. We had a dog and my Dad started his press out of our home so I am used to a bit of chaos and noise. Side note: Gwyneth Paltrow (who was in The Royal Tenenbaums) grew up across the street. My brothers used to skate board with her kid brother. I was never cool enough to hang out with Gwyneth. She’d be sitting in her window smoking and looking glamorous and I’d be practicing the violin and doing my homework.

InViolet: You’ve played a wide variety of roles in really exciting projects. A role in Darren Aronofsky’s NOAH! Working with Richard Gere! Playing a singing aerobic starfish on PBS! Tell us some stories

Nurit: I’ve been pretty lucky. I had a principle role in Aronofsky’s NOAH. The scene I was in was top secret (part of a storyline that ultimately didn’t make it into the film, though somehow I did) I was a new mother and the first night we filmed was my first time away from my daughter Aila. It was an intense experience- the scene was emotionally demanding and we were filming in the middle of this fake forest in the middle of the night. Russell Crowe shook my hand and told me I did an amazing job. That was cool.

I have a small role in the Richard Gere movie NORMAN. We ended up filming my part at 3 in the morning. That night I got to watch my acting crushes Steve Buscemi, Michael Sheen and Josh Charles (among others) in action, while hanging out with Michael Kostroff (who played the defense lawyer in the Wire) and my friend and wonderful actor Yuval Boim (who has been to our Monday Night Socials!) We filmed in the Brooklyn Museum. It was a surreal night.

I once played a singing aerobic starfish in a PBS series that taught kids to exercise. That was totally weird and fun! I was also a kidnapping victim on BLACKLIST who got abducted in a suitcase. I actually had a costume fitting to see which suitcase I would best for in. That is probably my biggest claim to fame: the woman who acted her way out of a suitcase….

I became an actor so I could taste a lot of things and I’m grateful for the variety of experiences I’ve had. That said, I also like to return to plays I’ve done before. I’ve been in four different productions of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (as Starveling, Puck and Helena- twice). It’s fun to have a new experience with a tried and true play.

InViolet: You teach Movement for the Actor and Acting at the America Academy of Dramatic Arts. What’s it like working in that world?

Nurit: I love teaching as it is a wonderful creative challenge and I get to connect with young actors and other teaching artists. A lot of the teachers at AADA are professional actors and directors, so there is overlap between the school and the outside world.

It is interesting to see how the challenges young actors face now compare to the ones I faced when starting out. To loosely quote Marian Seldes, I try to get them to “think less and feel more.” With Facebook and texting- social media and technology we are all interfacing 24/7, presenting our “best” selves instead of physically experiencing what we are doing, sensing what we are feeling and sharing our presence in the moment, in space, with others. It is gratifying to see a student connect and experience themselves in relation to others in this visceral and freeing way- to get past social judgments to a more open and playful/available sense of self. I learn a lot by teaching. I like to think it keeps me curious and flexible. It definitely makes me a better actor, just as acting informs how I teach.

InViolet: Tell us about your work with Blessed Unrest.

Nurit: As an associate artist, I play & train with Blessed Unrest, a physically based theater company that devises new work and re imagines classics. The theater has collaborated with Teatri Oda of Prishtina, Kosovo and AD Florent Mehmeti will be in town, so we will get to train with him. Like Inviolet, Blessed Unrest has cultivated this amazing group of artists who are committed to telling new stories. The company’s slant is physically based and I love to work with them, probably because it feels like playing music- communicating without/beyond words.

InViolet: You and your husband are both actors and are raising an amazing little girl together. What’s it like being a family of artists navigating NYC? Easy breezy, right? (kidding)

Nurit: It is a challenge! It is a dance! It is a lot of contradictory things. I am not going to lie and say that it is easy. I am grateful to our amazing friends and family who help us along the way (and who patiently wait for us to surface). I am lucky to have family relatively nearby. We live in a neighborhood that is wonderfully diverse and in a building with a great network of kids. Over the years we have met incredible people (theater artists are awesome!) and we’ve made additional friends though our daughter, so Aila is growing up in a environment that is both loving and vibrant. I cherish that. There are days when I feel incredibly connected and others where I feel isolated overwhelmed and lost (especially given this current political administration with its assault on health, education, the arts, the environment, our future!) I think the same goes for Tommy (my husband), as it can be a challenge to balance work/life as NYC parents/actors. That said my greatest joy is being a mother and Tommy is a wonderful Dad. I am growing and learning and that has impacted other areas of my life in a positive way. It is a balancing act for sure.

InViolet: Pretty soon we get to see you play the central role in InViolet’s InProgress showing of Lia Romeo’s ENDS OF THE EARTH. Without giving any spoilers, tell us why audiences should come check it out!

Nurit: I love how Lia creates a story that is rooted in relationships while examining timely themes such as global warming…. How do we sort out our personal lives and dreams as the world is falling apart around us? How do we untangle our own existential crises in a country that needs to do the same? The play is funny and moving and dark. It raises a bunch of wonderful questions that I am excited to delve into and explore.

InViolet: What’s next for you?

Nurit: I am looking forward to teaching this summer, spending time with family, and doing the usual acting/teaching/mothering balancing act as best I can. Hoping to reboot, catch up with friends and see some shows!

 

Mariana Fernandez is a beautiful, generous actor and a devoted theatergoer. She is also the mastermind behind bringing This is Fiction to Mexico City this Fall. And somehow she does it all while working 4 jobs, auditioning and tossing in a marathon or two. We’re so glad she came back to NYC and became a part of our company!

 

InViolet: How do you identify in the theater world?

Mariana: Actor and supporter of the theatre.

InViolet: What has your InViolet journey been like so far?

Mariana: Nothing short of wonderful. I will forever be grateful to Bernardo Cubría who invited me to a play he was doing back in 2013 (THIS IS FICTION. which I saw 3 times…) and he introduced me to this amazing theatre company called InViolet. Fast forward to 2016, once I had moved back to NYC, it was Bernardo again who encouraged me to check out some readings for InViolet and to meet Angela and Michael. I believe I owe Bernardo a drink or 5 because he was always so encouraging about me keeping in touch with this amazing group. I remember I showed up by myself, but from the second I walked in, I felt that this company was different. Everyone was kind and warm and friendly… I remember talking to Michael and Angela and even though I was a stranger, they made me feel like family. I had only planned to go to one of the readings and I stayed for all four. I went to their 2nd Second Monday Social and had a blast, and a month later Angela invited me to their annual retreat and I knew I was a forever fan.

InViolet: Do you have a favorite InViolet memory you can share?

Mariana: The second time I was at Second Monday Social, I got to read a great part in Jen Bowen’s play and I met fellow company member Rob Hille. I really wanted to do a good job reading, but about two lines in Rob had to say something about coffee and java, but he pronounced it “yava” and I lost it. Everyone was laughing and I just remember I couldn’t really recover, but we all were just laughing. I realized that there would be many amazing spontaneous moments like those with this company…
Retreat is a definite highlight. I had only been back in NYC for a couple of months, but I got to go to the mountains with these cool people that encouraged all of us to direct, and write, and stage manage, and contribute. I had never done anything like it, and every conversation was open and genuine. I remember being profoundly moved by so many of the plays that were read at that retreat… I knew I was surrounded by extraordinary people and amazing artists. This year’s One Night Stand also stands out… I thought it was brave and awesome that the company took our current political climate and created these bold and thought-provoking pieces. I recently saw a reading of Bixby’s LOOK, LOOK, LOOK, LOOK, LOOK which I had heard at retreat and was so moved by his work- I am really proud of him!

I could go on and on about other moments- Clearly, I have a lot of favorite memories because each one stands out and I hold onto it dearly.

InViolet: You recently celebrated your one-year anniversary of being back in NYC. Congrats! How’s the year been?

Mariana: It’s been crazy. I left NYC for two years to go to the motherland, Mexico City, and I was excited and terrified to come back. It’s always more difficult when you know what to expect, but I can honestly say that I love NYC much more this time around. It hasn’t been the easiest transition back, but I keep embracing the challenges and am really in love with living here.

InViolet: You are quite an athletic person. Marathon-ing, Triathlon-ing, Yoga-ing…Where does this love of the physical come from?

Mariana: My family… And don’t get me started on my family or I might not stop. I think my family is made of superheroes. My siblings and I were all swimmers growing up. We all swam competitively up until college and then we started finding our own passions. Even though we didn’t become Katie Ledecky or Michael Phelps, I think we took the discipline that swimming gave us. My brother has completed of 25 Ironman triathlons, my mom has completed 2 Ironmans over the age of 60! She’s a beast- I am eternally motivated and inspired by her! Every member of my family has completed one or more marathons. So… we’ve all kept that athleticism and competitive nature as a part of us. Somewhere along the way we also found the arts. My mother is also an activist and a world-renown photographer, my older sister is an extraordinary painter, my younger sister is on her way to becoming a doctor and a beautiful dancer… My brother and father are incredible doctors and supporters of the arts too… I think I just come from a family of overachievers, that are not only super talented and hard working, but that have the biggest hearts. I am inspired by them and their achievements on a daily basis… and I am just trying to keep up.

InViolet: Talk to us about the process of bringing Megan Hart’s THIS IS FICTION, or rather, ESTO ES FICCIÓN to Mexico City!

Mariana: Oh my goodness- I am going to make this happen even if it’s my final mission on this planet! I was living in Mexico City and I felt artistically very unfulfilled. It just works very differently down there. I decided to take matters into my own hands and I wanted to do a project that had a lot of heart and that had resonated with me. I kept coming back to this moving and thought-provoking play I had seen THREE times in NYC right before I moved away. I had to bring it to life again! I got in contact with Megan Hart and I remember meeting her at a Coffee Bean in the Meatpacking District asking for her permission to translate the play and to have it produced in Mexico City. She was so kind and open– I will forever be grateful to her for taking this crazy journey for this next production. I have never produced anything and it has been the most challenging, but I hope, the most rewarding project yet. We have the money, we have the theatre, we are gathering a cast, and fingers crossed, after two years of trying to make this happen, Esto es Ficción will open in the fall of this year.

InViolet: You’ve done quite a few projects with playwright Caridad Svich. Tell us about that collaboration. What draws you to her work?

Mariana: I was able to do a beautiful show of hers in Minneapolis with Mixed Blood Theatre called CORAZÓN ETERNO  (inspired by Love in the Time of Cholera.) After that, Caridad invited me to workshop a new version of that play at St. Louis Rep where instead of Julio and Julia in the love story, it’s the story of Julia and Julia, and it became a beautiful reimagined love story. I recently did a workshop of her adaptation of The Oxcart and a reading of her play Anywhere But Here. I love getting to work with her and how every one of her plays in different and nuanced. She is prolific and supremely talented, and I love the poetry and the depth of the characters she creates. The day of my one year anniversary back in NYC was the day we did two readings to the public for The Oxcart– it had been a long week of workshops and fine-tuning things, but I just remember feeling what a gift it was to have that opportunity and that there was no better way to celebrate that one year of being back.

InViolet: Is it true you currently have FOUR jobs??? What are they? And do you ever sleep?

Mariana: It’s NYC. Rent has to be paid. I teach a badass yoga class on the UES in a super hot room, so please come and join my warriors if you ever need a sweaty yoga class. I think it’s a damn good class, and my friends are always invited. I also work at a restaurant which is my other home away from home. I work as a Toyota product specialist. I have other jobs here and there. I will sleep at some point.

InViolet: If there were an award for most supportive theater-going person, you would likely win it! You seem to make it a goal to see as much of your colleagues work as you can. We appreciate it! With so much going on, how do you do it?

Mariana: Part of my favorite things to do in life is to go support my friends and fellow artists. I know that all readings don’t always make it to production, but that doesn’t mean that the work isn’t phenomenal and that there is so much talent out there that you get to witness.
When I moved back to NYC last year, it took me two months to find a job… I was so scared I wasn’t going to last. So, I started to go to play readings because I knew I could afford them (most of them are free) and because readings of new plays are like an adult version of story time for me. You get to go and have a story told to you and you don’t have the lights or the set or the costumes… but you can imagine all of that while the actors that are bringing the characters to life. If I have a free night or a spare moment, I will always go and hear or watch another play because I feel like these writers, directors, and actors are giving us a gift of storytelling and I will always want to take that journey with them. It’s not always easy to get people to watch a reading of your play, but it really is one of my favorite things to do. I really love getting to see my friends work and be in their element.

InViolet: What’s next for you?

Mariana: I don’t really know, but I will take it day by day. A summer of auditioning, working, and appreciating that I am still in NYC. I talk to my mom everyday and whether it’s feast or famine she tells me, “day by day.” A year ago, I didn’t think I would make it for a year in NYC, or that I would have InViolet as my artistic home and family, or that I would even find a job… I am grateful that I still get to call this place home and that I’ve been able to work and survive here after coming back from a very different life in Mexico. My next immediate project is getting ordained so that I can officiate my younger sister’s wedding. I am terrified and beyond excited to get to do this for one of the most important people in my life.

Links:

Instagram @marianabananaaaaaa (yes- my handle is not professional at all, but I refuse to change it because it’s very me. I don’t promote much work, but you’ll see many pictures of me with the most incredible men in my life, my nephews.)

 

It’s been quite a week for InViolet member and napping scientist Peter Graham. He had a birthday! His episode of Law & Order: SVU aired! His scene was cut from a Robert DeNiro movie! But don’t worry about him too much, now he’s about to fly to Jamaica courtesy of Ellen DeGeneres. Trust us, you want to learn more about this talented, hilarious dreamboat. 

 

InViolet: How do you identify in the theater world?

Peter: Actor, writer, and veeeeery occasional producer.

InViolet: Tell us about your InViolet journey so far.

Peter: I joined a few years ago after being asked to do an InViolet workshop of Darren Lougee’s HOSTIAS. I was still relatively fresh out of college and I remember it being the first time I did a play where everyone played age-appropriate characters. Like…I was 17 and Tara and Tim were my (obvi, still young, but biologically conceivable) parents. That was really exciting. Added a new layer of reality I’d never had before. I was also in the initial and extended workshops of Bernardo Cubria’s THE JUDGMENT OF FOOLS, which was one of the scariest shows I’ve ever been a part of (in a great way), and I’m not just talking about the face makeup. Sometimes it feels like InViolet is a niche part of my life, but when I reflect on the entirety of what my career has been thus far, 90% of the non-InViolet work would never have happened were it not for the people I have met in this company.

InViolet: Do you have a favorite InViolet memory you can share?

Peter: Reading/crying through Bixby Elliott’s SOMMERFUGL with Aubyn Philabaum at my first retreat. Hearing my short film Manny aloud at a retreat. It was one of the first things I’d ever written and the whole company was remarkably supportive and encouraging.

InViolet: You are a very skilled and scientific napper. Teach us your secrets.

Peter: Happy to help. Rule 1 is science. Never nap for more than 25 minutes. If you do, then you have to commit to a full hour and a half. You want to stay in the first and second levels of your REM cycle, otherwise you’ll be groggy when you wake up. Rule 2 is my personal philosophy. You have to be ready to end your nap the moment you feel refreshed. It could be two minutes, but if you feel good you need to get the fuck up. It’s called a micro nap. If you luxuriate in it you’re going to go to level 3. Never go to level 3.

InViolet: So, you are a relatively new resident of the The Los Angeles. First of all, we miss you. Second of all, we’re proud of you. Third of all… are you loving it? Are you constantly in the car eating avocados? Give us the scoop on your new life out there!

Peter: I am loving it! It wasn’t a business choice at all. This industry is tough on either coast and I felt like I could be a happier person over here, and while moving across the country and starting over is never easy, I have no regrets. I’m about 7.5 months deep and it’s finally starting to feel like real life and not some strange alternative fantasy I’m in. I’m right by Griffith Park and being surrounded by mountains has been the kind of soul candy I needed after 8 years in NYC. Avocados have been eaten in mass quantity, but not yet in the car. Will keep you posted on that.

InViolet: By the time this interview posts, your episode of LAW & ORDER: SVU will have aired, on your birthday no less! (5/17). Please tell us you ate birthday cupcakes while watching yourself play the victim of a horrible crime. Also, you move to LA and THEN start working on Law & Order?

Peter: Weird, right? If by cupcakes you mean pizza and by victim you mean suspect, then you’re 100% right! I was actively auditioning in New York for four years and was never even offered an audition for SVU. Then I moved 2800 miles away and they were like…hey…wanna do SVU? I play Brad. Brad is having a rough night scoring ladies (I know, right?), and an even rougher morning when Detective Rollins and Detective Carisi show up investigating an assault. DID BRAD DO IT?! You’ll have to watch. It was surreal and fun and great. It should be on Hulu by now if you missed it. The ep is called “Conversion”. Season 18, Episode 19.

InViolet: You are in an HBO movie! It comes out tomorrow (5/20). What’s THE WIZARD OF LIES all about? What’s your role?

Peter: Ha! Yes. I WAS in the movie. Let me hit the backspace button a few times because, no joke…AS I was writing my answer to this question I got an email that the scene I was in has been cut from the film. Welcome to the joys of Showbiz! But I’m still proud to have been a part of it and think it will be a great movie! It’s about the Bernie Madoff scandal and the downfall of his ponzi scheme. Robert De Niro plays Madoff. My scene wasn’t with him but I did get to work opposite Lily Rabe and Nathan Darrow. Barry Levinson directed it and he’s like…got an Oscar. So that was all pretty cool, regardless of the me-not-being-in-it-anymore part. These things happen.

InViolet: Peter Graham has entered the world of standup. You usually have us all laughing our asses off, so this makes sense. How did you start? How are you feeling? We hear there’s a video we can seeeeee?

Peter: Ahhhhhh! Yes. I did. It was all on a whim really. My friend Lori had taken a standup class she really enjoyed and I, very late one night (and probably under the influence of alcohol), signed up for the class myself. It was terrifying and mysterious at first but I ended up enjoying the class a lot. It ended in a big showcase at Eastville Comedy Club and the show was one of the more insane experiences of my life as a performer. I never thought it was going to go TERRIBLY, but I figured I’d do it once and then move on. But it went surprisingly well. Way better than I anticipated. I walked off stage shaking with a brand of adrenaline I had never felt before. I have been slow to get back in the water now that I’m in LA, but I do plan to. Link to part of my Eastville set is below. Ahhhhhhh!

InViolet: We want to hear about this television pilot you’ve been writing. Spill, please.

Peter: Very excited about it! I’m co-writing it with my pal and partner, Laura Jordan. It’s a television adaptation of the web series she and I did together for two seasons, OTP: ONE TRUE PAIRING. We’ve been retooling it into a pilot for almost a year now and it’s gone through many changes since then. We’re really happy with what we have now and it’s been a very fun process (Ok, like 89% fun and 11% wanting to bang your head through a very thick wall). A couple of fancy people have already expressed interest in reading it when we’re done, so we’re trying to wrap up the writing part in the next month or so and move into pitching.

InViolet: Alright. What the hell. How are you going to Jamaica courtesy of Ellen DeGeneres???

Peter: My sister-in-law had gotten tickets to the Ellen show back in November and brought me with her. Our whole audience ended up getting invited back a week later for one of her 12 Days of Giveaways shows which, if you’re unfamiliar, is the Ellen equivalent of Oprah’s “YOU GET A CAR, YOU GET A CAR, YOU GET A CAR”. We got a lot of nice things, which was topped off with an all expenses paid 6 day/5 night trip to Jamaica for two! My boyfriend and I leave next weekend! We’re like…a little bit excited.
InViolet: What’s next for you?

Peter: Finishing this m***** f****** pilot (I guess there’s the 11% talking)!

 

Links:

www.peter-graham.com

Peter Graham at Eastville Comedy Club

Twitter & Instagram: @Petergrahammm

 

InViolet member Shetal Shah talks filmmaking, “Poetic People Power” and getting married on 12/12/12 at 12:12pm. Wowza! Read all about her here and be sure to catch her in ACQUITTAL with Pan Asian Rep this June!  

 

InViolet: How do you identify in the theater world?

Shetal: It’s funny because my acting career started on a hunch. I was a filmmaker first and my fascination with what the actors did on sets led me to just jump in and audition for a film my friend was producing. As soon as it ended, I crossed the threshold of the door into the hallway, and I knew I’d been ‘bitten by the bug’. I worked on a few films (my first ever role was as a mastermind villainess in the film Arya that you can catch on Netflix!) before I was told by a fellow actor that I needed to study with Maggie Flanigan. So I did her summer program and although I started acting later than most people do, I ended up completing her two-year conservatory program instead of jumping back into gigs because it was clear she was the real deal. I knew I’d be a much better actor studying with her. Since finishing her program, I’ve actually done mostly theater! I’m definitely a Shakespeare groupie and I’ve been given the opportunity to work with some wonderful writers, directors, and actors on stages throughout the city. I’ve made some lasting friendships and am thrilled to belong to a community of artists that I can call home.

InViolet: Tell us about your InViolet journey so far.

Shetal: I adore this company! Every time I’m lucky enough to work on an InViolet project I am blown away by the talent and heart in the room. Not to mention that every single person in our company is super interesting and down-to-earth. I can see the company moving and expanding in new directions and I’m excited for the art we’re going to create as a result.

InViolet: Do you have a favorite InViolet memory you can share?

Shetal: Just one? I remember working on Megan Hart’s GATED, directed by Maria Goyanes. I was in awe and felt like a kid in a candy store that we got to rehearse at The Public! During a break at one of our rehearsals, I teased Megan about a big bag of ginger candies she had open in front of her on the long table she was sitting at next to Maria. Now, I love chewy ginger candies, so when she offered to share them, I immediately snatched one out of the bag, grateful for the spicy sweet joy it gave me, not thinking about too much else. Not two weeks later, Megan shared with the company that she was pregnant with her second child, and I was like, Doh! No wonder! She had morning sickness and I had no idea! She’s a good secret-keeper, that Megan Hart is. Or maybe I’m just really distracted by candy.

InViolet: Like our members Juan, Otoja and John, you were born and raised in NYC. Which part? Is your family still here? Has your particular neighborhood changed a lot?
Shetal: I grew up in Queens and Long Island. My parents came from India when my mom was pregnant with me. They decided to live in Queens because a couple family members already lived in NY. In Flushing and Jackson Heights where we’d lived, there were other Indians and ethnic neighbors but once we moved to Long Island, we were the only Indians in our town. I remember taking car trips back to the Indian grocery store in Jackson Heights, my parents finding innovative ways to cram the trunk of the car with huge bags of basmati rice, vegetables and mango puree! These days, the town in Long Island where I grew up has evolved into another Little India! It’s crazy to me how it went from a predominantly Irish and Italian town to a blend of many cultures and ethnicities. Lucky for me, there are two Indian grocery stores there now, so when I visit my parents, I don’t have to bring my wheelbarrow to shop.

InViolet: Let’s chat about your films! You’re currently working on writing your second feature film. What can you tell us about it? (PS- has your first film been made??)

Shetal: Yes! I am working on the second draft right now and plan to shoot it this year. It’s a character based independent feature about a woman of color whose psychological trauma leads her to become homeless. Clearly, it’s a comedy. The journey so far has been eye opening. The script was accepted into the NY IIFF (New York Indian Independent Film Festival) last year and we were able to read an excerpt to an audience. Their response overwhelmed me in that I was humbled and inspired by how many people came up to me afterwards to share their own stories of family and friends similar to the main character.

InViolet: What has been your favorite project to work on as a filmmaker so far?

Shetal: I was hired to create a video for United Nations Volunteers. After my supervisor discussed the theme and style he wanted, he gave me full creative control, which was amazing! We both were keen on shaking up the usual, as far as UN videos go. With a teeny budget, a lot of hard work and a month’s timeline, I was very proud of what I’d made for them. A fun fact is that you can see and hear three of our very own InViolets, past and present, in the video. It’s a spoof on a film trailer that makes you first think the video is about the next superhero blockbuster or action flick, but then it flips to reveal that the real heroes in our world are us mere mortals, as volunteers. The folks at UNV were wonderful in that they got the video featured at a festival in Bonn, Germany. I was able to attend and had a blast getting to know that city. The link is below if you want to take a peek.

InViolet: You are a poet! For those who aren’t familiar, chat with us about POETIC PEOPLE POWER. And what was the scoop on the poet-theater piece you premiered at the Human Rights Arts Festival this past March?

Shetal: I love P3, as we fondly call it! I’ve been a member for the past 14 out of the 15 years it’s been around. Founded by Tara Bracco, it’s the only group to combine poetry and activism through yearly shows on social and political issues that then provide a mix of resources for the audience to walk away with. My favorite part of being a poet is the intimacy that breaking the fourth wall creates between myself and the audience. There’s something special about being able to look them in the eyes and share a moment with them.

We were thrilled when the Human Rights Art Festival asked us to perform because we got to create a new type of show that infused theater elements with traditional poetry performance. Each poet wrote a piece about a social issue inspired by real stories. I wrote about honor killings taking place in Great Britain because it’s not a place normally associated with that. We were all so nervous but excited to premiere our new show format. We were given a sweet Saturday night time slot and ended up with a full house. The icing on the cake was the standing ovation we got once we finished. It was probably one of the best experiences I’ve ever had as an artist.

InViolet: You got married on 12/12/12. Fun! And… without planning it you tied the knot at 12:12??? That’s nuts! What was that whole experience like?

Shetal: Ha! Yes, it was! Well, my husband is from Italy and my background is Indian, which makes for a huge wedding, so naturally, we went to City Hall. When we got there it was like a rave with 700 people there to also get married! We were waiting with friends and family like everyone else, chatting and having a blast getting to know the other couples. Although it was the novelty of the date for many couples, we chose 12/12/12 for personal and astrological reasons. But by the time our turn came, wouldn’t you know, it was exactly 12:12PM when we said our I do’s! We couldn’t believe the coincidence! We had hired a photographer but not a videographer so the clips we got from the news media were a treat!

InViolet: What is this play with an all-female cast you’re about to start rehearsing?

I’m thrilled to be part of this production where the director and actors are all women of color and the story is based on true events. ACQUITTAL, presented by Pan Asian Repertory Theatre (www.panasianrep.org) focuses on four women in a Pakistani prison during the 1980’s and how they unite in solidarity to overcome injustice. The play was inspired by the playwright’s own imprisonment as young man. We perform June 10th through 25th in Studio Theatre at Theatre Row. For tickets go to bit.ly/acquittal2017

InViolet: Word on the street is you have a fancy new website! New headshots! New reel! Shetal means business;) Where can we find all this gloriousness?

Shetal: I do! Thanks for asking. Please visit me at www.shetalshah.com.

InViolet: What’s next for you?

Shetal: Producing InViolet’s next InProgress with two badass company members, Gerry and Rob. We’re featuring Lia Romeo’s timely play, ENDS OF THE EARTH.

Links:
Shetal Shah: www.shetalshah.com
Poetic People Power: www.poeticpeoplepower.com
UNV ‘The Volunteer’ video: http://bit.ly/2qepXie

 

New member JJ Pyle talks solo shows, how to turn your day job into a TV gig, and that time Joe Mancuso invited her to an InViolet meeting, then ditched her.

 

InViolet: How do you identify in the theater?

JJ: Actor.

InViolet: You’re one of our newer members. So psyched to have you with us! What’s your InViolet journey been like so far?

JJ: InVi member, Joe Mancuso is a friend of mine. We met in a Strasberg acting class taught by David Gideon. He kept inviting me to his theatre company’s things. I finally went one night because he said he was working the box office. The first play I attended was BRANCHED, written by, um, you (i.e. Erin Mallon)! It was so unique and new and the actors were so great and I just sat there wishing I were a part of it. And then I saw a reading of THE OTHER WHITE MEAT, written by, um, you! (I didn’t know they were both yours at the time.) Jen Bowen and Bixby Elliot were so believable as a cow and a pig that I laughed my face off and then cried when Bixby’s pig had to die and again I just felt like I wanted to be around these people. I think I have Tara Westwood (who I just recently met) to ultimately thank for my InVi membership opportunity. I think the story goes that she had to drop out of a One Night Stand play and Joe suggested they ask me to fill in. It was Megan Hart’s play MARY, FUCK, WILL, about a married couple on a date playing a sex game pretending they didn’t know each other. After that they invited me to their annual retreat, which was one of the most creative weeks of my life, just a week of workshopping plays and making art. I loved it, and the rest is history.

InViolet: Do you have a favorite InViolet memory you can share?

JJ: Probably my first creative meeting. Again, Joe, invited me to the company’s monthly meeting. I got an email asking if I would like to bring in any creative work. I said yes, because that’s scary, and I know if it feels scary it means I should probably do it. I submitted the first 10 minutes of a solo show I’d been working on. So I went to this meeting, not knowing anyone really except Joe. AND THEN JOE DIDN’T SHOW UP. It was basically the first time I had shared this material with a new audience. People laughed a lot. They Liz Lerman’d me as if I was one of their own and gave me so much encouragement from Day 1. I had taped it on my phone and when I played it back I could hear Bernardo laughing at my “Dad” character’s lame Mexican jokes and Shetal laughing at my “roommate’s Indian Mom” character. It may be too soon to say but at the time that made me feel like maybe this silly little story about my life might even be (entertaining?) for everyone.

InViolet: You’re a gal who doesn’t sit around and wait for things to happen. You MAKE them happen! Tell us about Gangbusters Theatre Company.

JJ: I didn’t go to college for acting. But I always did little things, drama club, plays in High School, little youth group plays at church for like Christmas or Easter, skits in pep sessions… but it just didn’t seem like a thing you could say you’re going to leave a small town and go do. And it still took me five years of living in LA to admit it before I called the Sal Dano Actors Workshop. And I only called this number because I kept seeing the sign. It was on the way to my gynecologist and therapist’s offices. We scene studied at least 4 hours a night, 3 nights a week and I still needed more. I found myself being “recruited” in a “So, are you an actress?” style by this kooky older dude who frequented the cocktail lounge (but only ordered iced tea) where I cocktailed. It was on the top floor of the Radisson Hotel in Santa Monica and it was called Toppers. (For real) He “directed” a “showcase” in Hollywood. We did scenes in front of an audience of people we invited and his “industry contacts”. And we paid him to do it. (For real) Quickly we decided that this “showcase” was too unprofessional and stupid for us and we could do it better ourselves so obviously we started a theatre company. Christian Levatino and I co-founded The Gangbusters Theatre Company, which is still going today, 15 years and over 50 award nominations later. We started producing our first show, Sexual Perversity in Chicago with $250. I am ever indebted to him for teaching me how to make theatre. www.gangbusterstheatre.com

InViolet: Now let’s chat about TILT (Tell It Like This). Great name!

JJ: My showcase scene partner turned friend turned co-founder turned romantic interest turned conflict of interest and I wanted to do different shows so I started producing under TILT (Tell It Like This) Productions. I had everyone come up with his or her own acronym for TILT and we printed them on the back of the programs. TRUST IN THE LONG TERM, TAKE IN THE LITTLE THINGS, THIS IS THE LAST TIME, TRULY IMAGINE LIVING THIS, THEATRE IS LIFE’S TRUTHS, TITTIES! IT’S A LITTLE TANTALIZING, ETC. I produced, costumed, funded, and obviously starred in IN The Boom Boom Room because my life would not go on if I didn’t play Chrissy. I was in way over my head with this one but we pulled it off to a rave review and it is still one of my biggest accomplishments to date. And then TILT collaborated with Gin Joint Productions to do Shelia Callaghan’s Scab. I would like to produce more under this name. I think it’s a good name.

InViolet: Solo shows! You’re all about them. We want to hear about “Matchgirl” and then of course HOW TO FIND A HUSBAND IN 37 YEARS OR LONGER.

JJ: I was doing a show at the Elephant Theatre’s Lab called Time’s Scream and Hurry by Paul Hoan Zeidler. It just got published last year! It was three long heartbreakingly beautiful monologues. My character was “Matchgirl”. I was on stage for 30 minutes by myself giving a seminar at an adult entertainment expo about how to get into the business of being a dominatrix. It was the most challenging thing I’ve ever done on stage. And I thought I couldn’t do it. I almost packed it up and moved back to Indiana or at least packed it up and became a restaurant manager. But I did it and it was very well received. And then we did it at The Cherry Lane in NYC. A lot of people said a lot of nice things about my performance. I was left feeling empowered in my acting and felt I could do anything. This role is what I think started my addiction to solo performance. I started studying the genre and writing a solo show. It’s called HOW TO FIND A HUSBAND IN 37 YEARS OR LONGER. I have way too much material now and am planning a full read-through momentarily in order to make cuts and finalize the script. I don’t know if I should tell you what it’s about and I haven’t come up with an official tag line yet but let’s just say in my viewing of almost 100 live solo shows there is two things I’ve learned you should not write about. Your failed relationships and your Father… I didn’t know that when I started writing it… But you’re going to want to see it anyway, it gets pretty racy.

InViolet: We are so excited for LIFE, COACHED after workshopping the web series in our meetings. Go Joe Mancuso! Go Andrew Blair! Go you! You guys have been at all sorts of festivals and are racking up accolades. Go ahead, brag.

JJ: LIFE, COACHED is what I have been most currently busy with, like I just got back from LA busy! We went for LA Webfest at Sony Studios and it screened the week before that in The Manhattan Film Festival. I mean Joe M, gets all the credit here for doing all the hard work, writing, producing and acting in, but I am so grateful that he is bringing me along for the ride. My character is Alyssa, and Jessup played by InVi, Andrew Blair, is my #fakeboyfran and he is probably the most hilarious human I know. So that’s super fun! Fun Fact: I said “fun” 3x in a 15 second red carpet interview when asked how my Life, Coached experience has been. I’m working on my spoken interview skills. But really lots of festivals, lots of awards, lots of selfie ops in fancy dresses. So it’s been really fun! LIFE, COACHED

InViolet: Word on the street is that you spun your day job in a restaurant to getting on a show on the Food Network. That’s the way to do it! Give us the scoop.

JJ: Not long after I came to NY to do MATCHGIRL, still undecided how long I was staying… #stillhere … I auditioned for a Food Network Show, 24 Hour Restaurant Battles. Thinking I would never do reality TV… except maybe if it’s food related. (Restaurants are my pretty serious day job.) A partner and I rapped with them about our restaurant experience and my idea for a restaurant concept. It’s called… & JELLY. It would be breakfast, lunch, and dessert. (No dinner) And it would be CARBS, sandwiches, French toast, pancakes, waffles with fancy butters and jelly’s, sometimes mixing the sweet and savory, like mushroom jelly and date butter. With meat and smoked fish options, of course. And We Won! I still might like to have that restaurant someday although I probably want to pay someone else to do all the work.

InViolet: You actually went to school for Apparel Design. So THAT’s why you’re so stylish! Do you still play in that field at all? How did wardrobing and costuming lead to you acting?

JJ: I did. I told my Mom when I was in the 5th grade that when I grow up I wanted to be a fashion designer. I made all of my prom dresses and my dates matching ties and cummerbunds. And I went to Purdue University for Apparel Design Technology. I should have moved to NY and FIT for fashion jobs (there was a junior year trade program) but for some reason I went from my small town straight to the sunshine and LA as fast as I could. I got that job at Toppers and then a day job with a lingerie company in downtown. I was so excited to be dying elastic by hand in tubs and bowls in the back of the warehouse to match the bra and panty samples and making presentation boards for the designers. I moved up pretty fast and even traveled with the sales teams to be the liaison between sales and design. And then a movie set wardrobing assisting led to theatre costuming for the Blank Theatre’s Young Playwrights Festival for five years. I started getting offers for other shows from that and as soon as I started, I knew I didn’t want to be shopping or sewing the costumes for other actors, I wanted to be wearing them.

InViolet: What’s next for you?

JJ: a play called THE BOOKMAN by Mike Schraeder the end of May and HOW TO FIND A HUSBAND IN 37 YEARS OR LONGER reading and then get to work on the show.

Links:
www.jjpyle.com
Twitter and Instagram – @aliceIW

You want to get to know Megan Hart. She has a play opening in Mexico City this Fall. She’s a writer, an actor AND a Social Worker. She has a living situation that’s pretty much a real life Muppet-less Sesame Street. Oh, and she almost passed on joining InViolet because of our members’ insane food restrictions. We’re so glad she stuck with us!

 

InViolet: How do you identify in the theater world?

Megan: These days, primarily as a writer, though that’s still a fairly new title for me. I’ve spent the majority of my life in the theater as an actor, and while I will probably always consider myself one, it’s not entirely where my focus is now.

InViolet: What has your InViolet journey been like so far? You are one of our founding members!

Megan: I am! Which is so funny because at the time, I don’t think I really understood that we were actually ‘founding’ anything. I had been in a writing class with Michael Henry Harris led by Stephen Adly Guirgis, which then morphed into a writers group when the class ended. One day Michael invited me to come upstate for the weekend with some other actors to workshop some writing we’d done and without somehow grasping that what he was talking about was possibly starting a theater company, I was like, sure, that sounds fun, sign me up. I remember having second thoughts in the van on our way up to the retreat. We stopped in the middle of nowhere shopping center to get groceries and suddenly it was like 15 actors all being like, ‘I’m just going to get my own ingredients because I only eat organic/I only eat whole grain/I can’t be in the same room as dairy/I’m on a grapefruit, kale, and marshmallow diet/I’m a freegan’ and I called my then-boyfriend (now husband) from the parking lot and was like, ‘you might have to come pick me up.’ Luckily I got over myself quickly and stuck with it for what turned out to be a totally magical weekend and start to something so special. One of the best decisions I’ve made. InViolet has changed and grown so much, and still remains the place I feel most at home and most challenged to keep going and keep making work.

InViolet: Do you have a favorite InViolet memory you can share?

Megan: Oh man, how to pick one. There was sharing a room on the first retreat with Sara Van Beckum and Melanie Maras (SARAMEGANMELANIE!), getting to act in Melanie’s play, KISS ME ON THE MOUTH, directed by Stephen Adly Guirgis, getting to act in Michael Henry Harris’ 40 WEEKS opposite my husband, but the biggest and best has to be standing in the Cherry Lane Studio Theater in 2012 watching the set come together for my play, THIS IS FICTION. It suddenly became real and I was struck by how many incredible people were coming together to create this world, to make this THING happen, which had started out as just this seed in my brain. I was so moved by it. It was what theater people (and InViolet especially) do so well–show up and make something out of nothing. And it was my nothing!

InViolet: You are a true theater… hybrid? A… hyphenate? Hmmm. What we mean is, you act and you write and do both tremendously well. Would you say they are equal passions for you? Does it ever flip flop depending on what’s happening in your life?

Megan: That is very generous. I think they are equal passions for me. Though, as I mentioned, at this point in my life, writing feels more aligned with where I’m at. I don’t feel driven to act in the same way I do to write, or in the same way I used to. There was a point in my life where I couldn’t ever have imagined acting taking a back seat to anything–it was such a big part of my identity and nothing felt as satisfying or exciting. That no longer feels entirely true for me. But I do think that my passion for, and affinity for acting, plays a big role (oops. har har.) in the way I approach my writing. I have to say also, that having two small kids at home has made me pretty protective of my evenings, so I’m less inclined than I once was to want to spend every night at the theater. On a practical level, at this stage, (gah! somebody stop me!) writing fits better for me. But sometimes I do get an intense pang for being on stage, and I do try to take any opportunities that fall into my lap. I’ll always love both! Don’t make me choose!

InViolet: You’ve acted in several of our World Premiere productions, namely Melanie Maras’ KISS ME ON THE MOUTH and Co-AD Michael Henry Harris’ 40 WEEKS. Is performing in your own company’s plays a different experience at all to working with outside companies?

Megan: It definitely is. I mean, when you’re working with an ensemble of people you know well and have worked with in some capacity before, there’s a built-in bond, a shared language, and some level of safety that takes time to build with a cast that is just coming together for a project. There’s also the fact that for the most part, we’ve all been part of watching and hearing these plays develop throughout meetings and retreats and workshops, so there’s an investment that comes with that, as well as opinions and expectations and agendas that you’re (for better or worse) bringing in to the process. Our ADs really make an effort to give our actors room to focus solely on their job during the process while the rest of the company is busy working in other ways to make the production happen, but even still, one can’t help but be party to things going on behind the scenes that you might not be aware of in a setting where you’re not part of the company producing the piece. And as a company member, you have a double layer of caring about all that other stuff, and investment in the show being a success, which is amazing! And also hard!

InViolet: Your play THIS IS FICTION was our 4th World Premiere. How was that whole experience for you?

Megan: Exciting. Hard. Fun. Challenging. Terrifying. Exhilarating. Moving. Joyful. Humbling. Educational. Amazing. I’m so full of pride and gratitude for that experience. It was my first full-length play, ever. And this group of incredibly talented people took me seriously enough as a writer and believed in it enough to produce it. Totally crazy and totally awesome. The cast was a dream and made brilliant things happen even as I kept rewriting and rewriting and rewriting–InViolets Aubyn Philabaum, Michelle David, and Bernardo Cubria are outstanding humans and everyone should hire them all the time. Richard Masur’s talent and generosity was such a gift to me and the production, and I so cherish my friendship with him. And Shelley Butler is such a smart and shrewd director and did so much to shape the script into the play it is. I’m forever grateful.

InViolet: Speaking of THIS IS FICTION… it is getting a production this Fall in Mexico City? Whaaaaaat? How did this happen? Is it being performed in Spanish? What a wonderful thing!

Megan: Right?! This is all thanks to the wonderful Mariana Fernandez, who had seen the show a few times and really connected with it. She approached me about wanting to do a production in Mexico City, where she was living at the time. She thought it would really resonate with an audience there and wanted to see it done. It’s been translated into Spanish and is set to open in the Fall, which is so exciting. And InViolet is now lucky to have Mariana as a company member as of this year!

InViolet: Your play GATED was a Finalist for the 2015 O’Neill National Playwrights Conference and an Honorable Mention on the 2016 Kilroys List. You are fancy! We were lucky to present it a few years ago as one of our InViolet InProgress Workshop showings. It’s one hell of play. For folks that don’t know it, tell us a bit about it. What do you hope to see happen with the play?

Megan: Well, sheesh. GATED takes place over the course of one evening in a home in an affluent suburban community. Upstairs, the couple of the house has invited another couple over for a dinner party, while downstairs the couple’s teenage daughter is having two of her friends over for a sleepover. It’s about what happens when private tragedies are made public, about the small ways we exert power and privilege, about mean girls and mean grown-ups, and etouffe and middle school. I think it’s funny and a little bit scary. I’d love to continue working on aspects of it and am hoping to find a place or process to develop it further. But mostly I’d love to see it done!

InViolet: Let’s chat about HEYHOWAREYA. This feels like a bit of a departure play for you. Would you agree? And you wrote the first draft pretty darn fast last year in preparation for our Play Festival. What did you learn writing so quickly like that? We’re excited we’ll get to experience the play again this summer as part of Project Y’s Women in Theatre Festival!

Megan: Yes, I think the world and the population of the play is different than some of my other writing, and the process of writing was different for me than anything else I’ve done. I wrote the first draft (minus the first 10 pages) in less than a month leading up to the reading it received as part of our play festival. Another instance of the incredible support and faith of the company that anyone let this happen! For me, deadlines and accountability are crucial to getting me to move past my inner critic and just get the damn words on the page, so having this hard and fast goal was really helpful. It provided momentum that allowed me to just ride the wave of the voices I was hearing for these characters and kept me from getting hung up on getting it “right” instead of just getting it done and seeing what emerged. This was particularly helpful with this play since it was the first time I let some of my experiences in my other life as a Social Worker seep in a bit, which brought up a lot of anxiety about who gets to tell what stories and whether this was mine to tell and how I should tell it. I’m someone who could spend the next ten years debating this internally and never actually writing a word, so having a reading scheduled and publicized helped stop that from happening

InViolet: Your partner is a theater artist as well. He actually acted in an InViolet play with you once! Do you find that having a partner in the same field is helpful?

Megan: He is! We did! In 40 WEEKS we played a married couple whose marriage was falling apart as they neared the birth of their first child–all while we were engaged in real life. It was pretty trippy, but ultimately very healthy, I think? We’ve survived marriage and two kids so far, so thankfully life doesn’t always imitate art. I loved getting to act with him–he’s one of the most generous and present actors I’ve ever known, so I felt very lucky. And then we got to do it again in a reading of Bernardo Cubria’s fantastic play, THE REDHEAD IS COMING, in which we played a recently engaged couple who decide to have a threesome to solve their issues. So, you know, that one hit closer to home.
It’s actually great having a partner who is in the same field, though I also just can’t imagine it any other way. But it is really great to have a shared understanding of this crazy life and path, and a shared passion. But we also have a lot of things we do separately and a lot of different interests, which I think is also really important. If we spent all our time talking about theater we’d probably bore ourselves out of a marriage and that’d be a bummer, cause I really like him.

InViolet: You have a whole other career outside of the theater as a Social Worker. What is the day-to-day life of a Social Worker look like? Do you think being steeped in this world informs your work as an artist at all?

Megan: I do! The day to day depends so much on what area of Social Work you’re in, and one of the amazing things about the field is just how varied it is. I work as a psychotherapist, so I see clients on an individual basis for treatment. I think yes, being in social work has in very deep ways informed how I understand the world–human behavior, resilience, psychology, the structures and institutions we function in, justice, race, class, gender, sexuality, all of it. And that understanding has affected not only who I am but what interests me, what I want to say, what stories I am compelled by, what questions I have. I have to say, I am really really proud to be in this field. Now more than ever, the mandate of social workers to address the needs of underserved and marginalized people, to advocate for social justice, is so essential. And so is art that speaks to our humanity!! Now I’m getting excited. So yeah, I hope those values seep into my work as an artist.

InViolet: You have a unique NYC living situation, where several of your family members live in the same building as you. They make sitcoms about this sort of thing! Would you say there is a lot of family togetherness happening? Ever have to slam a broom handle on the ceiling to say “Hey! Mom! Keep it DOWN!?”

Megan: We really do need to make a sitcom about it. It’s like the most New York thing that’s ever happened. We’re basically re-creating tenement life in 2017. No, but seriously, it sounds crazy (and is), but is really kind of amazing. Especially now that we have two small kids, I really appreciate the whole ‘village’ we’ve got going on. It’s great for like, ‘I’m in the middle of making meringue and just realized I’m out of cream of tartar can I come upstairs and get some,’ or when I’m really lazy but my kids are stir-crazy and I’m like, ‘let’s go deliver packages to your aunt on the 3rd floor!’ but gets less charming when you’re stumbling home drunk with your date and run into your cousin. Luckily we’ve all sort of outgrown that particular phase (MOM. sheesh.). To top it off, my cousins own a cafe downstairs where they sell baked goods by my aunt, and have just opened an amazing new restaurant designed by another set of talented cousins. So basically, throw in a few Muppets and you’ve got Sesame Street.

InViolet: What’s next for you?

Megan: In May I have a short piece going up at Mile Square Theater as part of their annual 7th Inning Stretch, directed by InViolet Mark Cirnigliaro (yay). Fellow InViolet Erin Mallon’s also got a piece in it and I’m always psyched to be working alongside her cause she’s amazing. There’s the Project Y Women in Theater festival where my play HEYHOWAREYA is going to be presented with InViolet in June, which I’m excited about. Plus some other writing projects I’ve got bouncing around in my brain.

Links:

http://www.projectytheatre.org/women-theatre-festival-2/

https://www.milesquaretheatre. org/shows-events/7th-inning- stretch/

Original member Troy LoCoco talks about how we have grown over the years, finding love in the company and his new role: film student.

 

InViolet: What has your Inviolet journey been like so far?

Troy: My Inviolet journey so far has been life changing and full of extremely pleasant, happy memories. When we went on our first retreat ten years ago I knew about half the people from Maggie Flanigan acting school. The other half of the people I didn’t know at all. We went into the mountains where I had a play I wrote read aloud. I got to read in other people’s plays. It was this instant camaraderie; a feeling of lets just all create the best work we can together regardless of our back-rounds or where we were from. Inviolets from that first retreat have since become some of my best, life-long friends.

InViolet: You are one of Inviolet’s original members! How have you seen the company change over the years?

Troy: Over the years people have come and gone. The biggest changes I see other than the new faces in the company are that I feel the work has gotten better and the we have streamlined our processes to make things easier. The first couple years we were all learning how to do everything. How do we do a fund-raiser? How do we put on a show? How do we load in and build sets? How do we stay connected with our community? How do we do multiple shows year round to stay active? Now we have set pieces in place that have become tried and true. We do the One Night Stands, we got the Second Monday Socials, we have done full productions as well as workshops and festivals. It’s easier to pull it all off because of the years of experience we have now. We have a freaking Inviolet guidebook on how to get things done like a retreat or benefit. Ten years ago there was no guidebook.

I say the work has gotten better as well because now everyone has ten more years in the theater biz under their belt. Instead of being 25-year-olds learning the craft, we have become 35 year-olds doing the craft. Also we don’t drink as much and stay up as late as we use to so we get more done. Like fine wine, Inviolet has gotten better with age.

The thing I like most about theater is what I mentioned above, the camaraderie. I love to make art and bring it into the world with these amazing people who have become my best friends. I love it when we are all in the mountains on retreat together and one of our writers brings in a brand new play and it blows us away. The actors who read the play haven’t seen it before but their performance is amazing. We all witness something special in a cabin in the woods. We workshop the play and work out the kinks. We decide it will be out next full production. We build the sets, we get the props, we get the space, the actors rehearse and the writer does re-writes. We wake up at 7am and get to load in. We build sets for twelve hours a day for 5 days straight. And in the end, we took something special from a cabin in the mountains and we brought it to life for an audience in New York City. We did it all together and there is nothing like it. That’s what I love about theater.

InViolet: Do you have a favorite InViolet memory you can share?

Troy: Oh man, I have so many InViolet memories over the years its hard to pick one. Every single retreat brings at least one or two funny moments. Creating theater can be exhausting and hard, but it’s the people around you that make it worthwhile. After working all day on plays, just having a drink by the fire and getting to know everyone is the best. We once all got locked on a rooftop at a day long retreat we did in Brooklyn. The door leading to the deck locked behind us, and we were all stuck on the roof for hours. We had beverages, which were great, but we had no bathrooms or food. But it is things like that that bring us together.

InViolet: You met the love of your life, our dear Sam Thomson LoCoco in the company, our first InViolet love story! How did your love come to be? Did you lock eyes during an InVi fundraising meeting and just think… “I must make her mine”?

Troy: I met my lovely wife Sam in the company. When she first joined the company we hit it off, but we were just friends. I was super into her, but being in the same theater company I was cautious to make my move. I didn’t want to make things weird in the company if we tried something and it didn’t work out. We were friends for about a year. We would meet for drinks all the time and have lunch together. After a year of getting to know her and becoming good friends, I was like “I’m a damn fool if I don’t ask this girl out”. We went out on a date, and we have been going out on dates ever since.

InViolet: Let’s talk Second Monday Social, you have been our most excellent bartender since day one, mixing delicious drinks and being such a welcoming energy for all our guests. Thank you! Has it been fun for you? And… you recently presented work at our #SMS for the first time. How did it go?

Troy: Bartending the Second Monday Socials have been so much fun. We have regulars that come every month and we have new faces every month as well. The atmosphere is laid back and fun and the work is really good. I had a short play read in January and the actors did such a great job. It’s super fun for me to bartend for friends and watch some good work happen.

InViolet: You are in school for film production. How cool are you? What has that process been like for you so far? What does the typical day/week of a film student look like?

Troy: I’m currently getting a degree in film learning all facets of film production. Editing, sound engineering, camera and lighting, you name it. I am hoping to shoot a ten-minute short film this summer. Going back to school in my mid thirties has been an experience, but I’m loving what I’m learning. The biggest learning curve was getting better at budgeting my time. I work full time, I’m in school full time, and being a good partner to my wife. I spend my weeks watching a ton of good movies and doing projects. I’ll come up with a simple script. Rent out a camera and lights from the school and shoot it. Then edit it together and fix the sound. Basically doing that over and over again until I get good at it. I like figuring out how to tell a story visually. Figuring out what colors, lighting, and camera angles will get the emotion I’m trying to convey across to the viewer. I got one more year and then I’m done with school!

InViolet: What’s next for you?

Troy: When it’s all said and done, I’d love to write my scripts and then get my talented friends to act in them and shoot them myself. I have some scripts that I would of course sell if given the opportunity. But I have other scripts that are close to my heart and I would rather get the funds and shoot those myself. That is the dream, for my friends and I to make theater and films together. I have two feature film scripts I want to finish this summer. One of them is halfway done, the other I have an outline for. It should be a productive summer. I just want to keep on writing. That way when one thing I write hits and they ask what else I got, I can say I got these other ten scripts over here they can check out.

Actor and feature film producer, Tara Westwood is tearing things up in the Film and TV world. Find out how you can see her work, & let her regale you with tales of “sleeping” with seals, modeling in Morocco and the lessons she’s learned from master actors while on set!

 

InViolet: How do you identify in the theater world?

Tara: I love to act in it but definitely have spent a lot more time enjoying it from the audience perspective. I want to do more theater, but I see a lot.

InViolet: What has your InViolet journey been like so far?

Tara: I love InViolet and every time I’m lucky enough to be with everyone I’m always in awe of the talent there. It’s been ages since I’ve attended a meeting because I’ve been focusing more the past year on TV/film stuff and seem to be working whenever we have one; our next one included, sadly.

InViolet: Any favorite InViolet memory you can share?

Tara: BRANCHED, but I’m sure we’ll get into that later, so I will say the first retreat I went to. I was blown away by how close everyone was, yet felt so embraced and welcomed too. The writing and acting fed my soul that weekend and I knew that I had to become a member.

InViolet: You tore up the stage in our 2014 World Premiere production of BRANCHED as Tamara Jenkins. In the words of your onstage husband, Andrew Blair, after one particular performance: “Holy shit, Tara was really gunnin ‘em down tonight!” What was that whole process like for you?

Tara: Ha! I love Andrew, and loved being his wife. Even if he did cheat on me… No seriously, that was such a special time and I felt honored to be on that stage with such a talented group of actors and being able to play with Erin’s incredible words every night. I hadn’t done a lot of theater, so I learned a ton. We really bonded as a cast because we spent a lot of time together. We’d meet at the theater every night before the show and speed through the script which I was wildly grateful for, not just because it cemented it in my mind, but as an actor switching it up and doing it in a way you’d never really perform it can sometimes make you find a little nugget of gold that you actually keep. I remember the third day after we closed I got hit with a tsunami sized wave of sadness knowing that I had to give up Tamara, ‘Family Lap Time’, and seeing the cast and crew! I wasn’t ready to have that end. Also hearing Michael and Angela’s laughter from the audience is something that I still think of when I need a pick me up.

InViolet: You’ve had a long, exciting career as a model. Tell us about some of the cool gigs you’ve had and the exotic places you’ve traveled to for work (that IS how being a model works, right?)

Tara: Ha! I was lucky to work at a time when a creative director would make the shoot location be Morocco simply because they wanted to see it. I got to go to many parts of the world, though my one regret is that I didn’t ever tag on an extra day or two for a vacation afterwards, so many of the places I’ve been to I want to go back and actually see it as a tourist because I only saw where we shot. I think my favorite campaign that I did was for Chanel Allure perfume with Herb Ritts. I also did an elephant back safari trip in Botswana for Forbes magazine in ’92 that was pretty special…

InViolet: You, like a whole bunch of InViolet members, studied with the great Maggie Flanigan. What has your time with her meant to you?

Tara: Maggie is a pillar in my life. She has made me both a better actor and a human being. She’s made me more truthful in both ways as well… Anyone that gets an opportunity to take her master class (that’s what she still teaches) should jump on it.

InViolet: You can add Producer to your list of accomplishments after producing (and starring in) the feature film, DETOURS written by friend of the company Mara Lesemann. We’ve seen it! You were wonderful. And what a cast! Tell us about your first wild ride as a feature film producer.

Tara: Thank you! DETOURS (which can be seen on Amazon prime), and working with Mara was the perfect opportunity for me as a producer. Mara and I have different strengths and work incredibly well together, though I was also very grateful to see how many people wanted to help along the way and I learned a lot. For example, the reason why I produced to begin with is because my friend Ed Vassallo (a producer, actor and he was a member of Labyrinth Theater Company), had told me that he thought I should be working more as an actor and perhaps the way to make that happen was to produce something myself so I could showcase my work. While we were still in preproduction, sadly Ed passed away. There were so many times that I wanted to call him and ask him his opinion about something and couldn’t… Then there was a moment where I needed some crew so I looked on IMDB and saw that he had worked with Rick Rodgers recently so I contacted him and he was absolutely amazing. I can’t tell you how much it meant to me that there was this guy that to this day I STILL HAVE NOT MET, who loves making films so much (and also cared about Ed obviously), he was willing to give me advice and help us. Same with all the amazing musicians who so generously gave us their music to use.

InViolet: Tell us about THE KARMA CLUB  and your best actress nomination in The Nova Film Festival. Oh, and congrats!

Tara: Thank you so much! THE KARMA CLUB is a little independent film that I am deeply proud of and we are so thrilled that it received 12 nominations at the Nova Film Festival! I mention the budget because what they did with what they had, I realize is incredible. The script was such a blessing to work on and the whole process too. From endless hours of working with my coach Rob McCaskill on my character Regina (before we filmed), to the experience that I had on set, it was one of my favorite things that I’ve done.

InViolet: You’ve worked with some really talented, well-known actors. Any lessons they have shared with them that you can share with us?

Tara: I have been very lucky! Working with Paul Sorvino is like experiencing a master class of the Meisner technique in a day. He is so beautifully passionate about what he does, as am I, so that was especially fun. Also, I had the tiniest part on a show with Donal Logue years ago, and I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. In our scene he was walking behind me and I was supposed to be taking him to his table while speaking to him and after the first take he said to the director “Let’s do it again, I messed up!” (which he didn’t), and then very kindly and quietly explained to me the fact that the camera was on my left side, so even if in real life I would turn to the right because he was closer to there, I needed to make sure that I didn’t lose the three lines that I had on camera by turning away. It is silly but I have never forgotten that; in fact I embarrassingly sent him an email on social media years later thanking him for that. I don’t forget when someone has been kind to me or taught me something.

InViolet: Your life has become increasingly mysterious of late. For example, on two occasions you’ve posted pictures on social media of you lying on rocks beside sleeping seals. Please tell us how this occurred.

Tara: OK this question made me laugh! My boyfriend and I had been talking about how critical it is for everyone to know and understand about climate change, so when we were in California and saw a bunch of seals sleeping on rocks (knowing how many species this planet is losing), we felt very lucky. I got close (but not TOO close), enough to pretend I was sleeping next to them. We had made a silly comment about how we would rather do that than ‘sleep with the fishes.’ My kids say that he and I clearly amuse ourselves and really that’s all that was.

InViolet: We love seeing you on TV! BULL! THE GOOD WIFE! BLUE BLOODS! SEX DRUGS & ROCK N ROLL!  We’re so proud. Tell us some stories from set.

Tara: Yes thank you! I recently filmed an episode of BULL and that was a very special set to be on and it all starts at the top with Michael Weatherly, who was wonderful to work with. My scenes were also with Dena Tyler and she is incredible as well; she is simply one of the most generous actors I have ever experienced. I had a blast with Donnie Wahlberg on BLUE BLOODS  because he such a great guy and talented actor. Working years ago with Lucy Liu was inspiring. That woman is such a great actress and regardless of what time she has to get up, she finds time to workout and look after herself. To this day, when I think I’m too tired to drag my butt to the gym, I remember hearing that she got up at 4:30AM so she could workout before she got to set.

InViolet: You recently shot a film called BY DAWN. Tell us all about it. When and where can we see it?

Tara: BY DAWN is about a former marine suffering from severe PTSD, who prepares his family for war, as the deadline for an alien invasion approaches. I don’t yet know when it will be screening or in a festival but hopefully soon! Studying up for that part taught me a lot. I have always felt that this country needs to do more for its veterans and seeing how it handles its own who come back with PTSD, only confirmed that for me. 22 veterans kill themselves every day in this country. 22… To me that number is staggering and unacceptable and more must be done.

InViolet: What’s next for you?

Tara: I am in rehearsals for a play that opens May 18 at Tom Noonan’s Paradise Factory Theater called REPRISE. It’s written and directed by Eric Maierson and I’m lucky enough to be working with Ken Forman and Sean Patrick Folster. Thank you!!!!

 

Links!

IMDB: http://m.imdb.com/name/nm0923105/

REEL: https://vimeo.com/210971948

DETOURS on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pefSnf