Quirky Q & A
( by Melanie Holtzberg, columnist
at a CUNY arts paper)
1. What's a fact that most people
don't know about you?
I have double jointed thumbs, which can look kind of creepy. I am my own side
show! Oh, and I was put through travel agent school by an employer who wanted
to open a travel agency. I took a test on identifying all of the US States
on a map- I got 50 out of 50.
2.
What has been your most enjoyable role to play?
I adored playing Cathy Hiatt in "The Last Five Years."
3.
What do you like to do in your spare time? What are some of your
hobbies?
I am little addicted to thirft store shopping- I'd say about
85% of my wardrobe I bought second hand. You can find the most
amazing jewelry too!
4.
What are 5 words to describe you?
That's funny that you should ask, because I coach actors on this very thing!
Here are mine: Passionate. Idealistic. Offbeat. Smart. Effective. (Wait, the
acronym for that is POISE!)
5.
What did you do to celebrate when you got your last big role?
I went and had a bottle of very nice wine with my boyfriend!
6.
What's your favorite word?
My friends and I like to over pronounce words, like coconut is pronounced
like coe-coe-nut with all syllables pronounced equally. It's fun!
7.
How did you get into your first union?
Equity is my parent union, and I got my card doing a world premiere of a play
called Oxygen at the San Diego Repertory Theater. It was written by
two scientists- one is a Nobel Laureat for Chemistry, and the other is the "father" of
the birth control pill. I joined SAG and AFTRA once I moved to New York.
8.
Do you ever have stage fright? If so, how did you battle it?
I have never had stage fright, per se. I can get a little anxious before going
onstage, because I am so excited about sharing the show with the audience.
But it is never a negative feeling, it is more like, "I can't wait to
be out there!"
9.
What is your dream role?
Well, if you are talking truly a dream, it would be Maria in West Side
Story or Kim in Miss Saigon. But since I don't fit those types,
I would have to say Glinda in Wicked, any of the Disney Princesses
(Belle or Ariel), either role in I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change,
Amalia in She Loves Me, Susan in Tick Tick Boom, Cinderella
or The Witch in Into
the Woods.
The list goes on and on. I'd love to re-play Cathy Hiatt in
The Last Five Years (I played the role in 2004-2005.) And eventually
I would love to play Eva in Evita and
Lucille in Parade.
10.
What's one thing you know is true?
That just talking about things is not enough. To make a difference in the world
takes action.
11.What
are some of your favorite TV shows or movies?
I was a huge fan of Veronica Mars, and not just because I was on it! It really
was a fantastic show. Now I follow Grey's Anatomy, Gossip Girl, America's
Next Top Model, Pushing Daisies. As for movies, I love all different kinds-
among my favorites: Spaceballs, The Shawshank Redemption, The Notebook,
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, West Side Story, Aladdin... Eclectic,
I know.
12.
Did you always love acting?
Yes. At first, it was just a way to show off what good memorization and mimicry
skills I had! But then I felt in love with the ability to express all different
kinds of emotions in this safe, loving environment. It is really quite extraordinary.
13.
How did you get involved in it?
I first experienced live theater when my 4th grade teacher took our class to
the local community theater for a youth theater production. I am not sure what
show we saw, but I remember meeting the actors afterward, who came out in costume,
and I thought, "I want to do that!" Soon after, my mother and I saw
an audition notice posted for the play, Charlotte's Web, which was
one of my favorites movies (2nd only to West Side Story.) I auditioned and
got cast as the gander. My favorite line was spelling out the word ' terrific': "It's
spelled T double E double R double R double I double F double I double C C
C C C..."
14.
What is more challenging- stage or screen?
Well, they are both challenging in their own way (you knew that was coming,
didn't you?) With theater you truly have to inhabit a character and you have
the challenge of keeping it fresh night after night, and there are no reshoots
or cuts when you think your timing is off or you forget a line. On the same
token, film and TV acting are challenging because you have to be ready at a
moment's notice, and you have to be in that moment 100% from the time the camera
rolls. Plus, since scenes are often shot out of sequence you have to track
your character's emotional arc much more closely- sometimes I'll get on set
and have to ask, "Wait a minute, at this point in the film how long have
we known each other?" Because we may have just shot a love scene yesterday,
and today we shoot the scene where we are meeting for the first time. Oh, and
as a screen actor you also have to be much more aware of your movements, gestures
and use of props- you have do it it the same way every time for continuity!
But then again, you get "do-overs" so both stage and screen have
their own special charm!
15.
You went on tour with Suds- where did you travel?
We went to about 4 theaters in southern California, and then went to Tennessee,
Wisconsin, Florida, Michigan, and New Mexico. What was really cool is that
we were able to bring the show to my alma mater, Pepperdine, which has a beautiful
500 seat theater used for touring productions. I worked in that theater as
a technician when I was in school and performed on the stage as a student,
and then I got to go back and be on that stage as a professional. It was a
really amazing experience.
16.
What are some things people don't know about tour?
That we party all the time! Ok, truthfully, not so much. Some people party
on tour, but when you are singing 7-8 shows a week and you are traveling to
new environments you have to be much more careful with your instrument. I really
would have loved to have explored a bit more while going around the country
and socialized a bit more, but we are out there for a job, you know.
17.
What is your worst stage mishap?
I was playing "Gloria" in Wait Until Dark, and I have this fun scene
where I got to throw a bunch of pots, pans and silverware all over the kitchen.
This scene importantly sets the stage for a scene at the end, where the Suzy,
a blind woman, has to fight off an attacker. So, in my scene, I throw the tantrum
and then come back and help picks up the stuff I'd thrown. There is supposed
to be a knife preset on the floor near the cabinets- Suzy goes to clean up
in that area, I say, "Look out!" and we move the knife to a safe
location (to be found again in the final scene.) But there was no knife ANYWHERE.
But I don't know this until I already start on my line,"Look out!" She
says, "What is it?" I am supposed to say, "It's a knife, it
looks sharp" but because of the distinct LACK of cutlery, instead I say, "Uh,
it's a spatula. But it kind of looked like a knife!" Classic blunder...
Random Facts
Middle
Name: Quinn
Birthday: November
12
Favorite
color: Turquoise
Favorite
food: good slice of NY Pizza
Favorite
kind of Ice Cream: Gold Medal Ribbon (Baskin Robbins)
or Cheesecake with Butterfinger (Coldstone)
Favorite
song: "And the Healing Has Begun"- Van Morrison
Favorite
book: "The Fountainhead" by Ayn Rand and "Beloved" by
Toni Morrison
Favorite
Guilty Pleasure: Watching Cops. I know, I know...
but there is just something about skinny men with mullets wearing
tattered tank tops...
Worst
fear: Dying without making a difference to those around
me
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