Author Archives: lsegel

Each of the characters in The Glass Menagerie are multifaceted, but do you have a favorite character trait that you are able to explore in your particular role?

“What a great question! It’s an important one to think about too.  I think it’s Amanda’s narcissism, which like all narcissism, is rooted in vulnerability. I think the relational dilemma Amanda faces, as a result, is really interesting to explore.  She desperately tries to connect with her children and love them. She wants to be this loving, attentive mother, but she often feels resistance coming from her children as they try to be their own separate selves.  Amanda’s narcissism makes it difficult for her to tolerate her children’s separation and individuation process, and this then leads her to be harsh, overbearing, and controlling.”

Does Amanda have any traits that remind you of yourself? Do you have any life experiences that you can apply to the character?

“Let me just say that I think the play is painfully close to my heart, not in a literal sense – It’s not like these things have happened in my family – but the emotional stirrings of the play are almost uncanny.”

What does The Glass Menagerie mean to you as a theatre artist?

“It means something about the ubiquitous nature of family dysfunction, and that there is no such thing as a normal family. Every family has its pathology and its pain, and every family is unique in the way it handles that.  But we’re all broken, and The Glass Menagerie may be an extreme example of that, but none of us are truly whole.”

Although you are still in the early phases of the rehearsal process, do you have a favorite moment in the show?

“No, that’s like asking me my favorite vacation destination! There are so many moments that are wonderful, and that is because of our fabulous director Lexi, who is just a natural. She has created so many beautiful moments by using a system of breaking the play down into separate units.  This is a process Stanislavski wrote about and I think without it, there are so many moments that you risk losing.  No, there are simply too many delicious moments to have a favorite!”

How has your experience with the Theatre Company of Saugus been thus far?

“Amazing! The first show I did with TCS was The Cherry Orchard, in which I played Madame Ranevsky.  I loved working with them. They are one of the nicest, most down-to-earth theatre groups I have ever worked with.  After The Cherry Orchard, I was waiting for them to produce more serious drama, which is my passion.  I was thrilled that they were doing The Glass Menagerie.”

As a performer, what has been one of your favorite roles to perform?

“Hamlet, Hamlet, Hamlet is my favorite role of all time. I developed the role of a female Hamlet over the course of a number of years, and performed it with three different Boston-area theater companies.”

How have your previous roles and theatrical experiences prepared you to play such a complex role?

“I think the three roles that have the most significant contributions are probably Hamlet, Madame Ranevsky, and Inez from No Exit because of the emotional range all three required. These roles, like the role of Amanda Wingfield, require digging deep down and accessing the darker parts of myself that are difficult to face. Importantly, playing with all of these roles has helped me to work through some unresolved issues from my family of origin.  And training in Method acting – couldn’t do the work without it!”

What are you most looking forward to in delivering this wonderful piece of theatre on opening night? As a performer, what would you like the audience’s reaction to be?

“For me, shows get better as they progress in rehearsals and performances, and there’s something that’s tragic about that because by the time a show closes, we are usually just hitting our stride. I love resurrecting shows that mean something to me; it’s ultimately not about opening night or any particular performance.  It’s about an organic, developing process that gets better with time.  As with all serious drama, I want the audience to think about human nature, and how pieces of these characters are within all of us as human beings, even the deeply flawed aspects.”

There is so much going on within Amanda regarding her son and daughter. How do you plan on showing those layers to the audience?

“Well, the script does so much of that because it is brilliant, and then it’s about how you as an actress make the dilemmas and emotions inherent in the script real for yourself. So, for me, that goes back to Method acting, and using the pain, joy, etc. from my own life, and channeling it into this beautiful script. How do you do it? You can’t help but do it. It’s all about sincerity and making it real.”

Each of the characters in The Glass Menagerie are multifaceted, but do you have a favorite character trait that you are able to explore in your particular role? 

“I like that Laura is able to explore worlds within worlds, so while the ‘real word’ is happening around her, she is able to retreat inward, to a world of her own design, rather than being sucked into the reality of her external conditions.”

Does Laura have any traits that remind you of yourself? Do you have any life experiences that you can apply to the character? 

“When I was a little girl, my parents bought me a small, purple-tinted glass swan from Silver Dollar City in Branson Missouri.  It was so small, so beautiful; I remember feeling entranced by its delicacy. I would hold it and stare at it with a kind of reverent awe. I had the little purple glass swan into my adulthood.  One day, I was sharing it with a child, and it broke.  I felt a twinge of pain in my stomach, accompanied by the sadness of knowing it was gone.  I can relate to the love Laura feels towards her glass menagerie.”

What does The Glass Menagerie mean to you as a theatre artist? 

“I think one of the messages for me is that we have memories that linger with us, almost haunt us, and those memories form who we are as well as our future selves. For me, this is a goodbye poem that Tom is writing about Laura; he wishes he can erase some of the guilt he has regarding her. The play is about is about how the echoes from our past dictate our present and future.” 

Although you are still in the early phases of the rehearsal process, do you have a favorite moment in the show? 

“It’s too hard to pick just one favorite moment, and I should probably be careful not to say too much, so for now, I’ll just say ‘blue roses!’”

How has your experience with the Theatre Company of Saugus been thus far? 

“It’s been fantastic. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of TCS’s The Glass Menagerie.  Everyone’s been so friendly and welcoming.  Lexi is a great director; she runs rehearsals with a high level of professionalism.  There’s a lot of positive feedback and collaboration.  There’s wonderful chemistry among the cast and crew.” 

As a performer, what has been one of your favorite roles to perform? 

“Since we’re in the vein of Tennessee Williams, I was able to play Maggie in Cat On a Hot Tin Roof.  They’re both such different, richly textured characters: Maggie is vivacious, sensual, desperate, and strong. Whereas Laura is demure, sensitive, insecure and empathic.” 

How have your previous roles and theatrical experiences prepared you to play such a complex role? 

“Rather than past roles, I would say the research I’ve down towards and writing my thesis on Tennessee Williams has been invaluable. I’ve been reading Williams’ letters, memoirs, notebooks, journals – It’s definitely come in handy.”

What are you most looking forward to in delivering this wonderful piece of theatre on opening night? As a performer, what would you like the audience’s reaction to be? 

“I hope to give an honest portrayal of the goodness within Laura, as I feel she’s written by Tennessee Williams. I hope to authentically put that on the stage, and let the audience draw their own conclusions.”

How does it feel to play a character that has a physical flaw that is actually visible to the audience, rather than a character flaw that’s more inward? 

“Tennessee Williams’ sister, underwent a lobotomy with tragically unsuccessful results.  In this autobiographic play, I feel Williams shifts his sister’s mental disability to something physical with Laura’s crippled leg.”

Each of the characters in The Glass Menagerie are multifaceted, but do you have a favorite character trait that you are able to explore in your particular role? 

“I’ve been playing Jim with a lot of – cockiness, I suppose would be the best word, kind of self-obsessed and almost shallow, in a way. He still thinks so much of himself.” 

Does Jim have any traits that remind you of yourself? Do you have any life experiences that you can apply to the character? 

“I think I can be outgoing and somewhat confident. I’m proud of my accomplishments.” 

What does The Glass Menagerie mean to you as a theatre artist? 

“All of these characters have beliefs that are correct. It’s a huge argument, but everybody is right. Everybody has a right to act the way they’re acting, and it’s up to the audience to see that all of these people are allowed to be who they are. They have something important to say.” 

Although you are still in the early phases of the rehearsal process, do you have a favorite moment in the show? 

“I like the fight between Tom and Amanda, where Tom gets sarcastic and says he’s a part of a gang and all that. I’m not in it, but it’s one of my favorite scenes in the show.” 

As a performer, what has been one of your favorite roles to perform? 

“I was in a play called Drawing the Shades, which is the story of four individuals and how their lives tie together. We performed it at my college, and I don’t think many people are familiar with it, but it’s about rape and how these individuals moved on past being sexually assaulted at some point in their lives.” 

How have your previous roles and theatrical experiences prepared you to play such a complex role? 

“I was in a play called 44 Plays for 44 Presidents, and I was very outgoing in every scene.” 

What are you most looking forward to in delivering this wonderful piece of theatre on opening night? As a performer, what would you like the audience’s reaction to be? 

“I’m looking forward to performing in such a close space, where the audience can catch every little moment of the play. I’m hoping they’re all at the edge of their seats, playing strong attention to everything they’re watching. The way the space is designed feels very real.” 

What do you think your character brings to the play, being an outsider that comes into this chaotic household? 

“I want to bring in a new energy and excitement, kind of like sunshine coming in. I think that when we see the family interact with a new character, a lot of their truths come out by comparison.”

What does “The Glass Menagerie” mean to you as an artist? 

“I wish I had a better answer than this, but I really just love it. I think it’s an absolutely beautiful piece of storytelling, with a simple plot that’s brought to life by complex characters. It’s my kind of show, the kind that appeals to me as both an audience member and a performer, and obviously as a director.” 

What do you feel was the message Williams was trying to convey to the world in writing this piece? 

“Well, this is his autobiography of sorts. I think this is the most specific he’s been in terms of putting himself into his work. There are always notes of growing up in the south, and kind of certain themes that he follows, but I think this is the script in which he is truly divulging his own story. Of course, it’s theatrical and gorgeous and poetic, but I also think it’s the most honest.” 

Is there any specific message you want to convey to the audience that will see this show at the Theatre Company of Saugus? 

“The audience is going to see four people who are flawed, and who make mistakes, and who don’t always say or do the right thing, but what I want the audience to realize is that there is always another side to the story. It’s easy to judge other people’s behavior that we deem as wrong or negative, but we have no idea what their journey is. These characters are really easy to dislike at times, but the challenge is to shape them well enough that the audience says, ‘Sure, he or she is a mess, but I get it. I see it. I know what happened.’ Everybody has another side to the story. We’re all just doing the best we can, and I think we all need to grant people a little more grace. You never know what’s going on with somebody until you know.” 

There is a lot of symbolism written into this piece. How do you intend on communicating that to the audience? 

“I think that it’s important to never underestimate your audience, so I don’t plan on beating them over the head with anything, but I do think we have sculpted moments within the performances that illustrate a lot of the metaphors.” 

How can you relate to this play, both professionally and personally? 

“Professionally, I just love Tennessee Williams. My dream role is Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire, so I was excited to be able to work on a Williams piece in any capacity. Personally, as I’ve said, I think it’s an important piece of theatre in terms of being a great lesson in sympathy if not empathy.” 

Do you have any previous theatre experience that has gotten you ready to direct this classic piece? 

“I just graduated from a conservatory program as an acting major, so I’ve been living and breathing and eating theatre for quite a while. I’m in a very good head space to be at the helm of a show that I believe in and want to bring to life.” 

How do you feel about the Theatre Company of Saugus? Do you have any history with the company? 

“I’m relatively new to TCS, but I played Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet last summer. I think they put on great work, and I’m excited to bring in some new talented players and hopefully expand the audience a bit.” 

How has the process been thus far, working with your cast and crew? 

“This is my debut as a director, and I cannot say enough wonderful things about the ensemble I have around me. My production team has been incredibly reliable and supportive, and I have a group of all-stars in terms of actors. Besides just being so, so talented, they’re intelligent and passionate about the project, which makes all of the discussions and conversations that go into building a show really lovely and worthwhile. They’ve created enough of a foundation that I can go in and shape and tweak and play, which is thrilling for me, and they’re all so receptive and willing. I’m love all of them.” 

Do you have a certain vision for how you want to see this piece performed, in terms of staging? 

“I’m thrilled by how we’re using the space, utilizing the floor of the theater as though it were the floor of the Wingfield’s apartment, and kind of letting the audience border these people’s small living space. I hope the audience feels really connected and immersed.”

There is a sense of experimentation going on in rehearsals of The Glass Menagerie, and it’s a privilege for me to witness it.  My favorite kind of rehearsal is one in which the actors get to play in a scene before the director steps in, and that is exactly how Lexi Deschene works with her cast.  I feel this approach gives the actors more of an understanding of their presence in the scene, and an ability to add their own personalities.  Isn’t that the reason we have actors, to take a great text such as this one from Tennessee Williams, and put their own personal spin on it while still maintaining the original intentions of the characters? 

It’s also great to see a scene grow each time it’s rehearsed, and this cast is top-notch.  One of many things I can promise the audience will love during this performance is the four actors’ relationships with each other.  There was a certain freedom to the scene that was being rehearsed tonight, and I cannot wait to see the final product.  The way each character knows their role in the show and makes it their own is such a joy to see. 

When you have four talented performers such as this, a play such as The Glass Menagerie, and a director supporting each choice the actor makes, it will grow into a wonderful show or, in this case, be sculpted into a wonderful glass figurine.  I was grateful to meet the other two members of the cast tonight: Derek Bousquet and Michelle Mount, who I had the pleasure of talking to.

Be on the look-out for more on The Glass Menagerie presented by the Theatre Company of Saugus, August 9^th – 11^th & August 16^th – 18^th, 2013. Friday and Saturday performances will begin at 7:30 PM, and Sunday performances will begin at 2:00 PM, located at the East Saugus United Methodist Church.

-Nathan Goulart-Pasco

Tonight, I attended a rehearsal for The Glass Menagerie, which will be presented by the Theatre Company of Saugus this August!  There were wonderful things happening.  The scene being rehearsed involved two characters, Tom and Amanda, portrayed by Kyle Raiche and Wendy Lippe.  The Glass Menagerie is such a well-written show and the text stands on its own, but when you add a director with a clear vision as well as a great cast, you are golden.  I can honestly say that I witnessed both of these things last night, and I am already so excited for opening night.  Knowing there is still over a month of rehearsal time, I was amazed to notice such focused actors; they rehearsed the same part of a scene five times, and I watched it improve in quality each time. The actors sank more and more into the characters.  Each character in this classic play written by Tennessee Williams has multiple layers, and the actors that I spoke with have a perfect sense of where to go with their character’s journey throughout the show, as does their director (Lexi Deschene).

Without giving too much away, I love the way the space is being set up, because I think it is a way for the audience to be even more connected with the characters.  I promise that the audience will feel like they are part of the action, and will really be able to connect with the story, which, as an avid theatre goer, is all I ask.  I want to be able to connect with a great performance.  The show takes place in a small apartment, so the idea of having the audience surround the action has me very excited to see the play start to finish.  Tom (Kyle Raiche) has a special role in this piece, as the narrator who speaks directly to the audience at points in the show.  He talks about his feelings, which rarely happens in the Wingfield household, so it’s great to hear Tom speak to the audience about his life.  Amanda (Wendy Lippe) is also a great character, and the audience will see the emotions she tries to hide from her family.

Being a Tennessee Williams play, there is already a solid foundation of a great script and characters, and the Theatre Company of Saugus is successfully bringing it to life with their actors.  Jessica Stockton was stage-managing, which is awesome!  I was not able to see the other amazing performers last night, but am excited and grateful to make more trips to rehearsals. Please keep up with The Glass Menagerie at TCS. I will continue with fun interviews and blogs throughout the process, and I am excited to be involved! Keep up with the blog!

The Glass Menagerie is being performed August 9^th – 11^th and 16^th – 18^th, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM.  The performances will be held at the East Saugus United Methodist Church, 85 Chestnut Street in Saugus, Massachusetts.

-Nathan G-P