I always thought I was destined to be just a chorus girl or a character actress, filling in the small but crucial roles of plays and musicals was my destined career. I've never sought fame or fortune, only the opportunity to be a part of the art form that has continuously changed my views on life and challenged me to be a better person.
Perhaps I underestimated my worth as an actor.
Perhaps I never understood that with time, passion and determination, even I had the potential of being cast in one of the most challenging and sought after roles of all time.
I have always admired Tennessee Williams. His plays are electric and full of truths, filled with rich characters who are all flawed and completely relatable.
I have longed for the chance to portray one of Tennessee Williams characters...and I always thought if I were to play any of his characters it would most certainly be Laura in The Glass Menagerie. Laura is fragile, naive and lost, many see her as child-like even though she's nearly 30 years old. Maybe that's why I have always felt a connection to Laura. For the last 31 years I've been seen by most as child-like...and its the way I've always been cast, or at least until recently. Perhaps I've been cast this way because I'm small in stature, standing at a mere 5'1" tall, with my fair skin and doughy dimples, I can't really blame anyone for seeing the child in me...I see her too when I look in the mirror.
So you can understand my surprise when I finally got my first opportunity to audition for a Tennessee William's play and the role I got called back for was NOT the younger, milder role of Stella but of the vampy older sister vixen of Belle Reve, Blanche Dubois. How can this be?
I wasn't sure but I was honored.
I hadn't even thought about Blanche...assumed she'd never be mine to think about...I never thought she was on my "type" list...never thought I'd ever come close to playing this role of a lifetime.
How could I, this dimple donned actress who has been playing children for the last 20 years, possibly be considered for this lead of all leading lady roles?
I'm not sure exactly what they saw, but I'm ever so glad they saw it and beyond thrilled to have this opportunity to explore the role...I have less than 3 weeks before rehearsals begin....this blog is dedicated to my process in becoming Blanche DuBois in Tennessee William's Pulitzer Prize winning play A Streetcar Named Desire.
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