What is your role in the production? I play Miriam, the spirited young outsider who has found a home in Chelm. She absolutely adores the people of the village and their quaint way of life, and is happy to remain on the sidelines and watch everyone else find happiness – until Yosef shows up, that is. As the show goes on, she struggles to help him see the beauty of the Chelmnik ways, and in doing so finds the courage to seek her own happiness in this world.
Why did you audition for this show? I saw Village of Idiots put on by my high school quite a few years ago, and I absolutely loved it! It really is such a heart-warming, feel good show, full of love and laughs and a few good ol’ life lessons. When I saw that the Walterdale, a company I have come to love very much, was holding auditions for it, I couldn’t say no!
What is your background in theatre? I’ve been involved with theatre since I was quite young, and really solidified my passion for performing in high school. After playing the bloodthirsty Madame Defarge in Bev Facey’s production of A Tale of Two Cities, I knew I wasn’t ready to give up the stage and spent the summer after graduation scouring for auditions throughout the city. Since then, I’ve been in two Waterdale Productions – Much Ado About Nothing and Poetry Unbound (part of From Cradle to Stage) – and have recently been accepted into Grant MacEwan University’s Theatre Arts program. It’s been a crazy ride and I have no plans of giving it up anytime soon!
What is the biggest challenge for you with this show? This is my first time really doing any solid work with accents, which has been tricky, so I’m incredibly thankful we’ve have to opportunity to work with the lovely Miss Marliss! Besides that, I’m very accustomed to being cast as grumpy, villainous or “morally unsound” characters, so playing the kind hearted, down-to-earth Miriam has been a challenge in itself. It’s been a very surprising journey so far, and every rehearsal I discover a few more of her quirks and secrets. She may not be the craziest of the Chelmniks, but she is by no means dull!
What are you enjoying the most? Linette Smith has put together a phenomenal cast. The energy from every single member has been absolutely inspirational. This is a group of actors that, to me, already feels very much like a family – kind of zany and off-the-wall, but a family nonetheless! It has been a true pleasure working with these talented artists, and I already know the final product is going to be something very special.
What do you hope audiences will take away from the show? Besides the laughter and warm fuzzies, I really hope people leave re-considering of the value of having open heart and mind. In today’s society, everyone’s always so stressed and burnt out because of the demands placed on us; being involved in this show has taught me to find joy and fulfillment in the simple things, and I really hope our audiences, even if only for this two-hour show, rediscover some of that joy, too.
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