cranberryloops asked prettyarbitrary:
What’s the craziest way you told someone you love/like/admire them? (I will gladly trade information with you, I just can’t think of anything…)
Generally it just entails an “I love you” or “You’re awesome.” I do enjoy gifting people I like with random little presents to make their day a bit brighter.
I am somewhat known for memorable first impressions, though. I think my favorite was the time I was finally introduced to a guy all my friends knew and had told me stories about. ”You’re more normal than I was expecting,” I told him.
Hmmm. Do you have any pets, Cran? Or, since you’re a performing artist, what is the work you’re proudest of? (I haven’t gotten to hear many stories about your works!)
I have a cat! Her name is Zoozie (which means ‘move it’ in Hebrew), she’s a black Persian Longhair and is kind of old. I got her when my cousin had her first kid some seven years ago and decided to give her away.
I tried thinking about what I’m most proud of and it varies. I’m more happy with the final product of some stuff and then more satisfied with the rehearsal and conceptualization process with others. And that’s without even making the distinction between just acting when someone else directs me and creating something in collaborations. Not to mention, sometimes you do utter crap with wonderful people, and how do you even measure that?
So really, there’s too much to really consider. It seems, by default then, like the answer’s always going to be the latest thing I did. So right now it’s playing Varya from Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard in a production made especially for this classical theatre festival. It was really fun, and really rewarding, I got to work with a very established, very hands-on director. Plus, it’s a character I always wanted to play and never thought I’d be cast as, because you see, she’s such a timid, nervous little mouse and I’m… not. She’s so tragically miserable and indignant and yet she’s in so many hilarious, obviously comic situations. You don’t act for the laughs, but this duality is a big part, I feel, of the character’s and the play’s charm. So it’s been a pleasure to live her twice a night for a week.
Plus, someone suggested I was cast as Varya because I resemble Rebecca Hall. I accept the huge compliment it is in the sense that Rebecca Hall playing Varya in Sam Mendes’ production of the play a few years ago made it acceptable for others to cast tall, breasty brunettes in the role. So there is that as well.
That’s so cool! I know the feeling; there are so many angles when it comes to ‘favorite.’ Somebody asked me a similar question the other day and I had to say, “Well, it depends. Favorite in what sense?”
But I think it says a lot about your talent that you’re able to reach so far outside yourself and make it real for people. I am tragically not very familiar with the play (Chekhov! I know! I AM SHAMED), but she sounds enchanting. 😀 I’m sad I can’t see you play her.
A cat named ‘Move It.’ I love it!