Thursday, August 6, 2015

Spotlight On...Pamela Shaw

Name: Pamela Shaw

Hometown: NY, NY

Education: Sanford Meisner, Larry Moss, Michael Howard, Eric Morris, Susan Batson

Favorite Credits: Theatre- Laughing Wild (Durang); Scarcity (Thurber); Rosemary with Ginger (Baker). Film- "Splinterheads" (love script, character, cast).

Why theater?: Immediacy, excitement, danger, connection.

Who do you play in In a Tilted Place: I play two women called Woman! Troy doesn’t name most of his characters in the play. The woman in the scene “Glowing Dinoflagellates” is a sort of magical preying mantis of sorts who gets her way with men. The woman in “Laura Ingalls Wilder” calls herself a psychic and definitely has a dark side.  

Tell us about In a Tilted Place: "In a Tilted Place is a kaleidoscope of a play where lovers, addicts, mermaids, and other strange creatures all stumble through a bizarre, hilarious, and sometimes frightening reality–from Rockefeller Center to the High Line–and nothing is quite as anyone imagined it would be."

What is it like being a part of In A Tilted Place: Working on this play is a truly wonderful experience! It will be under "favorite credits" next time you ask! I love the artistry of Troy Deutsch and my two directors, in the order in which I appear in their work–Ashley Brooke Monroe, Courtney Ulrich...and my fellow actors, all "players".

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: Irreverent, well-written, crafted. Jan Maxwell, in the myriad ways she uses herself, musical and otherwise: from Scenes from an Execution to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and back! Diamonda Galas. Frances McDormand. Warren Zevon. Estelle Parsons.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Directors: David Cromer, Moritz Von Stuelpnagel, Stephen Daldry, Sam Gold, Natalie Abrahami. Writers: David Lindsay-Abaire, Mike Bartlett. Actors: Mark Ruffalo, entire cast of Hand to God.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Hand to God, for ages. John (in previews). Should revive: Small Mouth Sounds (Ars Nova), Ah! Wilderness (Young Vic).

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Courtney Love. But I would have to approve the director! Right now I'm thinkin' Julian Schnabel. It would be called Venus in Scorpio. Written by David Lindsay-Abaire.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: Streetcar (the original), Eleanora Duse in anything, what was THAT about?

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Reading tabloids on planes, NY Post and Daily News.

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?: I used to think in the sex business, now a stylist I think…

What’s up next?: Australian film in October (I'm union there) and an untitled play written and directed by Adam Rapp at Rattlestick in 2016. Further work on my musical act/one woman piece/performance art/whatever it turns into.... Grateful to love this work and to open up to the ??? ahead!