Hometown: Littleton, CO
Education: BA in Theater from Barnard College
Select Credits: Liminal Space (Rhapsody Collective), Chokher Bali (Hypokrit Theater Company), Macbeth (King’s Crown Shakespeare Troupe
Why theater?: I think there’s something really powerful in performing live. To be in a space with real bodies and real action happening in front of you is not only intoxicating but an incredibly valuable tool for opening lines of communication. Theater allows us to tell stories, create empathy, and feel deeply. I wish I had a more articulate way to describe why I do theater, but, in short, I think theater has the power to save lives.
Who do you play in Mary V: I play Court, one of Mary’s band of sisters. Court is very logical and must analyze everything around her before she can understand it fully. She uses words and intelligence as weapons in her fight against the patriarchy (and also swords).
Tell us about Mary V: When Sister of the Bard have their all-female production of Henry V taken away and given to a more traditional cast, the women decide that it is time to take a stand. However, they discover that going to war, even if your cause is just, has consequences. What unfolds is a funny and bloody battle-of-the sexes that investigates the role of gender and violence in theater both on and off stage.
What is it like being a part of Mary V?: I’m really proud to have had the opportunity to work on this show. Even in 2017, we are so incredibly far from being a gender equitable society (not to mention a race and class equitable society), and this show directly deals with the consequences of being ignored as a woman in a world run by men. The show was written and directed by women, Rebekah Carrow and Charlotte Murray, and also features a female fight director and lighting designer. The cast and crew are full of wonderful people, and it’s been absolutely fantastic to work on the show.
What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love theater that twists our realities. A woman playing Hamlet, a black man playing a Russian count, an autistic boy being able to fly. I love theater that heightens my sense of what’s possible and subverts my perception of what is “normal.”
Any roles you’re dying to play?: Abigail in The Crucible (I’m very into witches), Jenny in John by Annie Baker
What’s your favorite showtune?: This is honestly the hardest question you’ve asked me. Right now I think it’s “When You’re Home” from In the Heights.
If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: There are so many amazing female writers, directors, and actors I’d love to work with: Annie Baker, Ava DuVernay, Mindy Kaling, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Viola Davis, etc.
Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: I would play myself, obviously (not too many other half Asians in the entertainment industry), and it would be called “Smashing the Patriarchy: The Sarah Suzuki Story.”
If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: I would love to have seen the original cast of Sweeney Todd. Angela Lansbury is a queen.
What show have you recommended to your friends?: A Doll’s House Part 2. The acting and writing is absolutely phenomenal.
What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: Nutella
What’s up next?: I’m in the process of writing and developing a few short films with a good friend of mine! There are some exciting things on the horizon.
For more on Mary V, visit https://maryvpress.wixsite.com/maryv
