Meet Phoebe Piper, playing the role of Eurydice in Polaroid Stories.
A senior Theatre major, Phoebe is a veteran in the School of the Arts’ Theatre department. During her years at CSU, Phoebe has participated in Grusha in Caucasian Chalk Circle, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Dol in The Alchemist, Various Roles in Oh, What a Lovely War and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Off campus, Phoebe has also been involved in Anon(ymous) by Naomi Izuka (the author of Polaroid Stories) and Articulate Production’s Caffeine: Contents May Be Hot at Bas Bleu. After graduation, Phoebe hopes to move to the east coast to continue acting.
What have you done to prepare yourself for this role? How have you adapted to the double casting of this character? What difficulties have you faced as a result of the double casting? Preparing for this role has been challenging. It’s a messed up world these characters live in so I’ve had to summon every experience in my life to help guide me through it; feelings of loneliness, abandonment, betrayal, anger, sadness you name it. Any feelings that make me feel there’s no way out have helped me really understand my character. I also have done a lot of research of my own that has helped refine my character. Double casting is challenging and (surprisingly enough) not even for the actors who have been double cast themselves. Mostly for the other cast mates and designers who have worked harder than usual because there are two separate actresses. I’ve worked so hard getting into the mind and the world of the play. I’ve taken my own skill to new heights because the double casting makes me think harder and outside the box. Occasionally it is nice to “steal” (as we’ve been calling it) from the other actors. Its nice to discuss choices in our character that either make you think more about your own choices, or reinstate what you believe to be true about your character.
What have you enjoyed most about being in this production? I have never been in a play where I’ve felt so much. The feelings that come through me are intense to the point where I need to have “down time” when rehearsals are done. Theatre should make you feel, whether it’s happy, sad, disgusted, or inspired. This is the first time I’ve ever done a show so edgy and I love that the most.
What do you hope audience members will take away from this play? I’m not quite sure what the audience will take from it. Whatever the audience thinks afterward I hope they feel this play and the characters as much as I have in the process. It’s hard to let yourself be vulnerable and even be affected by this piece. I hope the audience walks away feeling…
Image: Phoebe Piper in The Alchemist by Ben Jonson. Photo by John Eisele, Fall 2009
Posted 03.30.2010