We look to the past to shape our future. Who are you? Where are you going from here?

I’m now a resident of Maine and I am staying put. I’m a dual citizen, Canadian-American. My
grandparents had a cottage on Cochnewagon Lake and so I went to TAM plays as a kid. I
possibly saw my first play here that wasn’t a Christmas pageant, and I still remember the magic
feeling of seeing beloved fairy tales come to life. My little brother still has some of those
programs! My big brother remembers seeing King Lear and went on to study Shakespeare. So
in my family we have a deep love of this place – and a bit of a memorabilia-hoarding problem.

What excites you most about being a part of TAM’s Tragedy Tomorrow, Comedy Tonight Season?

I get to collaborate with some dear old friends and some exciting new colleagues. And the past few seasons at TAM have set the bar so high. I’ve seen just terrific work here recently. The shows I’m in present such interesting actor challenges, and the rep schedule is so different than the usual rhythm of a run of a play. I’m going to give it the ol’ college try!

We’re all about making old things new and new things classic. Why are you drawn to classic theater? How do you shake it up?

I love the idea that a play has come down through the ages with many iterations and that we are going to contribute a tiny stream into that giant ocean. I love that we are thinking more
progressively these days about the classics: casting choices, for example. I’m playing two men
in Much Ado and I’m looking forward to exploring that.

From what sources do you draw your inspiration?

I’ve met some wonderful theater practitioners here in Maine, and there are many of them whose work I see regularly because I’ve become invested in their artistic journeys. New work inspires me. Watching a playwright wrestle with draft after draft. The idea that we could possibly be working on the next classic.

You can have dinner with any three influential people. Who are your dream guests, why them, and what is the topic of conversation?

This is a question that invites overthinking until you realize, “Grace, for heaven’s sake, it’s a hypothetical and until a genie appears and makes you commit, you can change your mind!” Right. Well, how can it not be Shakespeare at the table? And Tennessee Williams. OK, and Canadian painter Emily Carr, who was an amazing woman. The topic? Whatever they pick but I’d tell them all about the cool inventions.

How have the past few years changed your view of making theater and what action are you most proud of?

Well, the pandemic made me see how vital it is to have theatre-making in my life. I saw that it
was vital to others as well. We commiserated and tried workarounds like Zoom plays (not a fan, but the impulse to keep going was a stronger force than I’d realized). I’m proud that we figured out how to persevere during that time. I’m proud of all the people who kept casts, crews, and creatives safe. It was an unbelievable effort, and when we went back to live, in-person theatre, I never caught COVID there. I think that’s astonishing.

What’s your super power?

Athletic prowess. I hide it well. No just kidding. Judging by this quiz, I think it’s overthinking.
Let’s go with overthinking.