Meet The Cast of HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE - Vanessa Kiernan (Lil' Bit)

Hello, Hello Vanessa! We are very excited to have you play Lil’ Bit in our production of HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE. Have you ever worked with Class 6 Theatre before? 

This will be my first show with Class 6, although I have worked with many members of the Class 6 family before.


Welcome to the family! Can you tell me a little about what excites you the most about this opportunity? 

Everything about this project excites me! Getting to work with Amanda again, getting the share the stage with Eric, getting to play one of my dream roles... But what excites me most of all, well... As a "character" actress, I am typically cast in these larger-than-life comedic roles, and I love playing those roles, but I am very excited (and grateful) for the opportunity to explore a softer, subtler side of myself. The only way for us to grow as artists is to be challenged, and Vogel's play is nothing if not challenging, even if I weren't playing a role so far outside my comfort zone. It is the chance to meet this challenge that excites me more than anything.


It will be quite the challenge! We would love to hear more about your process and challenges as you progress through rehearsal. Until then, can you tell me what makes this story so important to tell? 

Before rehearsals even began, Amanda and I were exchanging emails, discussing the play. And one of the things we both seemed to zero in on is how this play differs from the standard media portrayal of abuse. Abuse is, unfortunately, a very common reality. But it is also quite often a far more complex and complicated reality than it is generally made out to be in tv shows and movies. Instead of focusing on the horror of the abuse itself in a kind of vacuum, Vogel's play manages to keep the abuse in context, presenting it against a cultural backdrop that both encourages and creates the conditions for such behavior, while revealing the abuser himself as a sympathetic victim in his own right. This is no small feat. This is, ultimately, a play about love and forgiveness and healing, not trauma and damage and rage. That is why I think it is so important, why I think it has the potential to truly touch people, to change lives and help them heal.

I absolutely agree. Thank you so much for your insight and dedication to this powerful project. We can’t wait to hear more about it and, of course, pack the house on opening night (2/5/15)!

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Vanessa has been acting in the Phoenix area off and on for the last eight year, and she has been lucky enough to have appeared on the stages of some very well-known Arizona theatre companies. Her favorite past work around the Valley includes: Maria in Lend Me a Tenor (Theatre Works), the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare Sedona), Mrs. Bob Cratchit in Mrs. Bob Cratchit's Wild Christmas Binge (Southwest Shakespeare Company), 4.48 Psychosis (Stray Cat Theatre), and Dixie in Chicks with Dicks (Stray Cat Theatre). She has also been a puppeteer with All Puppet Players. She is a graduate of the conservatory-style theatre program at the Idyllwild Arts Academy in California, and she may one day actually complete the three credits she needs to finish her Master's in philosophy and performance at ASU West.

Meet The Cast of SYLVIA - Jeff Huffman (Greg)

Hello Jeff and welcome to Class 6 Theatre! This is your first time working with Class 6, correct?

This is my first time working with Class 6 (I've worked at the Hale and Southwest Shakespeare Company during the last two years) and I'm very excited to be working with a group of truly talented and insightful artists that have really made their mark on the local theatre scene. I've seen a couple of Class 6's previous shows and have a couple friends that have worked on past productions, and everything I've seen and been told about in connection to Class 6 demonstrates to me that it is a great company on the rise.

Thank you! Word of mouth has been our best friend when it comes to the awareness of Class 6. Is there anything in particular that excites you about this project?

What excites me about working with Class 6 is the group's obvious willingness to take risks. The reversed casting of Julius Caesar was nothing short of brilliant. I'm also very excited to be playing the role of Greg once again. I did the show ten years ago back in Minnesota and I've always loved the story. In fact, this production of Sylvia will be opening almost exactly ten years to the day from the opening performance of the previous production I was in.

Very cool! Doing this show twice, 10 years apart, must be quite the experience. What do you think is the message behind the show that makes it so important for you to tell this story 10 years later?

I think the most important message that Sylvia has to offer is the idea that love comes in many different forms, and unconditional love is the ultimate expression of our humanity.

That is a very important and enduring message. With that in mind, what is your vision for the future of theatre in Phoenix?

My vision for the future of local theatre in Phoenix is one of growth and expansion. The local theatre scene has faced many challenges during the recent economic recession and my hope is that more and more people in the valley remember that one of the best ways to weather those sort of storms is through the enjoyment and support of a vibrant and growing arts community. 

Within that arts community, what's up next for you?

I don't have anything schedule after this production, but I do intend to keep hitting the auditions around town and hopefully be able to continue honing the craft and building my acting career.

Well, we are all very excited to see what you bring to this production. Maybe you can share the experience of doing this show vs. the show 10 years ago? We'd love to hear all about it! Until next time, have a great rehearsal!

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Jeff Huffman (Greg) is excited to be performing for the first time with Class 6 Theatre. He has actually performed the role of Greg in a previous production of Sylvia back in Minnesota almost exactly 10 years to the day prior to the opening of Class 6's production. In the Phoenix area, Jeff was previously seen in Southwest Shakespeare's production of A Midsummer's Night Dream, and at the Hale Theatre where he was in The Hit as the gangster Slavo, and as the dastardly Bob Ewell in To Kill a Mockingbird. Jeff earned his degree in Theatre from Minnesota State University, Mankato and has participated in over 60 full scale stage productions from Fargo to Phoenix. Jeff would like to thank the talented group that makes up Class 6 Theatre for a wonderful opportunity, and all of his family and friends for their support.

Meet The Director of HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE - Amanda Noel Trombley

Hello Amanda! We are so glad to have you working with Class 6 Theatre again. Last year for Class 6, you...

I directed the staged reading of Stop Kiss last year and am thrilled to be working with this company again.

 

We are very excited to have you, specifically working on this project. Can you tell me about this project excites you? 

There are so many things about this project that excite me. I love that we are producing a repertory offering. I love that both shows offer more women the chance to be on stage than men, which is a pretty rare occurrence. I'm excited to tell this beautiful story that Paula Vogel has written. I'm excited to be jumping back into theatre after almost a year off thanks to having a baby in May! This is my first project back since my son was born so it is definitely one I will remember and one I did not consider lightly.

We are all looking forward to your success with HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE! What do you have on the horizon?

Up next I am shifting gears into writing mode. I am writing the next installment of Pandanda Players' ALPHABET SHAKESPEARE series. Then I'll switch modes again and perform that play with my husband in July as part of there Herberger's Lunchtime Theatre program. There will also be various teaching endeavors in the meantime.

 

That sounds great! There are a lot of very exciting things coming up for you including this power piece of theatre. Thank you so much for your time. 

 

 

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A native of Arizona, Amanda Noel Trombley left to pursue a Bachelor's from Pepperdine University and a Master of Letters and a Master of Fine Arts in Shakespeare and Performance from Mary Baldwin College in association with the American Shakespeare Center. Since graduating, she has been involved with theatre around the valley as an actor, director, writer, and teacher. Directing highlights since returning to the valley include last year's Stop Kiss staged reading at Class 6, Julius Caesar, A Midsummer Night's Dream (co-directed with her husband, Daniel) and more. Amanda is grateful to create art with wonderful people in a place she loves. Her artistic motto comes from Much Ado About Nothing: Serve, Love, Mend.

Meet The Director of SYLVIA - David Dickinson

 

Hey David! Thanks so much for sitting down with me today to chat. Can you tell me a little about your experience with Class 6 Theatre?

Eric Schoen invited me to be one of the founding members of the Board of Directors on which I served through the company's first two years.  During this time I created the company's website, and I continue to volunteer as a resource when the company needs a programmer.

I’ve also had the pleasure of being an artist with the company.  I played Austin in Class6’s zany production of The Bible:  The Complete Word of God (abridged). I have very fond memories of the run including a performance to a sold out house at the Shepherd of the Hills Church in Scottsdale that I will never forget for its energy and joy.  I’m thrilled to be directing Sylvia this season.

And we're glad to have you! What would you say about this project excites you?

Sylvia is A.R. Gurney’s ode to our canine friends and is a masterpiece of modern theatre.  Many people have confided to me that Sylvia is their favorite play.  Personally, I’ve fallen in love with the script.  Having a quality script has attracted some outstandingly talented artists.  So what really excites me about this project is the cast and creative artists that have been assembled for the production.  So, I’m eagerly anticipating what they will bring into the rehearsal hall and the stage.

We can't wait either! In your opinion, what makes this story important to share?

Sylvia is great literature because its message is timeless:  dogs remind us to live life in the moment and are our guides to unconditional love.  Sylvia was written in the 1990’s in a pre-9/11, pre-Great-Recession world.  However, I find the script just as relevant today as it was when it was written.  We all struggle, as Kate and Greg do, in finding relevance in our rapidly changing world.  In our daily struggles we can easily lose our bearings.  Dogs can’t save the world per se, but dogs have a lot to teach us if we are willing to observe their genius.  Whether you are a pet owner or not, there’s a deep satisfaction that awaits everyday in being grounded and observant of the astonishing world around us.  Sylvia brings that message home in an entertaining, humorous and touching way.

You've been so involved in theatre community as an actor, board member, and now a director, can I ask about your vision for the future of local theatre in Phoenix?

It is just too easy to stay at home and watch entertainment from our couch.  Because we are so spread out here, Phoenix is a city that can easily isolate each of us in our living rooms.  Also, with streaming video, DVR and DVD box sets, we no longer share a communal experience through the television either.  Young as I am, I still remember talking about SNL skits on the playground or Seinfeld episodes around the water cooler.  Everyone could relate because everyone watched the same thing.  These days are gone, and it is a reality we have to accept.  Theatre provides the chance to bring us together again in a shared communal experience that is essential to a vibrant, shared society. 

The recent loss of Actors Theatre of Phoenix and the previous loss of Arizona Jewish Theatre Company, as well as others, have been body blows to theatre artists and audiences across the valley.  I’m so grateful to the dogged (no pun intended) tenaciousness of Class 6 theatre that continues to offer shows to our community.  As gas prices return to previous highs and beyond and we face future economic downturns, more stress will be placed on our cultural establishment that relies on corporate and individual donations.  We as a society will again have to rethink how to bring ourselves together for shared experiences.  Social media, streaming video and other virtual communication are ways to share our perspectives, but I feel that we need and will always crave the human breath and live voice communicating the human experience.  Creative, heartfelt, imaginative theatre will have a place in Phoenix’s future.  I believe companies like Class 6 Theatre show us how it can be done with few resources and agile thinking.  We have a lot of talented artists in Phoenix and the ranks are growing as the city attracts refugees from other markets and our young artists develop their skills.  I’m hopeful many small venues for their expression will rise from the ashes of these cherished cultural organizations that have served us and delighted us for so many years.

Thank you for your dedication to the local arts and culture of Phoenix. So, what’s up next for you?

Unfortunately, I was one of the many actors who fell victim to Actors Theatre of Phoenix closing its doors.  I was cast in ATP’s upcoming production of Stage Kiss, which was cancelled.  So now I’m looking forward to auditions for Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at Class 6 Theatre and to the airing of Food Ball on Cox Channel 7 Saturday mornings, a game show I host. 

Thank you so much for your time! We are all very excited for this hilarious production!

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David Dickinson, a programmer turned theatre artist, has been privileged to be a company member at Childsplay, an internationally recognized theatre for young audiences, for the past seven seasons.  At Childsplay, he has played many character roles and performed over a thousand times for children all over the state of Arizona and in Las Vegas. David has also toured Southern California with the La Jolla Playhouse’s Performance Outreach Program and entertained the youth of Belgium and The Netherlands on tour with Speeltheater Holland.  Recent stage work includes The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane at Childsplay and Opus at Actors Theatre of Phoenix. David is passionate about the script development process and has been involved as an actor in the development of new works through the Write Now! national play development conference, the Hormel Festival of New Plays and Musicals at Phoenix Theatre and several development workshops at Childsplay.  On camera David recently hosted Food-Ball, a reality-TV cooking competition for teens.  He is represented by the Ford Robert Black Agency and is an Associate Artists at Megaw Actors Studio.  In his spare time, he enjoys learning French, playing violin and tinkering on the piano, banjo and harmonica. www.davidjdickinson.com