No matter who your family is, you have a matriarch in your life. A matriarch, to me, is someone who supports you with their warmth, their wit, and their enthusiasm for your dreams.
Within the Synergy Theater family, I consider Deb Kern Synergy Theater's matriarch. I've heard Kenn refer to her as his longest-running student.
Lynn Shields is another powerful force for good within Synergy Theater. Lynn is a Synergy Theater player, and we talk about her foray into directing the spontaneous soap opera series Days of our Wives. Deb and Lynn are wise, funny, and dedicated to the art of improvisation. They inspire everyone around them to be their best selves on and off the stage.
What is it about villains that we like so much? How do we overcome the instinct to deny our guilt and plead our case when being painted as a villain in a scene? What role does status play in the hero-villain relationship? These are the themes that Arastoo Darkashan, Reggie Harris, and I have fun discussing. Arastoo is a regular performer with Synergy Theater, and also pursues acting, writing, and music. Reggie uses what he learns in Synergy Theater classes in his professional voiceover work. Reggie's company, Better Together, offers coaching on how to use improv principles in on-the-job settings. The truth is, every good dramatic story needs a villain. Get in touch with your dark side, in service to the story, with Reggie and Arastoo! ...
Geraldine Carolan and Yafeng Wang are students of Synergy Theater's Master Class: How to Improvise a Full-Length Play. We talk about how they found Improv, what they find challenging, and the importance of inclusivity. ...
Arlene Hutton and Heather Adams are playwrights, and so much more. Arlene may be best known for her award-winning Nibroc trilogy of plays - Last Train to Nibroc, See Rock City, and Gulf View Drive. Heather is the founder and director of AU Quills and Capes, a group dedicated to supporting young playwrights at American University. We talk about what it's like to take part in Synergy Theater's and Freestyle Rep's Write Away - event that combines writing, improv, and acting. And there's Winnie the Pooh, Sriracha, and Haiku! ...
