GCP Girl: Tell me a bit about your character.
JC: I play Mother Miriam Ruth, Mother Superior of the Convent. She joined the Convent late in life, after marriage and family. Her dearest wish is for the Church to provide her with the "simplicity and peace" that she failed to find "outside." Unfortunately, she discovers that nothing can ever be that simple.
GCP Girl: Tell me about some of your previous shows.
JC: Audiences at GCP may have seen me as Willie Mae in "The Sugar Bean Sisters," Madame Arcati in "Blithe Spirit," Mama Wheelis in "Daddy's Dyin...," and Lottie in "The Murder Room." The closest role in intensity to playing Mother was playing Hecuba in Sartre's version of "Trojan Women," staged in an old palace in Kathmandu, Nepal.
GCP Girl: Why did you audition for "Agnes of God"?
JC: I auditioned for "Agnes of God" because I love drama best of all.
GCP Girl: What is your favorite scene in the show?
JC: A scene at the end of the first act where we learn about what motivates Mother Miriam, and also what drives Doctor Livingstone's responses to life. The scene is respectfully dedicated, in my head, to William Wordsworth. I would be very, very surprised to learn that our playwright was NOT an English major at University!
GCP Girl: What do you hope audiences take away from "Agnes of God"? Why should people see it?
JC: "The mind is a remarkable thing," says the Mother. Essentially, her opponent, Dr. Livingstone, agrees. But keeping an open mind about things is a lot harder. This closed-mindedness sometimes causes us to do terrible things to each other and to ourselves.
GCP Girl: Why do you think “Agnes of God” has had such success on stage and in film?
JC: The play is actually a bit of a "thriller"--the audience hopefully will be riveted to their seats waiting to see what the "answer" is. Or, actually, have to come up with their own answers, because there are no easy ones. In my mind, the success of a play is how long you discuss it afterwards and how passionate you become over what you see as the message of the play (all of this done, preferable, over wine!).
GCP Girl: What about this show has challenged or inspired you, as an actor and as a person?
JC: I need to be "regal"--I am not. I need to be "still"--I am not. I need to move when and where Carlos tells me to move--a grade of C so far, I would estimate! I need to learn not just the lines, but when to break in on others' lines as demanded by the script. And I need to make my very literary lines ring with true conviction. I may never be regal (sorry, Carlos), but I hope to make that truth a reality.
GCP Girl: What has been your favorite part of this experience so far?
JC: Working with Carlos [Asse] and Jennie [Stringfellow] (again). And also David Aiken, a superb stage manager.
GCP Girl: Tell me something you'd like everyone to know!
JC: The Box Office is open, and in my other "career" as daytime box office manager for GCP, I would be so very happy to sell you tickets to "Agnes of God."
Thanks, Jan! Everyone should take her up on that offer and get their tickets to "Agnes of God"!
xo xo GCP Girl
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