Man-about-town Julius Ferraro has been conducting interviews with some of our SoLow artists. We'll be featuring them here on the blog leading up to and through the Festival. Thank you Julius! And don't forget, you can view the entire lineup of artists in the full SoLow listings!
IT GIRL NO LONGER?
Star of
silent films and talkies alike, Clara Bow was named among the top two box
office draws for four years running. The original “It Girl,” Bow enjoyed
cinematic stardom like no one before her. But what kind of loneliness exists at
the center of a country’s attention? Philly theater veteran and creator of It Girl Silenced: The Last Dance of Clara
Bow Amanda Schoonover answers a few questions about writing and performing
her first ever solo work.
Was there a specific
series of events, or moments, which inspired you to create this show?
If we are
going to get really honest here, yes. This past season was not very fulfilling
for me. I felt as though perhaps everyone was just tired of my work, so it made
me start to think of what happened when the "It" girl was no longer
the "It" girl. On my much smaller scale, I can relate to how Clara
Bow must have felt. I always try to blur the lines in my work of what is
fictional and what is autobiographical and her story really struck a chord with
me.
Tell us a little about
your previous work.
I have done
quite a bit of work with Theatre Exile, so it was really fantastic for them to
offer their support by hosting my show at their space. They have been a huge
part of my development as an artist. I've also done a lot of work with Azuka
Theatre (I am doing my 9th show with them this upcoming season!) as well as the
Arden. These theaters have been my main supporters.
What are you doing in
this show that you never would have done if not for the SoLow Fest?
I have never
created my own piece before. It has been very exciting to work with my
collaborator, Brenna Geffers. We have worked together several times before, but
never building a piece from nothing. She and I have a really fantastic working
relationship. I'm like, "I have this crazy idea to do this or that,"
and she's like, "Great! This is how we can do it!"
You’re a full-time
actress in an age range for which there are, traditionally, very few female
roles. Do you think that trend is changing in Philadelphia?
Yes, I am in
a tricky age range right now. It's a bit exacerbated because I don't look
anywhere near my real age, so I think people are a little unsure what to do
with me at the moment. It is untrue that there are very few roles for women my
age. I just think theater companies are not doing those plays. Our culture is
obsessed with youth, so those are the plays that tend to get picked. We also
seem to be obsessed with the "all male" production thing, which I
really don't understand. It's extremely frustrating to see great roles ( and
jobs) being taken away from women. Do I think it's changing? Here's hoping...
What’s your source
material for this play?
I was
reading a wonderful biography about Clara Bow called Runnin' Wild by David Stenn. Her story is almost too insane to be
true. So I got a lot of inspiration from the book. It is not an adaptation. We
used what we thought would be most helpful for the sake of telling the story. I
have been in love with silent films since I was a kid, so it seemed to be a
good fit. I can't recommend seeing the film It
enough. Clara Bow was a true artist and it breaks my heart that so few people
know anything about her.
It Girl Silenced: The Last Dance of Clara Bow runs June 27, 28, 29 & 30 @8pm,
at Studio X, Theatre Exile. Walk-ins welcome.
Julius Ferraro is a Philly freelancer. He writes regularly for Art Attack and his blog, Notes on Words.