Latest / The BSB Podcast / Exclusive Interview: Samantha Teter and Camy Sylvestre of Rosedale Community Players' 'Tracy Jones'

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Exclusive Interview: Samantha Teter and Camy Sylvestre of Rosedale Community Players' 'Tracy Jones' · The BSB Podcast

• 0:00
  thank you so much, Camy and Samantha for joining me today and taking time out of your rehearsal schedule to chat about Tracy Jones at Rosedale Community Players.
• 0:07
  How's it going?
• 0:09
  Well, how are you?
• 0:12
  Um, you're currently about what?
• 0:14
  Two, two and a half weeks out from opening nights.
• 0:18
  Am I doing my math wrong?
• 0:19
  Is it a week?
• 0:21
  I still think we're in September for some reason.
• 0:23
  Um, so Samantha, how is the rehearsal process been so far?
• 0:29
  It's been a lot of fun.
• 0:30
  uh think because it's a small cast, there's only four of us.
• 0:35
  uh It's actually gone really fast, I think, but because it's a small cast and a lot of lines, it's definitely been a challenge for all of us, just to kind of ah keep scenes
• 0:48
  moving, but honestly, it's been so much fun.
• 0:51
  Camy, how about for you?
• 0:52
  How's that rehearsal process been?
• 0:53
  Yes, totally agree.
• 0:55
  Lots of lines.
• 0:56
  So that's been a challenge, but it's been a really smooth process otherwise.
• 1:00
  um Having a small cast keeps us really tight knit.
• 1:05
  So that's been really fun.
• 1:07
  And everyone's just so great and positive.
• 1:10
  It's been a really positive, uplifting experience.
• 1:14
  Now is this one of the smaller cast that you've been in?
• 1:16
  Cause four players, that's not a lot of people.
• 1:18
  No.
• 1:19
  I think I've only done one other show.
• 1:21
  Oh no, that had five.
• 1:22
  So yeah, this is definitely my smallest cast.
• 1:25
  Yeah.
• 1:26
  I've done a show that had three characters, but we each had our own monologue.
• 1:31
  So we were only on stage by ourselves.
• 1:33
  uh Yeah, that was challenging.
• 1:38
  So with only four players, Samantha, what is that kind of like?
• 1:41
  feel like that's, again, not an actor, but I feel like that's both intimidating but probably exhilarating at the same time.
• 1:48
  say for me and I'm sure Camy is going to have a different experience.
• 1:52
  I didn't know the other three at all.
• 1:55
  I'm actually fairly new to Michigan and this was only the second production I've done since moving here and so for me it was kind of getting to know you while also being in a
• 2:05
  brand new space I'd never performed in with a script I've never done.
• 2:10
  So
• 2:10
  I would say it was not really intimidating at the beginning, but it was definitely a brand new experience for me.
• 2:17
  And yeah, now that we're this far into it, it's just, like I said, it's been great getting to know these people and the script and the space.
• 2:24
  Camy, what's it like to be like only four people on a stage together?
• 2:26
  Like there's not a lot of places to hide at that point.
• 2:29
  absolutely not.
• 2:30
  It's very intimate for sure.
• 2:32
  And in this show, we all get to interact with each other, which is cool.
• 2:36
  um So you get a lot of time with each person, ah which is a lot of fun.
• 2:42
  And I'm kind of the opposite.
• 2:43
  I knew everyone except for Sam.
• 2:46
  um And I've done stuff at RCP before, so I'm familiar with the space and I kind of knew everybody else.
• 2:52
  But it's been fun to work with them in a tighter capacity.
• 2:55
  So speaking of the show, you know, I know that we probably don't give too many spoilers, but I was hoping, Camy, that maybe we could just talk about like, what is going on in
• 3:03
  Tracy Jones?
• 3:03
  Because it seems like there's a lot of Tracy Jones going around in this show.
• 3:07
  Yes, there are lots of Tracy Joneses.
• 3:10
  So Tracy Jones is the story of a woman named Tracy Jones who was very lonely, very alone in her life.
• 3:18
  And she decides to throw a party for all women named Tracy Jones just to bring them all together.
• 3:24
  And it does not go as planned.
• 3:27
  Chaos ensues.
• 3:29
  So it's...
• 3:30
  a really funny and also kind of heartbreaking story.
• 3:34
  And I feel like it hits that balance really nicely.
• 3:36
  Samantha, what drew you to the story?
• 3:38
  Because obviously there was something about this that you're like, I'm going to audition for this show because it's to me.
• 3:43
  Yeah, absolutely.
• 3:44
  So honestly, the first thing is I'm over 50 and so looking for roles for women my age can be difficult and so when I found out that you know, there were women my age in this in
• 3:56
  this production I was like sure, know, let me read it and em I Got a hold of the script and I read it and I'm like, this is hilarious.
• 4:04
  This is funny.
• 4:05
  This is great And then you get to a point Well, you're like wow That went deep
• 4:12
  And so what I really liked about it is that, yes, it has all this comedy, but it also is very heartfelt and like Camy said, a bit of heartbreak with it.
• 4:21
  And it really kind of found a way to connect with the character more because of that.
• 4:27
  mean, of course, comedy is great, but uh I think kind of those other parts in the script really humanized everybody, which I think a lot of people can really relate with.
• 4:37
  You know, it's interesting, I just spoke with somebody else who's doing another show and they had mentioned of like, as a woman, when you get to be a certain type of age, all of
• 4:45
  sudden the roles, they just kind of disappear and you have to like, accept that you're either playing the mom or eventually the grandma and like nothing else in the middle and
• 4:52
  there's not a lot of material for that.
• 4:55
  And it sounds like this show really kind of appealed to you because it had that.
• 4:58
  Yes, absolutely.
• 4:59
  And Meg Berger, the director, uh she said that it's very important for her to direct shows that have roles for older women.
• 5:08
  So it's been a great opportunity.
• 5:10
  So what drew you, Camy, to this show?
• 5:13
  Because it sounds like you also have quite a bit of passion about it.
• 5:17
  Yes, actually I was on the script reading committee for RCP and I read this script and I remembered loving it when I read it.
• 5:26
  It was the very first script I read for the season and I was like, oh, I'm going to keep that one in mind.
• 5:31
  I love the balance of heartbreak comedy.
• 5:34
  It's a bit satirical at parts, but also very relatable.
• 5:40
  It just strikes a really, really impressive balance, I think.
• 5:44
  So I kept it in the back of my mind.
• 5:45
  you know, spoiler, my partner is also in the show and I really wanted him to audition because I thought he would be great in it.
• 5:53
  And I tagged along at auditions and I was like, I'll just go for it.
• 5:57
  It was a great script and here we are.
• 6:00
  So it sounds like you really loved this script.
• 6:02
  did, yeah, I think it's really well written.
• 6:05
  I think it hits on all the emotions.
• 6:08
  I think we can all relate to it in a post-COVID world where we went through that loneliness and we're still trying to figure out how to reconnect to people.
• 6:15
  um I think it's timely and yeah, like I said, really well written.
• 6:20
  I don't know, I just really felt drawn to it when I read it.
• 6:24
  I think what my mind keeps going to when you're talking about like the balance of these tones of like there's a little bit of darkness and sadness to it, but there's a lot of
• 6:31
  that comedy.
• 6:31
  It kind of reminds me of like those almost nostalgic shows of like when I grew up of like Gilmore Girls, you know, where you kind of have that, that like there is a lot of sadness
• 6:40
  in there sometimes and you're balancing that with like you are laughing and um Samantha, would you say that it kind of feels like that tonally or am I off the mark here?
• 6:50
  no, absolutely.
• 6:51
  Honestly, when I was reading the script, you know, just kind of going along, going along, and then all of a sudden I went, ooh, that went dark fast.
• 6:58
  And so I'm curious how the audience is going to take that because it really does kind of make a uh 180, like really quickly.
• 7:08
  um But again, without giving too much away, you're really going to understand why it takes that turn.
• 7:15
  um
• 7:17
  And so I think it's fine.
• 7:19
  think people are going to laugh.
• 7:21
  Even if it gets awkward, I know that the audience is probably still going to find humor within it because we do on stage.
• 7:28
  I mean, uh even in some really kind of heartbreaking stories, there's laugh lines.
• 7:35
  And so I think it really is a good mix of kind of all of that.
• 7:39
  Mm-hmm.
• 7:40
  And know, granted, kind of just going off what you said, I've never seen Tracy Jones before, but like, even the premise of somebody who's lonely and is inviting people that
• 7:48
  share that name, like you said, it touches on that time during COVID and still to this day where a lot of the times our lives are very separated.
• 7:56
  We're all living very busy lives and we don't always have time for each other.
• 7:59
  And so it's also kind of playing to that, that a lot of people uh are dealing with.
• 8:05
  Totally.
• 8:06
  She, my character has a line where she says, I just can't do another Zoom because, and she never finishes the sentence, but we all like filled it.
• 8:14
  Like we know why we can't do another Zoom, right?
• 8:18
  We need that human connection.
• 8:21
  Absolutely.
• 8:22
  mean, like granted, we're using it right.
• 8:24
  We're using a system kind of like it right now, but, but, but it's also, it doesn't give you like, again, this is the, it's not going to hug you back in a way.
• 8:33
  You know I mean?
• 8:33
  Like a computer is a computer and you know, we can share those things, but people miss that human connection.
• 8:39
  And so it's cool to have a story that probably no matter where you are in your life, if you've lived through COVID or something similar, you know how that is, or you've lived
• 8:47
  even through like depression, you know, when you're just kind of, you feel lonely and alone.
• 8:52
  huh.
• 8:52
  depression, anxiety, anything that plagues, you know, human nature like that.
• 8:58
  Very relatable.
• 9:01
  Samantha, you're playing Tracy Eleanor Jones.
• 9:04
  Quotation marks around Eleanor.
• 9:06
  uh What is your character's arc through the story?
• 9:10
  Again, we don't want to give away too much, but people could obviously come, but who is your Tracy Jones?
• 9:16
  Sure.
• 9:16
  It actually took me a little while to kind of find this Tracy.
• 9:21
  uh I'm going to say that, that she comes on with a lot of confidence in many ways, but then also very shy and withdrawn in others.
• 9:34
  And so there's really a lot going on with her, which you'll find out later why.
• 9:39
  uh And so trying to discover really who she was.
• 9:43
  was a bit of a challenge because I'm like, okay, well, am I showing off here?
• 9:48
  Am I just being like super anxious here?
• 9:50
  Like, how am I going to really define this character?
• 9:54
  And honestly, I feel like she's, again, a lot of people.
• 9:57
  Like, none of us are just like one personality.
• 10:00
  We've got multiple personalities depending on the situation, the time of day.
• 10:04
  And I feel like my Tracy is going through all of those in one play.
• 10:09
  So that's how I would define it.
• 10:12
  And so I'm sure it's, you you're just talking about what this thing is like.
• 10:16
  So you receive an invitation to this.
• 10:17
  That's to be quite shocking for your character.
• 10:20
  Yeah, I mean, well, the Tracy Jones actually does a variety of ways to invite people.
• 10:27
  And so my Tracy happened to find uh a poster of it.
• 10:32
  So that's how she found out about it.
• 10:35
  little bit of a mystery here.
• 10:36
  like this too.
• 10:39
  And so Camy who is your Tracy Jones that?
• 10:42
  Yeah, my Tracy Jones is the Tracy Jones on the title of a very lonely Tracy Jones, who just cannot do another zoom and wants to throw a party just to bring women together.
• 10:54
  She's unhappy with her life.
• 10:57
  unhappy with her her job.
• 10:59
  She's unfulfilled.
• 11:00
  She's very lonely, as I said.
• 11:02
  And she thinks that connecting with other people with her name can help her become a better version of herself, a better version of Tracy Jones.
• 11:12
  And she's multifaceted.
• 11:13
  She's abrasive and cringe, totally cringe.
• 11:19
  But also, there's some sweetness in there and some just she's just a little misunderstood.
• 11:26
  you
• 11:27
  a little bit off putting to the other Tracy Joneses?
• 11:30
  Very much so.
• 11:31
  I would say she is off-putting to all of the characters.
• 11:34
  oh
• 11:38
  What is it like for both of you to, like, I know that obviously there's always a little bit of us in these characters, you know, we put ourselves in there, but it sounds like
• 11:45
  these are almost extremes of what we can be, you know, of like, so Samantha, what is it like then to step into a role like that and kind of play with who your Tracy Jones is?
• 11:58
  Sure.
• 11:58
  So kind of the funny, the funny thing I have, I've only done two shows here in Michigan since moving here.
• 12:05
  And this is the second Eleanor I played this year, Tracy Eleanor Jones.
• 12:10
  And the first Eleanor was in the Lion in Winter, uh which was just, she's Eleanor of Aquitaine, you know, a fabulous character.
• 12:17
  I was able to find a lot of myself in that role.
• 12:21
  And so in this role, kind of the way that I approached it was again, being a newcomer.
• 12:27
  to Michigan and being in this new environment, I know how she felt.
• 12:34
  I know kind of the loneliness that this Tracy felt because I came into this new city and didn't know anybody and I had to make friends and I had to put myself out there, which is
• 12:45
  really what my Tracy does in the play.
• 12:48
  And so that's how I've been able to really relate to uh my Tracy is just, putting yourself out there, putting yourself in a situation where
• 12:56
  You might be vulnerable, but you also might make some friends out of it.
• 13:01
  I mean, that's such a genuine way to approach the character, though.
• 13:04
  That's one of richness to be able to be like, have this experience.
• 13:07
  And that's not even just an experience that we've all had, but you've recently had it.
• 13:11
  Right, exactly.
• 13:13
  Um, does it hit a little too close to home at times then?
• 13:16
  No, because honestly I found my tribe here and honestly it is with theater people.
• 13:21
  I mean go figure.
• 13:23
  But yeah, I mean I know who knew.
• 13:27
  So, how do you approach then your Tracy Jones?
• 13:31
  So I, COVID really did a number on me.
• 13:35
  I'm very extroverted, uh very outgoing.
• 13:39
  And when all of a sudden I was like in my house, couldn't really see people, couldn't really connect with people in the same way, that really affected me.
• 13:46
  And I feel like I'm still kind of dealing with the effects of that.
• 13:50
  I feel like I'm.
• 13:51
  a little more introverted now.
• 13:52
  I'm a little bit more of a homebody now than I was.
• 13:54
  And I'm like, I don't even feel like I know myself.
• 13:58
  And that feeling of loneliness that I had not really super experienced earlier in my life because I was always go, go, go, hanging out with people.
• 14:06
  um Tapping into that was uh easier than I expected and also very painful to put myself back in that mindset.
• 14:16
  But I think we can all also relate.
• 14:18
  I know that I can and I
• 14:20
  definitely can relate to my character in this way, that feeling of wanting to wake up and just be like a better version of yourself, right?
• 14:26
  I'm like, tomorrow I'm gonna wake up early and I'm gonna go for a run.
• 14:31
  It doesn't happen, right?
• 14:32
  But I tell myself it'll happen and that longing of just improving yourself and wanting to be a little bit different than you are, I can totally relate to that.
• 14:41
  So there's definitely a lot of that in her too.
• 14:44
  So there's quite a few different pieces that you can pick up on in this character.
• 14:47
  Yes, very multifaceted.
• 14:49
  Yeah, they all are.
• 14:50
  They're all so well written.
• 14:51
  All four of the characters have so many different layers and levels.
• 14:56
  which I think it really speaks to being able to have only, like there's only four people on the stage because you really can spend time with each one and it's not like a, you
• 15:04
  know, a musical where there could be 20 people on stage and you're all doing a number, but you don't really get to know who they are.
• 15:10
  Yes, absolutely.
• 15:12
  So Samantha, how has this show challenged you as an actor?
• 15:16
  Um, I would say, again, probably going back to the fact that, you know, it's new people, new space.
• 15:24
  Um, you know, I've been acting for almost 40 years and,
• 15:30
  Yeah, anytime I enter a new space with new people, it's definitely a learning curve.
• 15:34
  And I'm actually, know Camy says she's extroverted, I'm actually more introverted, so I'm a bit more shy.
• 15:40
  So, you know, I'm always curious, like, are people gonna like me?
• 15:44
  you know, am I gonna have fun with them?
• 15:46
  Are we gonna hang out?
• 15:47
  And so, yeah, I think kind of that just, you know, not knowing how it's going to go, because I think we've all been in, em
• 15:56
  shows before where maybe it just didn't connect with people, you didn't really have any fun.
• 16:01
  And so there's always kind of that concern, is this really the right thing that I should be doing right now?
• 16:06
  ah So yeah, it's just luckily it's all turned out really well.
• 16:11
  I think that it's, it's like, there's one community that's really accepting.
• 16:15
  It's theater of people.
• 16:15
  You know what I mean?
• 16:16
  But like, I can understand what you're saying.
• 16:17
  There's sometimes that you go into a show or you go into a room and you just don't drive with those people, no matter how much you try.
• 16:23
  Yep.
• 16:24
  Cammie, how has this challenged you to improve your craft?
• 16:27
  Yeah, absolutely.
• 16:28
  Well, it's a lot of lines.
• 16:30
  So that's about a challenge in and of itself.
• 16:33
  it's funny, I actually, normally, uh I've been doing theater forever and I normally play, um can I swear on here?
• 16:43
  Okay, so I normally play like the bitchy, hard ass characters, you know, um or the seductress or things like that.
• 16:51
  I have never really played anyone who's like awkward.
• 16:55
  and lonely and off-putting to everyone around her.
• 16:59
  So getting out of what I've kind of been pigeonholed as, the different roles that I've played has been really, really challenging actually.
• 17:08
  Like I've always played really strong, hard-headed characters and she's definitely not that, which has been really fun and really liberating, but also, you know, happiness up
• 17:19
  outside of my box a little bit.
• 17:22
  I mean, that sounds like you said, a whole 180 for what you're used to.
• 17:25
  Totally, yes, very much so.
• 17:30
  it sounds like there's a lot of deep themes in the show.
• 17:35
  Camy, what theme resonates with you as you're going through the rehearsal process, as you're developing your character?
• 17:41
  Yes, um that's a good question.
• 17:45
  I would say connection.
• 17:47
  That's ultimately what everyone in the show is seeking in one way or another.
• 17:52
  And they're coming at it from different approaches, but these four people are ultimately together because they all need connection in some way.
• 18:01
  And that is so woven throughout the characters and throughout the lines and the plot.
• 18:07
  And just keeping in mind, like ultimately,
• 18:10
  You know, you're always trying to think like, what does my character want in the end?
• 18:13
  What is she going for?
• 18:14
  It's connection.
• 18:15
  That's what she wants.
• 18:17
  And that's just always woven into it throughout the whole show.
• 18:23
  Which I mean, is just like, again, what a great message to have woven in there, especially at today's day and age, you know?
• 18:32
  Samantha, how about for you?
• 18:32
  What theme is resonating with you right now?
• 18:35
  So besides the connection, I think what resonates is that uh whether, doesn't matter which Tracy, sometimes there are snap judgments that these characters are making about each
• 18:47
  other.
• 18:48
  We don't know what's going on in our real lives, but there may be something about the other person that we're just making a judgment based off of something.
• 18:58
  But in the end, when you dive deeper,
• 19:01
  you're like, that judgment was just totally uncalled for, you know, that I shouldn't have made that.
• 19:07
  So I'd say that's probably what I really am kind of seeing in this show.
• 19:13
  which as humans, all kind of do that.
• 19:16
  We all make, sometimes we don't mean to, but we make those snap judgments about people.
• 19:20
  Yeah.
• 19:22
  Final question then for both of you.
• 19:23
  We're gonna do just a kind of fun one, but like what three words would you use to describe this if you were just trying to quickly pitch this to somebody?
• 19:33
  Who wants to go first?
• 19:34
  I know I'm putting you both on the spot with this one.
• 19:36
  okay, I'll just, I'll just go for it.
• 19:38
  Um, quirky.
• 19:40
  It's a quirky show.
• 19:41
  Um, in the best way.
• 19:44
  Um, funny.
• 19:45
  You are going to laugh.
• 19:47
  Promise you.
• 19:48
  The audiences will laugh.
• 19:50
  Anyone who comes to see it will find humor in something.
• 19:52
  Um, and tear jerker You also might cry and that's okay.
• 19:58
  And you might be crying while you're laughing and that's sometimes the best emotion, you know?
• 20:04
  Listen, since that's getting to be in my 30s, I am a bit of a crybaby when it comes to things, so I'm anticipating being a mess.
• 20:11
  I am a huge crier, so like, luckily we can let it loose on stage and I'm sure I will, but yeah, it's, I totally feel the, and sometimes it's just really cathartic to cry and just
• 20:22
  let it out and that this show can do that.
• 20:24
  So.
• 20:26
  Beautiful answers.
• 20:26
  All right, Samantha, what three words are jumping out to you?
• 20:30
  physical, quick-witted, it's a very physical show, some physical comedy going on, um quick-witted, a lot of just really quick back and forth, uh and I'd say emotional.
• 20:45
  Before I let you go, I have to know about the comedy.
• 20:48
  Were you prepared for the physical comedy aspect of this when you got into the show?
• 20:54
  No, I'll just say that.
• 20:57
  uh You know, there's a concern about costumes like every night and let me just say that there might be some cleaning issues with costumes at the end of the night.
• 21:11
  Again, that's a mystery that I think are going to entice people to come see because they're going to want to know what's going on.
• 21:15
  Yes.
• 21:17
  Yeah.
• 21:19
  On that note, I want to just thank you both for being here with me.
• 21:21
  It has been incredible talking with you and we are so excited to see the show.
• 21:24
  So thank you for talking with us.
• 21:26
  Thank you so much!
• 21:28
  So Tracy Jones arrives at Rosedale Community Players October 10th and runs through the 25th.
• 21:32
  So get your tickets now, we'll see you there.