the grammar of the two participants, I chose to transpose the interview verbatim. I?ve clearly marked the areas where the
participants words were inarticulate.
Also, I hope you all don?t mind that I interjected my own thoughts in this interview, just things that came to mind as I was
watching the video. It?s all clearly marked, so you will know when the thoughts are mine! Also, FYI, the official names for
some of the actors mentioned in this interview are Dame Judi Dench and Sir Lawrence Olivier. Both were Knighted by HRM,
Queen Elizabeth of England.
On a personal note, I had a major problem with my tape, and I've heard from another person that their copy was also defective.
However, I've had wonderful dealings with Creation, and in particular, Sharon Delaney, so I'm sure I'll be able to get an address
of where to send this defective tape for a replacement. I would highly encourage all of you to buy Kit #6 because although I
tried to include Reneé O'Connor's body gestures, the verbal descriptions and transcript will never be able to show you everything
that you're missing on the tape, especially the first segement of Lucy Lawless and Reneé O'Connor together that even I haven't
seen yet because of the defective tape. So my last words on this, GO TO CREATION AND ORDER A COPY, before they all
sell out! You won't be disappointed!
L. Crystal Michallet
February 8, 2003, Sat.
To order Fan Club Kit #6, go to: http://www.creationent.com/
Before the Curtain Rises
Interview with Reneé O'Connor before her performance as Lady Macbeth with the troupe of Shakespeare by the Sea, at San
Pedro, California..
Interviewed by Sharon Delaney of Creation Entertainment.
Intro, Reneé O'Connor reciting Sonnet 29
ROC: ahhh, this is so beautiful, what a way to start a show
SD: Hey Reneé, I can?t help but notice, your hair has grown awfully fast!
ROC: <chuckles> I was taking this William Shakespeare class, and my teacher came from a rehearsal for The Merchant of
Venice and she had this beautiful hairpiece in and this rehearsal skirt and I thought, ?Well what a great way to really get into the
period? so I went to this Macbeth audition with this hairpiece and lo and behold, it stayed forever.
SD: How did you?ummm? come to be with Shakespeare by the Sea, how did you find them?
ROC: I was looking into a Shakespeare play for the experience after ten years of, you know, of being away from live theatre
and randomly saw an audition for Shakespeare by the Sea doing Much Ado About Nothing and Macbeth.
Interview cuts to Reneé O'Connor reciting Merchant of Venice 3.2
I love this one and I wish she could have performed a role in this play! ? LCM -
SD: In the interview we did, you mention liking the classics, and the classics like Tennessee Williams and Ibsen. What attracted
you specifically to going into Shakespeare right now?
ROC: I took a class at the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum? <--- (Thanks to Richard H. for clearing up this section that was
inaudible in the video) that analyzed only William Shakespeare?s work, so by participating in a play from Shakespeare, I could
really apply what I?d learned and that was my main focus for the summer?.
I?m assuming Reneé O'Connor is referring to the writer, Henrik Ibsen. I am curious to know if she read, A Doll's House, and if
so, what are her thoughts on this play that was, during its time, controversial. ?LCM-
Fades to another part of the interview
ROC: I think all the classics are interesting for actors because there are layers to the characters that you can keep analyzing.
William Shakespear in particular has a rhythm to his work.
Reneé O'Connor recites Macbeth 3.2
Ends recitation with:
ROC: God Bless William Shakespeare! Get on ?em!
Fades
ROC: Before the show starts, you?ll see all the actors spread out in this park, and everyone does different things. Some guys
get on the?get on the edge of these?umm?of this wall here which falls over the cliff, and they just sing to the ocean! I go and do
yoga underneath a palm tree, I think that?s quiet relaxing? ummm?some of the guys play ball, so you see bits of everything. But
the idea is to warm up physically, vocally?.
Show?s Reneé O'Connor doing yoga
Background sounds, baby cries, Reneé O'Connor smiles as she glances toward the sound.
