Hello Beautiful People,
I am so pleased to introduce you all to our next participant in the Actors & Actresses Q&A Series at The Write Teacher(s), Lauren Ward. She is a truly brilliant actress and singer. She has performed both On and Off Broadway, (1776, FOLLIES, Carousel, and The Heiress) and the Royal Shakespeare Company, VIOLET, (for which she received a Theatre World Award, Drama-Logue Award, and Drama Desk Nomination), Saturday Night, Time and Again, Wiseguys, Jack’s Holiday, Exactly Like You, and New Moon. Although she has spent many years in London, Lauren will now be returning to Broadway, reviving the role of Miss Honey in Matilda, a role that she originated in the RSC production. Did I mention that Lauren is also married, and she has three young children, and yet, she was able to take time out of her busy rehearsal schedule and life, and sit and chat with me about theater, life, Matilda, and arts education? Well, she did. And I feel so very blessed to have been able to spend that time with her. She is humble, she is gracious, she is a true class act.
TWT: Can you pinpoint the moment you knew you were going to be an actress and a singer?
LW: Sort of, I went to drama classes because my brother attended them at UMKC. He went cause he was shy. I went because it was fun. I was four. I thought it was fun. When I was thirteen, I told my mom that this was what I wanted to do. From then on…I knew.
TWT: What’s it like to work with Tim Minchin?
LW: He’s great. Funny. Witty. Normal. Supportive. He’s a great musician, and a terrific collaborator, which is awesome for an actor.
TWT: You’ve performed on some of the world’s most prestigious stages. Is there any space that feels most like home? Closest to your heart?
LW: Playwrights Horizons.
TWT: What’s the best piece of advice that you were given in regards to your career that you would want to pass onto performers who are just starting out?
LW: First thing I would say is that you’re always going to have to work, so make sure your passionate about what you’re doing. If you do what you love, and do it well, the money will eventually follow. So, be driven by your passion, and when you find that passion, find the best school within your means. You can’t be afraid to go for it, and take chances.
TWT: You were in the original cast Matilda in London at the Cambridge Theatre. What’s the whole phenomenon been like?
LW: It’s been a wonderful process from the beginning, and it came out of a very pure place. It is amazing to see the show get the response it has from the audiences in the UK. I hope that American audiences have a good response to the material and that more people get the chance to experience it. It’s been a great journey for me and hopefully, for the time people are in the theatre, they will be transported through a storytelling journey that will stay with them for a while.
TWT: You are a wife, a mother of three children, and a very successful and busy actress and singer. How do you juggle it all? Is it ever hard to shut off all the noise and chatter and just…be?
LW: I have those moments in my dressing room, but I don’t work at all in the same way since I had children. Sometimes I don’t look at a script until nine in the evening, after mom duties are all finished, role of mom comes first. I cycled to work in London, and that for me was a chance to meditate, clear my head, and focus on the work. I think, especially after children, you realize that sometimes you don’t need as much preparation as you think you do. You learn to trust your instincts more, not overthink as much.
TWT: In today’s economy, arts programs in schools are being cut. What reasons would you give a politician for preserving the arts?
LW: If you look at most successful businesses, they have a creative aspect. If you don’t have exposure to the arts, you lack creative development. Just because you play the recorder doesn’t mean you will be a professional musician, but it doesn’t mean you won’t benefit from that knowledge. Also, the entertainment industry is huge, and by cutting arts education, you’re limiting children from having that as a future career. Why would you do that? Just look at where we are right now, look at Times Square. This whole area was revitalized because of the arts, because of theater; it’s not just about the actors, it’s about the technicians, the scenic designers, the costume designers, the make-up artists, the marketing personnel…the list goes on, but the important thing to remember is that art just does not lend itself to creating actors, singers, musicians, and painters. There are a myriad of jobs that come from arts education, just look at a company like Pixar! It’s important to have a foundation of all components of knowledge, science, math, literature, and art. Creativity is needed.
TWT: Just for fun, what sound do you hate and what sound do you love?
LW: I hate when I hear my children scream. I love it when they laugh.
TWT: The story of Matilda appeals to book lovers everywhere. What are some of your favorite books, both for children and adults?
LW: Oh, so hard to pick just one! A Monster Calls, When Hitler Stole White Rabbit, The Famous Five Series, Goodnight Mr. Tom, and The Fault in Our Stars.
TWT: Who is/was your greatest teacher?
LW: I’ve had several great teachers, my high school teacher, Betsy Sexton, who made me believe I could do it. From The University of North Carolina School of the Arts: Leslie Hunt, Barney Hammond, and Bob Fransisconi. I was fortunate to have Maryann Challis as a brilliant singing teacher. They all were wonderful.
Thank you, Lauren! And readers, be sure to get thee to the theater and see this show!
Live, Love, Learn,