Actors & Actresses Q&A Series: Siri Howard

Hello Beautiful People,

I’m very pleased to introduce you to our next actress in the Actors & Actresses Q&A Series, Siri Howard.  She has performed on Broadway in The Sound of Music, she has been in the national tours of The Sound of Music, Parade, and she is currently in the National Tour ofLes Misérables. Her regional theater credits span from New York to San Diego, and many place in between. She’s a trained opera singer, a graduate of the University of Maryland at College Park, and a USO Liberty Bell. Siri has a passion and dedication to her work that is palpable. She is a gem of a human being. I’m very blessed to be able to call her a friend, and I’m so happy she took the time to participate in our Q&A at The Write Teacher(s).

Friends, meet Siri Howard….

TWT: Currently, you’re playing the Crazy Whore/Cosette Understudy in the 25^th Anniversary Tour of Les Miserables.  Can you give our readers some insight as to what life on tour is like?

SH: Tour life is like no other; we change cities almost every week and it really keep us on our toes as we adjust to new theatres, new local crews, new audiences, and new cities.  I’ve gotten to experience so much local culture all over the country and nothing can top that.  It also makes for a tight-knit company since we are the only constant.  It’s very exciting, but can also be exhausting as we are constantly acclimatizing to our surroundings, so we all make sure to balance our fun and adventuring with making sure we get plenty of rest. Staying healthy is a necessity so that we can still perform 8 shows a week.

TWT: What advice would you give to students in high school and college who are looking to pursue a career in theatre?

SH: Keep learning!  Art is ever-changing and there is no “perfect.”  I love watching my fellow actors perform, and I see performances whenever I can.  I also think it’s important to keep up with voice lessons, dance classes, audition classes, acting classes, etc., so you can maintain.  It’s like bodybuilding; if you stop working out you lose muscle mass.  In performing, if you stop taking classes and stop learning, your performances can become stale and you can even lose technique.  Plus, it’s exciting to work alongside your peers and see each other grow; there’s so much to learn from one another, and there are endless possibilities to what you can attain.

TWT: If you were not an actress and a singer, what career do you think you would have?  Do you think that music and theatre would still be a significant part of your life, even if your profession were different?

SH: There are so many things I’d love to try, but one of the most rewarding things for me is teaching.  I love a “process”, and seeing people grow and learn.  Perhaps it is because my mother was a teacher and I got to see how much of an impact she had on so many young people’s lives, including my own. I could see myself being very happy as a teacher.  Then of course there are the fantasy careers like an archaeologist or art dealer, which seem really romantic and exciting to me, as well as full of travel and discovery!

TWT: You’ve been in several Broadway productions, National Tours, regional theatre productions, and operas. Of all the roles you’ve played, is there one that is closest to your heart?

SH: Every theatrical experience has been so unique and wonderful in its own way, as well as the lessons learned, even when they were learned “the hard way.”  I have been an understudy twice, on Broadway in The Sound of Music understudying Liesl, and now in Les Misérab, understudying Cosette.  Interestingly they are the same age, and I’m playing them 15 years apart!  I’m torn between the two because I was so fortunate to work with directors who let me explore the characters in my own way (not always the case for an understudy), and I had so many opportunities to perform the characters and give them each a life of their own.  Also, as an understudy, there is less pressure and so much support from the company.  It many not be as glamorous as playing the lead, but I’ve been very lucky with my experiences.  If I had to choose, though, I’d say Cosette, since I go through such an amazing journey with her every time I go on, and my boyfriend Max Quinlan plays Marius; it couldn’t be more romantic than that!

TWT: What three pieces of advice would you give to younger singers, actors, and actresses?

 SH: 1. Be humble.  There is no room for divas in this industry.  Do good work no matter what it is, be grateful for it, and be nice to everyone (you never know who could end up being a big-shot!).  That’s not to say you shouldn’t be confident, but know that there are a lot of talented people out there and a good personality goes a long way.

SH: 2. Keep learning.  I said this before, but you can never be “good enough.”  Be excited about learning and see how far you can push yourself and your abilities.

SH: 3. It’s a job, it’s a career, and it is not your whole life.  Try to have something to balance out your performing career.  Pick up a hobby, do activities that have nothing to do with theatre, and try not to make every conversation about “the business.”  Actors need to be well-rounded people.  We are, after all, playing people from all walks of life.  Plus, this is such a stressful career, full of ups and downs.  It’s too unstable to hang everything in your life on, so it’s good to know that when you’re unemployed or in a difficult work situation you have other things to look forward to.

TWT: Just for fun, what’s your favorite movie and play?

SH: I feel like my favorite movie changes a lot, so I’d be hard pressed to pick just one.  Though I do LOVE Wes Anderson, particularly The Royal Tennenbaums and The Darjeeling Limited.  He is an amazing storyteller, and his films are about the ensemble, not necessarily one person.  It’s great to see his actors work together cohesively on meaningful material that needs to be interpreted in a specific way. My favorite play is Crimes of the Heart by Beth Henley.  It’s about three sisters, which is already significant to me because I am one of three sisters, and it’s so well-written you could hear someone read the lines in monotone and you’d be laughing and crying out loud hearing them.

TWT: What role would you most love to play?

SH: Right now I’d love to play Clara in The Light in the Piazza.  The show is so romantic, tender, and profound, and Adam Guettel is one of my favorite composers.  It would be incredible to work on Clara both for the character and the music. 

TWT: Here at The Write Teacher(s), we have adopted the mottos Art Drives Life, and Theatre Transforms Lives.  Would you disagree or agree with those statements and why?

SH: I think the Greeks had it right when they taught the Humanities.  Art was a huge part of their education and so much of our learning comes from them.  I think they knew that art was the key to imagination, which opened us up to possibility and creativity.  Creation is the source of life.  Without art we are not innovators, we merely reiterate, and innovation keeps us moving forward as a race.  So yes, I do very much believe Art Drives Life.  I know so many people who are moved by theatre.  With a different production of Les Miserables, I performed for an audience of cadets at West Point Military Academy.  To look out and see them so moved, especially by the Barricade scene, was an amazing experience.  They felt like someone knew the sacrifice they were willing to make, and felt touched by the knowledge that they were not alone in this world.  Nothing can come close to that.  The young people who see a live performance for the first time and feel something deeper than they’ve ever experienced, opening them up in new ways whether it is emotionally, artistically, musically, or any other inspirational way, I cannot think of any other way than to say that Theatre Transforms Lives.

TWT: In today’s economy, arts programs in schools are being cut. What reasons would you give a politician for preserving the arts?

SH: The arts are the doorway to imagination, creativity, and innovation.  Without them we are shutting that door, and, in doing so, we are creating the possibility of engendering a new generation of thinkers who will move our society forward.

TWT: Who is/was your greatest teacher?

SH: My mother, Linda Howard.  She was my high school choral teacher, theatre director, as well my teacher for other music and theatre-related classes.  She was a wonderful teacher; she was patient, with high expectations for every student, not because she was a taskmaster, but because she saw potential in everyone.  She believed in her students, and in me, and pushed me to reach my potential. She taught me to not think of the limitations but instead focus on the possibilities, and to treat every performance as an opportunity to do something special.  She gave us difficult music to sing in our chorus, chose plays and musicals that were not “typical” high school show material, and created an atmosphere of professionalism and creativity.  She is the reason I have gotten this far, and hopefully will go even further in my career and in my life.

Thank you, Siri! 

Live, Love, Learn,

Megan & The Write Teacher(s)