Anna-Li St. Martin: So tell me about your show. What’s it about? What should the audience                                                  expect when they come to see it?

 

Bella Liss (Ginny): People should expect to laugh and have a really good time at Five Lesbians. This                                is not a normal show in the sense that it’s a just watch kind of show. People should                                come in with an open mind. 

 

Anna-Li St. Martin: What are some major themes of the show? What things do you think the                                                audience will connect with when they come in and see the show? 

 

Brenna Lutzky (Vern): A major theme of the show is being true to yourself versus portraying yourself                                      how society wants you to be and finding the spaces where you can be yourself                                      and where you find people like you. 

 

Bella Liss (Ginny): On Bee’s note, the show also displays different types of femininity. It explores                                         different ways to present that and that's something that I think people would                                         really connect to. 

 

Cameron Smith (Dale): Also, this show is absolutely ridiculous sometimes. Despite some of the very                                         serious themes that Bee and Bella brought up, there’s a huge theme of just                                           obsession with eggs and I think the ridiculous layer makes it a lot easier to                                             kind of consume as a viewer. But also the layer of difficulty that all of these                                             women are going through, kind of makes it a lot more engaging as a viewer. 

 

Anna-Li St. Martin: What was challenging about bringing this script to life? 

 

Kalea Barger (Wren): I think the fact that so much of what makes this show funny and important to                                         us is the ad libbing and, like, how deep we get into our characters and how we                                     present these really different women. So I think it was challenging to get to a                                         spot where we all felt comfortable enough in our characters to dip into improv                                       in the show and I think we’re still working on that. I know I’m still working on                                           getting myself to that point but I think that's one of the bigger challenges that                                       I’ve faced.

 

Bella Liss (Ginny): Another challenge we had when bringing this script to life is translating a script                                    written by two men into a queer safe, fem, positive show. I think that we’ve had to                                do some deep reflection of the lines and words in the scripts and what the story is                                saying and really conscientiously figure out what we want to say with those words. 

 

Cameron Smith (Dale): Also, this takes place in the 50s with communist threat, so trying to translate                                         a queer, egg-obsessed society with that context was just something that we                                           entirely had to figure out together because obviously, we don’t live in the                                               50s and we are not in an egg-obsessed society. So I’m just very grateful to                                             have people who are so willing to just be that ridiculous and lean into the                                               ridiculousness of the show because that's what makes it so much funnier and                                         such a safe space.

 

Anna- Li St. Martin: What is something you would like to say to the audience about this play? If you                                      could talk directly to an audience member, what would you say to them?

 

Brenna Lutzky: I would say don't be afraid to get involved. The show is very much a conversation                                  with the audience even more than other performances are. So that interaction can                                be really important.

 

Nicole Overbaugh (Lulie): I would say, to Bee’s point, you're a part of the sisterhood and you're less                                             of an audience and more of an important piece. The more energy you                                                     bring, the more energy we will give. Like, when you step through those                                                  doors, you're a middle-aged woman in the middle of America in 1956.                                                    We’re excited to work with you all and play with you all and have some fun!

 

Bella: Keep an open mind!

 

Mai Marguleas (Wren): I would say if you don’t feel uncomfortable, then we’re doing something                                                 wrong. I think that's the point of this, to get you out of your comfort zone,                                             just as much as to get us out of our comfort zone, and for it to be really just,                                           like, a team effort.

 

Kalea Barger (Wren): Try not to look up the show much before because I think it’s so much more fun                                      if you don't know what's happening going into it. I know I’ve run lines with                                              some friends and they’ve been so upset because it’s, like, ruined some big                                            surprises, so don't look it up.

 

Cameron Smith (Dale): Again, just interact, interact, interact. It’s such an interactive play and if you                                           just lean in, again, lean into the ridiculousness of this play, you have so much                                         more fun and we’ll have so much more fun.

 

Anna-Li St. Martin: Now if everyone could go around and describe the show in one word.

 

Kalea Barger (Wren): Surprising 

 

Brenna Lutzky (Vern): Egg

 

Bella Liss (Ginny): Delectable 

 

Cameron Smith (Dale): Queer

 

Mai Marguleas (Wren): Loud

 

Nicole Overbaugh (Lulie): Quiche-tastic