Ruthie Fisher’s character writing exercise (edited for length)
I am Agnes Lysanthia Brown. I am an Aries, which is interesting because Aries are meant to be stubborn and I am not stubborn. I am more of a shape shifter. I am about 65. I say about because my age is confusing. . . I know I am an Aries, but not quite sure what day my momma popped me out. Well, ah, well. I live over in the grocery building, but that’s really a secret now, isn’t it? Don’t want to tip Mr. what’s his name officer off. My home is just really a landing for my behind. My home is my possessions, my trinkets. . . I am not sure why everything is little, but maybe because it is easier to move my things when the po po comes. Actually, that is not even true, because a lot of little becomes something big. . . My legs are pretty t—A--rrific if you ask me. Well, not that anyone is really asking. I used to have it. I had the moves. I know I may not be the prettiest thing on this block . . . but I got solid gold legs. I am telling you . . . I really think I will be shaking this bootie to the grave.
Cate Wiley's interview with Maria:
Maria has kindly extended an invitation to visit her in Sweden, which I would like to take up since seeing Vikingsholm at Lake Tahoe, a beautiful Scandinavian-style summer home built nearly 100 years ago at Emerald Bay. The lines, the warm combination of wood and stone, and the grass growing on the roof made me want to see the real Scandinavia!
Maria told me about some serious differences among Scandinavian countries, for example, that a new law in Denmark makes it very hard for a Dane to marry anyone outside the European Union. If they do so, the couple must reside in Sweden even if they work in Denmark.
We discussed how theater works in Sweden. There, small theater companies apply almost exclusively to the state for funding, and actors are considered unemployed during rehearsals so they can collect benefits.
Stockholm and Gothenburg (Sweden’s second city) have two big companies and each county (like a state, 24 total ) has at least one regional theater. Remember that the city of Los Angeles has nearly twice the population of all of Sweden!
Sweden has 4 theater academies, admitting only 8-12 people per class, with usually over 1000 applicants each year. Most people apply several times (Maria applied 10 times before her acceptance, and she knows on ly one person who got in her first try).
Maria says of her work that she is grateful to be an actor full time at Teatre Västernorrland (which means western northland)
