Amanda Phillips is starring as Petruchio in Columbus Civic Theater’s upcoming production of The Taming of The Shrew, and we talked a bit with her about what she thinks about Shakespeare, her husband and playing a dude. To force the pun in the title, we imposed ten questions upon the Shakespearean actress:
Richard: You are playing Petruchio in the Columbus Civic Theater’s production of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Why? You know he’s a dude, right?
Amanda: Wait. He’s a dude?
Petruchio believes everyone will like him, that he has the strongest wit, the best looks and can out charm anyone. He has a confidence and bravado that is intoxicating. Who can pass that up? Shrew can be a difficult play to perform for today’s audience. It reads as extremely sexist. Casting Petruchio as a woman allows the audience to digest Shakespeare’s text in a way that they just can’t when the role is played by a male performer.
Richard: You’ve played a man before in Shakespeare. Is this a trend for you?
Amanda: Ha! It is a trend. My mother always said I was a “handsome woman.” So, I’m finally reaping the benefits of that! It’s the difficult truth of this industry that there are far more roles for men than women (especially in Shakespeare’s plays) and far more actresses than actors. I think this is a lovely solution. There is a rich tradition of women portraying men in Shakespeare’s plays. I’m grateful to join that club.
Richard: What originally brought you here to Columbus?
Amanda: My husband and I wanted to raise our two little girls around our families. We are also really interested in being able to feed these kids. The cost of living in New York and Los Angeles is out of control. It’s difficult to have a good quality of life there while having a family and pursuing a career in the arts. I think we’ll continue to see actors and artists heading to culturally rich cities (like Austin, Portland and Columbus) where they can continue to do what they love and also afford to live.
Richard: What was your experience at the Tisch School of the Arts in New York City?
Amanda: The faculty and staff at Tisch are amazing. The Graduate Acting Program is extremely intense and you become very bonded with your classmates. (Which is why so many of us end up marrying each other!) It was one of the most defining experiences of my life.
Richard: What’s the best thing about performing Shakespeare?
Amanda: We communicate in such pedestrian ways; it’s challenging getting to really appreciate the importance of words. You just cannot say “I burn, I pine, I perish” without it resonating throughout you.
Richard: When did you know you wanted to be an actress?
Amanda: I knew I wanted to be an actress when I read Romeo and Juliet in the seventh grade. Later, in high school, the debate coach had me do a monologue (the “quality of mercy” speech from Merchant of Venice). When I had finished she said, “Oh! You are an actor. You should do this.”
Richard: Your husband is an actor. Is there any rivalry at home?
Amanda: None. He is my favorite actor to work with. We were classmates at NYU and some of our best work has been created together. He is seriously talented and I’m so lucky to have him for my husband, and he’s an out-of-this-world daddy!
Richard: There’s been a lot of debate about transgender rights lately. Would you like to weigh in on the controversial subject, or just tell us which bathroom you feel most comfortable using while playing the male chauvinist Petruchio?
Amanda: I’m definitely in the Free-to-Pee camp.
Richard: Who is your favorite actress? Actor? And do you get the two them confused?
Amanda: I love Judy Dench and have more than once confused her with Ian McKellen. But honestly, who hasn’t?
Richard: Lastly, what do you hope to achieve in your performance?
Amanda: What I hope to achieve is an enjoyable experience for the audience. It’s my goal to make the text as clear as possible and to provide ticket holders with a pleasant evening of entertainment.
The Columbus Civic Theater presents The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., Jan. 19 to Feb. 12 at their theater, located at 3837 Indianola Ave. in Clintonville. For more information, visit columbuscivic.org.
Columbus Makes Art Presents is a bi-weekly column brought to you by the Greater Columbus Arts Council – supporting art and advancing culture in Columbus. The column is a project of the Art Makes Columbus campaign, telling the inspiring stories of the people and organizations who create Columbus art. Each column will be written by a different local arts organization to give you an insiders look at how #artmakescbus.
