This is the eighth in a series of interviews with the cast of The Masqueraders’ production of Translations. Meet Clara Navarro.
Joel: Introduce yourself to our readers and tell them what other shows you have appeared in and some of the roles you have played.
Clara: Hi! My name is Clara Navarro and I am a sophomore at the Naval Academy. I acted in Spamalot in the winter and Home Burial in the spring.
Why did you want to be in Translations produced by the United States Naval Academy’s Masqueraders?
I had acted in the spring One-Act Festival with the Masqueraders, and I enjoyed the experience enough to come back for more! Many of my good friends are on the cast, so that also influenced my decision to tryout.
What does this production of Translations say to your generation?
This production is telling of a time in history that I believe many people in my generation are not well-versed on. It is a story about the great power and influence of words. Language has such an underestimated impact on the people that speak it, and it’s something most people my age probably don’t think about.
Who do you play in Translations and how do you relate to your character?
I play Sarah Johnny Sally, a student at the hedge school who is only now beginning to speak again after many years of silence. It is implied that something terrible happened to Sarah in the past that caused her to stop speaking. Of course, we can all relate to bad experiences in our lives. The description of Sarah in the script says that she is waif-like, which I think I fit, physically.
What do you admire about your character and what do you not admire?
I admire Sarah’s courage in having overcome her past and developed her place in the community at the hedge school. However, I think she could be more active in pursuing her love for Manus.
What have been the challenges you have encountered while preparing for your role and how have you overcome these challenges? How did your director help you?
The greatest challenge I’ve encountered in preparing for my role is taking on the persona of a mute. Sarah communicates a good deal through gestures and grunts, something I’m not familiar with at all, so adjusting to that has been hard. My director helped me adjust by discussing a possible back story for Sarah and giving some idea of when to choose to speak and when not to.
What is your big highlight in the show and what do we learn about your character when you perform it?
Sarah plays a pivotal role in the play. She happens upon a secret that changes the roles and decisions of everyone in the story. We see a more active side of Sarah in this moment as she takes charge and reveals the secret.
What have you learned about yourself during this whole process?
I’ve developed some good friendships in the process and intensified my love for acting and the theater by working on my first, full-length, drama.
What do you want audiences to take with them after watching you perform in Translations?
I’d just like the audience to appreciate the story, language, and the experience.
What roles would you like to play in the future?
My last two roles have been very serious and heavy. In the future, I’d like to play a more upbeat role.
Translations plays ends its run tomorrow and Saturday, November 21, and 22, 2014 at Mahan Hall at The US Naval Academy – 106 Maryland Avenue, in Annapolis, MD. For tickets, purchase them online or at the door.
LINKS
Review of Translations on DCMetroTheaterArts by Joel Markowitz.
Meet the Cast of ‘Translations’ at Masqueraders at the United States Naval Academy–Part 1: Jonson Henry.
Meet the Cast of ‘Translations’ at the Masqueraders at The United States Naval Academy–Part 2: Chris Hudson.
Meet the Cast of ‘Translations’ at the Masqueraders at The United States Naval Academy Part 3: Megan Rausch.
Meet the Cast of The Masqueraders’ ‘Translations’ at The United States Naval Academy–Part 4: Portia Norkaitis.
Meet the Cast of The Masqueraders’ ‘Translations’ at The United States Naval Academy–Part 5: Ward Ellis Scott, III.
Meet the Cast of The Masqueraders’ ‘Translations’ at The United States Naval Academy–Part 6: Leith Daghistani.
Meet the Cast of The Masqueraders’ ‘Translations’ at The United States Naval Academy–Part 7: Jett Watson.
Meet the Cast of The Masqueraders’ ‘Translations’ at The United States Naval Academy–Part 8: Clara Navarro.
