Meet the Cast of The Little Theatre of Alexandria’s ‘Laughing Stock’: Part 6: Hilary Adams

In Part 6 of a series of interviews with the cast of The Little Theatre of Alexandria’s production of Charles Morey’s Laughing Stock, meet Hilary Adams (Karma).

Joel: Where have local audiences seen you on the stage?

Hilary: Last fall I played Eunice in LTA’s A Streetcar Named Desire.

Why did you want to be part of the cast of Laughing Stock at LTA?

I have a cousin who did summer stock theatre throughout high school, and he would tell me all about the people and shows and crazy deadlines and the insane amount of blood, sweat, and tears everyone put into the show. When I heard LTA was doing a show about a similar theatre, I had to at least try out to see what it was all about, and I wasn’t disappointed!

Who do you play in the show? How do you relate to this character? 

I play Karma, one of the playhouse interns. I think she and I share the hope that in the theatre we’ll find people just as dysfunctional and neurotic as we are and they’ll love us for it, not in spite of it. We’re both looking for a family of people, however temporary, that understand us.

What’s the show about from the point of view of your character?

From Karma’s perspective, the show is all about finding family amidst dysfunction and apparent chaos.

Which character is most like you and why?

I think I’m a little bit of Mary, a little bit of Jack, and an embarrassing amount of Gordon.

What did you perform at your audition? Where were you when you got the call that you had the role?

I performed the Lenny Ganz monologue from Rumors, which is actually written for a male actor, but I gender flipped it and worked at it for three days before the rehearsal. I was driving to work when I got the call. Abby Ropp (who I worked with on Streetcar) texted me that morning and said she got a call, and I was so nervous on my drive to work that I wouldn’t get called, but lo and behold, two minutes away from my exit on 495, my phone rang, and the second I hung up, I rolled down my windows and screamed.

What have been some of the challenges you have faced preparing for your role and how has Director Shawn Byers help you through these challenges?

Karma is a fairly minor character and those can be some of the most challenging to create backstories for, since you don’t get a whole lot from the actual text, but in that regard it can also be very liberating. I eventually decided that she was coming to the playhouse to get away from her parents, who are going through a big ugly divorce, and her journey in this show takes her from not necessarily trusting adults to being more comfortable around them, as well as in her own skin.

What is your favorite scene that you are not in and why?

I love the audition scene near the beginning of the show. Abby (Mary) kills her Ophelia monologue and her character is just so vibrant and amazingly formed, and she and Lars (Gordon) are so good at playing off each other.

What is your favorite line or lines that your character recites and what is your favorite line that someone else recites in the show?

My favorite line is “Vrolak, vrolak!” Because it’s Transylvanian, that’s why. My favorite line of someone else’s is definitely Mary’s line about Susannah being “waaaay skankin’ yucky.” I’ve actually started saying that now.

What are you doing next on the stage?

Hopefully another LTA show! My boyfriend and I are both dying to audition for The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged) later this season.

What do you want audiences to take with them after seeing Laughing Stock?

Take the joy. Take the love. Take Ethel.