In Part 5 of a series of interviews with the cast of Peace Mountain Theatre Company’s A Delicate Balance, meet Janet Constable Preston.
Joel: Please introduce yourself and tell readers where they have seen you perform before on local stages.
Janet: My name is Janet Constable Preston. I am new to the DC Metro area currently living outside of Annapolis. A Delicate Balance here at Peace Mountain Theatre will be my DC debut. During my career in theater, tv and film I have worked in Philadelphia, Miami, New York and Cape Cod and am excited to be kick starting my career here in the DC Metro area. See more at www.janetconstablepreston.com.
Why did you want to be part of the cast of A Delicate Balance?
A director friend once asked me to read this Albee play she wanted to do some day, it was A Delicate Balance. That was two years ago in Cape Cod and we never did do the play. I was very excited when I saw the auditions posted as I remembered her desire to work with me; she thought I would be a perfect Claire.
Who are you in the show and what is your relationship to the other characters? How do you relate to your character?
I was cast in the role of Claire. She is the alcoholic live in sister/sister in law. I can relate to my character in several ways “which I didn’t know whether to take as a compliment or not.” You’ll have to excuse me I find myself quoting Claire a lot now. Claire is raw, outspoken, a bit of a clown, her emotions run deep and her love/hate relationships passionate. She is the watcher; listen to her carefully as truths are revealed.
With Edward Albee’s recent passing, how does it feel to be working on one of his masterpieces?
I was so saddened to hear of Albee’s passing. I have always had such respect for his work. He had been known to randomly attend performances of his plays throughout the country. I had some hope that he would come to our little production. I am honored to be a part of this show. We will miss him.
What do you think Edward Albee’s legacy should be? And how would you define an ‘Albee’ play?
Edward Albee is one of the greatest playwrights of our time. I have read only three of Albee’s plays and all in the same genre, Three Tall Woman, A Delicate Balance and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. It’s funny, but trying to define Albee’s writing I come to the same description I did with my character: raw, outspoken, a bit of a clown, emotions run deep and love/hate relationships passionate. His use of language is immensely intelligent and extremely elegant, listen carefully.
Have you appeared in any other productions by Albee?
While in Cape Cod I was fortunate to be cast in a production of Three Tall Women. I played “B” I was the middle aged version of the same woman who was portrayed by three women. It is another wonderful play in which Albee reveals his feelings about his own past and relationships with his parents.
What do you want audiences to take with them after seeing A Delicate Balance?
I hope the audience can identify with the characters in some way. That they will leave with questions. That they will think about how we as social creatures relate to each other and how each of us has a role to play. What that role is and how we may or may not change it. Do we take risks and throw the balance off or do we remain in the roles in which our family and society has cast us?
A Delicate Balance plays through November 20, 2016 at Peace Mountain Theatre Company performing at Congregation Har Shalom – 11510 Falls Road, in Potomac, MD. For tickets, purchase them at the door or online.
LINKS:
Joel Markowitz reviews ‘A Delicate Balance’ on DCMetroTheaterArts.
Meet the Cast of Peace Mountain Theatre Company’s ‘A Delicate Balance’: Part 1: Nancy Blum.
Meet the Cast of Peace Mountain Theatre Company’s ‘A Delicate Balance’: Part 2: Louis Pangaro.
Meet the Cast of Peace Mountain Theatre Company’s ‘A Delicate Balance’: Part 3: Leah Mazade.
Meet the Cast of Peace Mountain Theatre Company’s ‘A Delicate Balance’ Part 4: Director Laurie Freed.
Meet the Cast of Peace Mountain Theatre Company’s ‘A Delicate Balance’: Part 5: Janet Constable Preston.
Meet the Cast of Peace Mountain Theatre Company’s ‘A Delicate Balance’: Part 6: Devora Zack.
Bringing ‘A Delicate Balance’ to Potomac: Peace Mountain Theatre: Company will produce the Edward Albee play in November by Ashley Claire Simpson in The Potomac Almanac.
