Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

My acting bucket list: Allison Spratt Pearce

Strong, classic, versatile roles attract the veteran actor

Allison Spratt Pearce
Allison Spratt Pearce

I’m asking veteran actors to name five dream roles and say why. The answers not only reveal aspirations, they may put an idea in the minds of artistic directors and producers – even choices that seem outside the box.


Actor-performer: Allison Spratt Pearce

“I’ve always been interested in the more complex roles of theater: roles that go on true journeys, arcs; they start a bit misunderstood, and find major life point discoveries. I’ve been lucky enough to play a few already — Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Laurey in Oklahoma!, Viola in Twelfth Night. I love using the three disciplines of voice, music, and dance when I perform. Even in straight plays where movement, physicality, and making the text sing are involved. My bucket list choices are all strong, classic, versatile women. Through the ages their desire, problems, agendas, and conflicts are universal.”

Sponsored
Sponsored
Allison Spratt Pearce in My Fair Lady at Cygnet Theatre

1.) Dot, Sunday in the Park with George, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book, James Lapine. Dot is the subject/object of George’s obsessive paintings (he would rather paint her than date her, in fact). “She has this overwhelming insecurity of love and acceptance. In Act two she leaps into a different time and age. The metaphor of the painting, pointillism, and their relationship, with a score to live for, make this my number 1.”

2.) Miss Julie, Miss Julie, by August Strindberg. “I love the idea of shows in repertory, and would love to play Miss Julie and Dot in the same season. Like Dot, because of her insecurity, Julie will go to great measures to get what she wants – from the wrong man. She has such an arc with her objective, and is extremely manipulative, dangerous, innocent, cruel, and sensual, all at the same time. I love that about Julie!”

3.) Blanche, A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams. “A loose cannon, a fallen woman. Described as a social pariah. Someone who shows such determination with a frail and extremely insecure heart. A dream season would pair her off with my number 4.”

Allison Spratt Pearce in Come From Away at La Jolla Playhouse

4.) The Witch, Into the Woods, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine. “She’s extremely complex with the objectives hidden in the text perfectly. A hugely challenging role vocally but makes up for it in range. She’s possessive, sarcastic, vain, and charismatic, and her humor is spot on.”

5.) Kate, Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare, and Kate in Kiss Me Kate, music and lyrics by Cole Porter. “Wouldn’t it be something to see both shows in repertory? The Kates are the same role, obviously, or at least Kiss Me Kate is based on Kate the Shrew. The fun with Kiss Me Kate is her being able to discover Lilli’s own life through Kate’s eyes. Kate in Shrew is the actor’s dream because LOVE wins over strength. I think as women we all relate to wanting to hold our own and stay true to what we ‘think’ is right. But this unexpected relationship with Petrucio forces her to reason with her fears. Love that!”

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Reader 1st place writing contest winner gets kudos

2nd place winner not so much
Allison Spratt Pearce
Allison Spratt Pearce

I’m asking veteran actors to name five dream roles and say why. The answers not only reveal aspirations, they may put an idea in the minds of artistic directors and producers – even choices that seem outside the box.


Actor-performer: Allison Spratt Pearce

“I’ve always been interested in the more complex roles of theater: roles that go on true journeys, arcs; they start a bit misunderstood, and find major life point discoveries. I’ve been lucky enough to play a few already — Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Laurey in Oklahoma!, Viola in Twelfth Night. I love using the three disciplines of voice, music, and dance when I perform. Even in straight plays where movement, physicality, and making the text sing are involved. My bucket list choices are all strong, classic, versatile women. Through the ages their desire, problems, agendas, and conflicts are universal.”

Sponsored
Sponsored
Allison Spratt Pearce in My Fair Lady at Cygnet Theatre

1.) Dot, Sunday in the Park with George, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book, James Lapine. Dot is the subject/object of George’s obsessive paintings (he would rather paint her than date her, in fact). “She has this overwhelming insecurity of love and acceptance. In Act two she leaps into a different time and age. The metaphor of the painting, pointillism, and their relationship, with a score to live for, make this my number 1.”

2.) Miss Julie, Miss Julie, by August Strindberg. “I love the idea of shows in repertory, and would love to play Miss Julie and Dot in the same season. Like Dot, because of her insecurity, Julie will go to great measures to get what she wants – from the wrong man. She has such an arc with her objective, and is extremely manipulative, dangerous, innocent, cruel, and sensual, all at the same time. I love that about Julie!”

3.) Blanche, A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams. “A loose cannon, a fallen woman. Described as a social pariah. Someone who shows such determination with a frail and extremely insecure heart. A dream season would pair her off with my number 4.”

Allison Spratt Pearce in Come From Away at La Jolla Playhouse

4.) The Witch, Into the Woods, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine. “She’s extremely complex with the objectives hidden in the text perfectly. A hugely challenging role vocally but makes up for it in range. She’s possessive, sarcastic, vain, and charismatic, and her humor is spot on.”

5.) Kate, Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare, and Kate in Kiss Me Kate, music and lyrics by Cole Porter. “Wouldn’t it be something to see both shows in repertory? The Kates are the same role, obviously, or at least Kiss Me Kate is based on Kate the Shrew. The fun with Kiss Me Kate is her being able to discover Lilli’s own life through Kate’s eyes. Kate in Shrew is the actor’s dream because LOVE wins over strength. I think as women we all relate to wanting to hold our own and stay true to what we ‘think’ is right. But this unexpected relationship with Petrucio forces her to reason with her fears. Love that!”

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Centennial Salute to San Diego’s Military, East Village Block Party, Birding Basics Class

Events March 29-March 30, 2024
Next Article

Croome Brothers Trio, Jack Tempchin, Ricky, Swami & the Bed Of Nails, Kahlil Nash

Acoustic and electric in Del Mar, La Jolla, Little Italy, and City Heights
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.