My Acting Bucket List: Colleen Kollar Smith

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.

Colleen Kollar Smith wears so many hats she could keep a gaggle of milliners busy. Recently named Executive Director of San Diego Musical Theatre, the Craig Noel Award-winner directs, choreographs, acts, sings, and creates projects, like Intrepid Theatre’s popular A Midsummer Night’s Dream done with early rock n’ roll. She is also working on a new model for nonprofit organizations in America “that can break the starvation cycle in which most currently operate.”

“For someone who likes a good spreadsheet, this could become a multi-tabbed Excel sheet if I let it. I’ve tried to keep it simple and include a couple of roles I want to play, a couple of shows I want to create, and a show I want to direct.”

1.) Trina in Falsettos, book by James Lapine, music and lyrics by Lapine and William Finn. “My sister introduced me to Falsettos in high school and took me to see the tour my first year in college. It was the first time (of two) I had to stay in my seat after curtain call because I was too emotional to leave (Ace at the Globe was the other). Trina is one of my favorite moms in musical theater. She is self-aware, approaches struggles with humor, and at her core: she wants to do right by her family.”

2.) Dixie in For the Boys, a stage musical, based on the Bette Middler film. “I think the history of the USO says a lot about the importance of art and humor in our lives. The musical follows Dixie and her partner through a career of entertaining troops. It would be an honor to play this role in San Diego (and partner with our military community). She’s witty, compassionate, plus she gets to tap dance, which I love so much I want to be buried in my tap shoes!”

3.) The Rockwell Project. “The last gift I have from my dad before he passed away in 2001 was a Norman Rockwell book with the inscription, ‘to my budding playwright.’ That’s how long I’ve been dreaming about bringing some of Rockwell’s images to life — primarily a dance piece with a modern folk/country/bluegrass feel — and examine a non-homogenous ‘American Dream.’”

4.) Another creative project with Jon Lorenz. They have worked on many together, including New Village Arts’ Return to the Forbidden Planet and Lamb’s Players smash hit, Mixtape. “Jon and I have discussed a number of projects over the past dozen years of friendship and collaboration. I look forward to creating something from inception to completion again with Jon.”

5.) Golden, by Lance Arthur Smith. “I would love to direct my husband’s bio-play about Helene Mayer, the fencing champion who competed for Nazi Germany in the 1936 summer Olympics, despite being of Jewish heritage. Lance and I bounce ideas off each other often. Since his very first draft I have been vying to direct this piece. I’m attracted to strong female characters and Helene is as complex as they come. What is really exciting and attractive is the way Lance has woven fencing elements beautifully into the script. In addition to being a piece about faith and loyalty, each transition requires movement and choreography — and that’s my jam.”