The Fourth Wall - Featured Actress:
LuAnn Leonard

LuAnn Leonard is the only TheatreWorks newcomer in our spring comedy, A.R. Gurney’s, The Fourth Wall. And while she is a fresh face at TheatreWorks, she has been a veteran of musical theatre for many years and is a consummate professional in every sense of the word.

Performing as a Radio City Rockette for 11 years, she has also performed on Broadway, Regionally, and at theaters throughout Florida and abroad. Her professional credits include The Will Roger’s Follies, directed by Tommy Tune, and A Chorus Line, directed by Rob Marshall. Her favorite roles include Miss Hedy LaRue in How To Succeed In Business..., Hope in Anything Goes, Anne in La Cage Aux Folles, Ursula in Sweet Charity, and Panacea in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

LuAnn has trained at both the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London and in New York City.

When director Sonnie Osborne needed someone to play the character of Julia – a cynical, self-absorbed interior design “expert” from New York City – she figured who better than someone from…well…New York City. Yes, LuAnn lives in Manhattan with her wonderful family but is by no means the cynical, self-absorbed character she portrays. She has a wonderful persona, which is only matched by her onstage talent.

“In the Spotlight” recently sat down with LuAnn to ask her about her role, the production, and her experience in working at TheatreWorks:

I.T.S.: What makes this role of Julia unique for you…compared to other roles?

L.L.: Julia is very spicy and a bit naughty…quite a change from the traditional ingénue, which I have played in the past.

I.T.S.: What makes this show unique from the other shows in which you’ve appeared? 

L.L.: Definitely the whole “Fourth Wall” concept. Playing the reality of the scene as well as the performance aspect that possesses anyone that comes into the room. It's very fun.

I.T.S.:  What is most challenging about your role in The Fourth Wall? 

L.L.: Keeping my character, Julia, “real” even though she is mostly dramatic in her scenes. I have to be careful as an actor not to make her character too broad, but to keep her believable. 
  
I.T.S.: What do you think audiences will enjoy most about The Fourth Wall?

L.L.: We all have a bit of an actor in us, one way or another, and I hope the audience takes that with them. Take a chance, dare to be different, follow your dream.  As Julia says, “Have fun with it...give it a whirl!”

We hope you’ll heed LuAnn’s advice and “give it a whirl!” Come enjoy an evening of laughs with this “comedy of redecorating,” opening this Friday. Join us, won’t you?

Hilarious A.R. Gurney Comedy, The Fourth Wall, Opens Friday at TheatreWorks

Get the best tickets now while they’re still available!

Was Shakespeare right? Is all the world really a stage? Are we each trapped in our own little performance space, unable to break through and connect with the rest of the world?

A.R. Gurney comically tackles those questions with The Fourth Wall, his hilarious satire about American politics and modern relationships, opening Friday at TheatreWorks New Milford.

The title refers to the metaphorical barrier that separates actors from the audience. As The Fourth Wall opens, Roger (Jonathan Ross) ushers longtime family friend Julia (LuAnn Leonard) into the impeccably decorated living room he shares with his wife, Peggy (Beth Bonnabeau). Roger begs for Julia’s advice on the decor because of Peggy’s unusual interior design: She has arranged all of the furniture so it faces one big blank wall – The Fourth Wall.

Peggy’s belief that people lie just beyond “the wall” mirrors her desire to reach and rally the rest of the world in order to affect a positive change.

And the rest, as they say, is comedy. Get your tickets today!

May 1,2 8,9 15,16,17 22,23 Fridays & Saturdays 8:00 PM / Sunday 2:00 PM $20.00 Reserved Seating Approx: 90 Mins (No Intermission) TheatreWorks, 5 Brookside Ave., New Milford, CT (Saturday May 9th performance is a Benefit for the Washington Art Association. Click Here for tickets to this special event.)

Casting Call: DOUBT

TheatreWorks is looking for four actors for its upcoming drama DOUBT, directed by Alicia Dempster. For character breakdowns and audition sides please click here.

Auditions: Monday, May 4th & Tuesday, May 5th from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM at TheatreWorks.

Washington Art Association Fundraiser

Join the WAA for a special fundraising performance of THE FOURTH WALL on Saturday May 9th. The Washington Art Association is a non-profit organization that has for over 50 years supported artists in Northwest Connecticut. It offers studio courses for adults and children, workshops, lectures, and a wide array of special arts-related events. It has showcased the work of both emerging and established artists from all over the world, drawing more than 10,000 visitors per year.

Click here for tickets to this special event and for more information on the WAA.

Staged Readings Return to TheatreWorks

TheatreWorks is excited to revive its Page to Stage staged reading series as part of its 2009 Season. The purpose of this series is to bring to the forefront some of theatre’s best pieces that, for some reason or another, have fallen by the wayside. A sophisticated evening of great theatre at no extra cost. »Click Here to learn more

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