Karen Johnson-Diamond, Verbatim
Monday, February 1, 2010 at 4:50PM  |
KAREN JOHNSON-DIAMOND
Karen is a Calgary based professional actor, improviser and educator. She has appeared on many Alberta stages including most recently, Urban Curvz Theatre, Lunchbox Theatre, Theatre Calgary, Alberta Theatre Projects and Ground Zero Theatre. Karen has been a coordinator/instructor with Quest Theatre’s Artist in Residency program for the past 14 years. She co-produces and stars in Calgary’s only live, improvised soap opera, Dirty Laundry. Karen is the proud recipient of the first ever Duval Lang Award for Excellence in Theatre for Young Audiences. She lives with husband Kevin, son Griffin and many photos of her obsession, Neil Diamond.
1. What’s on your mind these days (in 10 syllables or less)?Kids, workshops, rehearsals, kleenex
2. Dirty Laundry is in its tenth season. How has the show evolved over the last decade?Well, we’ve finally found the perfect home! Lunchbox Theatre. All along I’ve known it would be better in a theatre than a bar. So as far as evolving…there’s less beer. We have Aaron Coates as our new director, some core members have come and gone, but the improv gets tighter with every year.
3. How would you describe the Calgary theatre scene?Overflowing, in a good way. Friendly, supportive, squished into too few places.
4. What role do elementary school theatre residencies play in the Calgary theatre community?Kids get uber excited when someone like Phil Fulton, Rylan Wilke or Cheryl Hutton walks into their gym because they’ve seen them in a Quest show, or Christmas Carol, or some other production. Kids find out that we actually do act for a living and they make a point of coming out to see us. They sign up for Quest’s Theatre school, Nova Lea Thorne’s Theatreworks and start training. Then if we are lucky, they show up on stage! And when it comes to the Shakespeare residencies, the difference between an introduction to Shakespeare with Quest and with a hesitant grade 10 teacher is astronomical.
5. When in your career were you disappointed?( It’s probably a good thing that I can’t think of an answer to this). The end of the run of “FLOP” for Quest Theatre. The end of the run of a lot of shows actually. Either the show is just so amazing to do or the cast is so great to hang around with that you don’t want them to end.
6. What advice would you give to emerging theatre artists starting out in Calgary.Go see everything. You can’t decide what you like/dislike/want-to-be-part-of/need-to learn-more-about if you aren’t going to see theatre. You learn from seeing everything, whether you like it or hate it.
7. How can we attract new audience members to the theatre?Gak, this is tough. I think we theatre lovers need to be taking friends who don’t usually go to see theatre with us when we go. My neighbors actually go see things when I pop off an email saying “I’ve just seen this and you would love it” or “there is a pay-what-you-can show, so come see it and you haven’t taken a huge risk with your money if you don’t care for that play”. I also think Y-stage and Quest are going to be the driving force behind raising new theatre goers.
8. What are three plays we should all read?Oh I don’t know! I used to hate reading plays until I figured out that If I read plays by playwrights I already liked I was usually happy. Most of the plays I remember the most, and I think make a huge impact are non-verbal. (So… good luck reading those). Glenda Stirling’s “FLOP!”, A one-man show called (and by a fellow named) “Snowflake” and Green Thumb Theatre’s “Cranked”. (This one’s not non-verbal but you need to be in the room to experience it.)
Ones that stick with me that I’ve read are not necessarily other people’s cup of tea. I’d say we should all read ‘Santaland Diaries’ by David Sedaris or “Wedgie” by Jason Patrick Rothery, but that’s just because I like them. I can’t guarantee everyone would adore them.
9. What’s a great Calgary theatre memory?Really? Just one? 1) My son asking to go see everything at Vertigo, and to go BACK to see Midsummer Night’s Dream a few years ago in the Park. 2) Starting Dirty Laundry with Elinor Holt, 3)Winning the Duval Lang Theatre for Young Audiences Award in August because I want to be him when I grow up.
10. What’s your dream gig?Sesame Street. Hands down, it’s the job I want the most.
Dirty Laundry, Karen Johnson-Diamond, TYA in Verbatim
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