Hey there, everyone! Student Editor Hannah here.

You may recognize me from various Encore shows (The Lion King Jr, A Little Princess, and more) or from our FOH takeovers on Encore’s Instagram. Today I’m excited to chat with Artistic Director Susan Keady and learn more about her work. Susan, consider the tables turned!

Hannah: How long have you been working at Encore?

Susan: Next autumn will be my 30th year as a director and guest artist for Encore. This year was my 20th year as the Artistic Director.

Hannah: What do you do at Encore?

Susan: Before we had the administrative staff full-time, I did everything associated with the creative side and business management with Celeste Groves, as well as a super helpful Board of Directors. Now I contribute most of my time to the artistic production. I make decisions based upon my experiences, but I seek out the advice of everyone with whom I work – the staff, the Board Of Directors, the audience, the parents, and the cast and crews.

Hannah: What has been your most memorable moment working at Encore?

Susan: There are two memorable moments that define performance integrity, authenticity, genuine reactions, and my pride as a director and a Mom. The first – watching my 12 year-old son in Stuart Little. He played the character Stuart. He entered to sing his solo and the adult piano accompanist had left the stage. In the audience, I think I forgot to breathe. Jimmy Lee sang the entire song acapella. After the song, Snowbell, the family cat, was supposed to enter and a stage combat scene was to ensue. But the actress who portrayed Snowbell was playing cards in the green room & didn’t hear the piano, which was her cue – because the piano player didn’t return. I watched Jimmy Lee have that split second of thought & I could read his mind “no music and I guess Snowbell isn’t coming either.” I watched him work the entire scene acting out the stage combat scene alone and not skipping a beat. As he fought himself, he narrated the fight with loud improvisational lines that began with “ if Snowbell was here, I bet she would do this and that….”

The second favorite time is also a true stage moment like Jimmy’s, one which defines years of watching theatre & preparing your role to the fullest I call it What would Rabbit do? Often other actors behavior & your reaction, carries the truth of your work. My daughter, cast as Rabbit in Winnie the Pooh was working the final performance when an actor entered & did something quite wrong and another actor came on and began incorrect moves and words. They were laughing at each other talking nonsense & dancing around in an odd way. Since the actor abandoned the correct dialog and didn’t answer Rabbit’s lines, there was that split second of uncertainty in Hayley’s reaction and, as she looked at the bunnies who were new and looked scared. Hayley simply lead the baby bunnies to the center stage microphone and began narrating the scene as a story, using the lines that were being skipped by the other characters. She looked up at the Stage manager booth, giving the crew the correct lines so the story would move along. Your actions are your truth. These are two examples are what happens on stage when truth takes over – both kids were true to their characters. When anything goes wrong on stage, the actor is tested, the crew is tested, the Stage manager has to think quickly and the audience should never know anything is wrong.

In both instances I was happy that Hayley & Jimmy followed the rule to not let the audience know anything was wrong. Having sat in many rehearsals as young kids with me, then working as Encore cast and crew, they knew how to stay in character & their scenes continued uninterrupted so the audience continued to enjoy the show.

Hannah: What is the best non-Encore show you’ve ever seen?

Susan: A life long theatre goer – really? I can’t just say one! Any show I saw on stage with Peter O’Toole (my parents would give me seats in a KenCen box whenever Peter O’Toole was in town & it was my birthday gift that year), George C. Scott, Katherine Hepburn, Richard Burton & or any show written by Noel Coward- musical & comedies, The Elephant Man on Broadway or Angela Lansbury in the premiere of Sweeney Todd, Faye Dunaway on stage at London’s west end. By Jeeves, I saw it at KenCen twice, sat in front row & laughed until I cried. Folger & Lansburg Shakespeare shows. Every Encore show, especially My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Kiss Me Kate, The Musical Murders Of 1940.

Hannah: What made you want to participate in theatre as a kid?

Susan: When I was 10. I went to an audition for “Camelot”. Not knowing what to expect, I memorized everyone’s lines on the sides we were given the day before auditions so I would be prepared for anything. I was cast as the lead, Guinevere.

Hannah: What has been your most favorite role in theatre?

Susan: I like different roles for different reasons and tried to narrow it down? Queen Margaret in Henry VI, Holga in After The Fall.

Hannah: What’s the best part about your job?

Susan: Using my imagination to direct, working alongside the staff and guest artists, and with the casts and crews.

Hannah: If you could be a part of any show, what show would it be?

Susan: Any role in an Arthur Miller play, he is brilliant. Eleanor of Aquitaine in The Lion in Winter.

Thanks for sharing with me, Susan! It was awesome to learn more about your background as a theatre professional who’s so important to Encore’s work. To check out past interviews with Susan, read on below.

Photos by Larry McClemons, Aileen Pangan Christian, and Cindy Kane Photography. Blog contribution by Student Editor, Hannah K.