Photo by Jeff Lorch
By Darlene Donloe
Contributing Writer
PASADENA — Kimberly Scott couldn’t imagine a life as anything other than an actor.
The actress has a rich background in theater, film, and television. Her extensive credits include Broadway’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” Pasadena Playhouse’s “Cyrano,” and regional productions like “Ruined” and “A Raisin in the Sun.”
Film and television credits include “Respect,” “The Abyss,” “Love and Other Drugs,” and the television show “Bob Hearts Abishola.”
Up next for the Kingsville, Texas, native is “A Doll’s House, Part Two,” running at the Pasadena Playhouse through June 8.
Elizabeth Reaser, Jason Butler and Khyun Kim will join Scott on stage.
“A Doll’s House, Part 2,” first staged in 2017, is a sequel to Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House,” written in 1879. Nora, a mother and wife, walks out on her husband and three young children, slamming the door behind her. In “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” playwright Lucas Hnath dives into the messy reality of being a woman living on your terms. It’s a powerful exploration of identity and freedom, and a fresh take on the complexities of our obligations to each other.
DD: Tell me about the show in your own words.
KS: This play on the page is a funny little beast. It requires you to process a place and a period in the past while you hear modern vernacular in a form built almost like verse.
DD: What drew you to this play and your character, Anne Marie?
KS: I was first excited about returning to Pasadena Playhouse in the same season. When you tell a story in front of a pool of regular theatergoers, it’s rare to continue that conversation in a different play outside of a rep format. I relish that. We hear a story together and then gather again for another one.
DD: How did you go about developing her?
KS: I’m still learning from Lucas’ brilliant script, my devastatingly talented castmates, and our wonderful director, Jennifer Chang.
DD: What do you like/dislike about Anne Marie?
KS: Oh, I love her. I have to love and respect her even if I disagree with her. But the common ground is love. She is motivated by love, and that’s always a deep dive.
DD: Do you have to like a character to play them?
KS: Yes. You shortchange the story if you don’t give in.
DD: Are any parts of you in her — or is she in you?
KS: Woooooo wee. Absolutely. Not that I would want to admit it. Ha.
DD: “A Doll’s House, Part 2” explores themes of identity, family and societal expectations. How do you think your character fits into these themes, and what message do you hope the audience takes away?
KS: I hope at least one of the takeaways is how complicated it is to be a woman, then and now. Especially now. And also, if you have to choose between settling or a compromise existence in a known universe or being a cowgirl in uncharted galaxies, be that badass woman among the stars.
DD: What moves you about this show?
KS: Love defines every character.
DD: What does a role have to have for you to want to play it?
KS: It has to have exciting language, provocative given circumstances, and smart, passionate people in the room, who are passionate about the work. In this show, we’ve got that in spades.
DD: Can you discuss the rehearsal process and any notable moments or challenges you’ve faced while preparing for the role?
KS: I’m processing the most on how to be an actor at this stage of life, with all the physical gifts and challenges. I know more and feel I can share more deeply with the audience. And the challenges of age require an economy that can enhance performance. It’s a gift to have been able to do all the crazy things I’ve done in one show. A few of those times, I had had radiation treatment for breast cancer that morning. It was such a joy and a privilege. Accessing that joy and privilege comes more often now because, as a cancer survivor, I don’t take it for granted. And I try to do every show with joy, conscious of the possibility that it may be the last one.
DD: What advice would you give aspiring actors looking to make a career in the performing arts?
KS: Marry someone not in the performing arts. Ha! I say that only half jokingly. Having support is key to weathering all the rejection and hurt — also, someone you love with whom to weather the salad days. But most importantly, you must build a life, not just a career.
DD: “A Doll’s House, Part 2” is a sequel to Henrik Ibsen’s classic play and explores contemporary themes. How do you think the play’s themes and characters remain relevant to modern audiences?
KS: People are still having babies, making families, getting married, and getting divorced — our definitions of all that have broadened considerably in modern times. But if you are human, I think it affects — even defines — your life, even if you are single with no kids. Trust and believe me on that.
DD: What do you think the play says about the role of women in society, particularly in the context of family and relationships?
KS: It adroitly argues for and against all manner of choices that a woman can make. I’ll let the audience answer that; the play speaks for itself.
DD: How long have you been an actress?
KS: I’ve been an actor since long before I got paid for it. My mom used to nail it down around age 4 when I recited the Christmas story in church.
DD: Why did you become an actress?
KS: I remember looking out at the audience during the curtain call for our high school production of “The Shadowbox” and this big, taciturn cowboy (one of my castmates’ dad) was sobbing. He had never said two words or shown any emotion. I thought, ‘If this art form can affect this guy that deeply. Yeah, I wanna do this for life.
DD: How did you first become involved with theater?
KS: In junior high school. A “The Shadowbox” production was part of [University Interscholastic League] one-act play competition. It’s Texas. Everything has to be a competition.
DD: What does theater do for you?
KS: Reminds me that we are all huddled around that fire, trying to make sense of our humanity.
DD: Have you learned anything about yourself since becoming an actress?
KS: I could be OK with rehearsing and never getting in front of an audience. I could also accept that I’m very judgmental and need to let it go … and that I am enough.
DD: Did you have a Plan B?
KS: Not really. Drove my mom nuts that I didn’t have a minor in undergrad. Now, I have more of an Act Three than a Plan B. Stay tuned.
“A Doll’s House, Part 2,” by Lucas Hnath, is directed by Jennifer Chang and stars Scott, Kahyun Kim, Elisabeth Reaser, Jason Butler Harner and Adam J. Smith. For more information, call 626 356-7529, or visit pasadenaplayhouse.org.
Darlene Donloe is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers who covers South Los Angeles. She can be reached at ddonloe@gmail.com.
CAPTION
Kim Scott plays Anne Marie in the Pasadena Playhouse’s ‘A Doll’s House, Part 2’ through June 8.
Photo by Jeff Lorch
