THE HEY DANI DIALOGUES:  An actor/director exploration of how shaving your head enlivens the world

*Dani Keil (“W;t” Director):  Hey, Kate, what are your takeaways about shaving your head to play Vivian Bearing in “W;t?” Actresses are pretty protective of their hair; why do none of them hesitate to let it all go for this role?

*Kate Goehring (“W;t” Actor):  Hey, Dani, click here for my take on the superable barrier between an actor and a character – What’s Hair Got to Do With It?

Dani: Our collaborators at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center thought you’d gain a deeper understanding of what people with cancer go through as you walked through the community with a shaved head.  Have you found this to be true, and how has it helped you portray Vivian Bearing on stage?

Kate: It’s always a privilege to work for Triad Stage, and the inclusion of Wake in its planning is masterful; what’s revealed is the unparalleled level of openness and compassion community-wide. Winston-Salem’s audiences are showing me what true connection can be.  I have a crush on Winston-Salem.

Dani:  What kinds of reactions have there been?

Kate:  The bald look has stimulated insightful conversations in Harris Teeter and Starbucks, ranging from funny moments with giggling two-year-olds, to poignant, grownup conversations on families; transformative journeys, with regard to illness. It’s getting to be a part of Triad Stage taking what’s found onstage beyond the proscenium. The Medical Center’s potentiated that – bravo!

Dani: Well, we are privileged to have your talent onstage in the Triad.  And you look gorgeous!

Kate:  Aw! Definitely earrings that never made sense in the past now do.

 

• (Pictured above, John Donne)
• “Would you shave your head for a play?”  Ask any actress about W;t, and she’ll say, “of course.” John Donne probably would, too.

Very, very excited to come back to the Triad and play Vivian Bearing in W;t.  Even more deeply excited by the director/actor conversations already beginning.  Key questions from an early conversation with W;t director, Dani Keil abound:

“What’s the most strategic timing for shaving your head?”

“Was that rhymed couplet in earnest?”

Nothing’s better than this.  We’ll see you in September at the Hanesbrands…