August: Osage County-- Meet cast member Diane Sams!

Diane Sams (Violet):

What do you find appealing about your character and this show? To be truthful, I find nothing appealing about Violet Weston.  She is one of those human wrecks for whom one may find pity but only after a large amount of revulsion has been overcome.  I feel it is important to play such a character because she is a lesson in the evils of addiction, selfishness and personal weakness.

What have you learned about yourself in playing the role of Violet Weston? Violet Weston has given me a deeper understanding of how precious my own family is to me.

What do you want the audience to experience/take away from this show? I want our audiences to see the terrible cost of non-communication, substance abuse, and the lack of kindness to those with whom we live.

How does the show differ from other shows you have worked on? August: Osage County is very different from my usual choice of play in that it is not a hopeful, uplifting, or educationally stimulating work.  It is a trial for both the cast and the audience in its length and intensity with the reward of deeper awareness of the fragility of humanity. 

How long have you been acting and what made you get involved in theatre? How did you get involved with LTA? I have been acting almost my whole life, and I refuse to tell you how long that is. I love the intimacy of the communication between the actor and the audience. It is what draws me back time after time.  LTA provided an opportunity, a long time ago, to have the audience and the other actors without the necessity of leaving home; a totally win-win situation to which I have returned from time to time over the years. 

What advice would you give others who are interested in working in theatre? If you want to work in the theater, find any local group (amateur, school, semi-pro, or pro) and volunteer for something.  The way in is simply to work.  If you want to go to school for it, good for you, please do so.  If you do not want to go to school for it, that is fine too.  The best teacher for the theater is to work in the theater.  LTA is one of the best local groups to get involved with as they not only have opportunities for volunteers but they also run classes.