Teacher, actor, playwright, pixie wrangler. All things pages and stages and pens.
Teacher, actor, playwright, pixie wrangler. All things pages and stages and pens.
"I have had the pleasure to work with Stephanie Ann on numerous occasions. In every production that we have worked on together she has been diligent to the extreme, in many cases going far further in a way that many wouldn't even consider. Her passion for theatre knows no bounds, which charges her with a relentless energy to grow, create, and develop her skills and talent. This attitude has conjured fantastic performances and great creative working environments." (Robbie Quinn)
Origins of the Play…
Mercy Otis Warren: Mother of the Revolution is a one-act monologue play that was born partly out of a love for period costumery. I’d purchased a damaged blue gown at the San Francisco Opera warehouse sale, and though it was tattered and looked like it had been designed for a haunted shipwreck scene, something about the dress spoke to me. Years later I had finally repaired the sleeves, and found the right silk stockings, and the right stays to fit me, and the correct side panniers—all without quite knowing what I would do with the costume!
Enter Cindi Daniels. She was a DAR administrator and had met me when my three daughters and I showed up to sweep off the graves of fallen heroes in our community. I was nervous that she might think me lazy. It took me years to gather the genealogical data to join the DAR, and by the time the application finally went through I had given birth to a daughter, and then another, and then another…three babies in three years! With three beautiful drains on my energy, I had been only minimally involved in my chapter. I was a former winner of the Citizenship medal (back when it was still given to one elementary student each year), but as a current DAR member? I was a flop. Cindi encouraged me to feel welcome whenever I did have time, and when she found out that I was a playwright and performer she invited me to share at a meeting. She gave me plenty of notice, and time to research, and when by chance I saw the famous John Singleton Copley painting of Mercy Otis Warren in her blue dress, I felt a spark.
Mercy is a fascinating and inspiring character. She is not the kind of false female hero that I see propped up so often nowadays—she’s the real deal. She really did record the entire history of the revolutionary movement, and she really did campaign for the improvements that became the Bill of Rights. She and her family made tremendous sacrifices for the American cause. Mercy was present for the major events of the Revolution, and with her writing (sometimes satirical, sometimes epistolary, but always anonymous), she was deeply involved in our country’s history in ways that are only now being recognized. I read much of her work, and considered several sources, but I’m especially grateful for the biography Muse of the Revolution, by Nancy Rubin Stuart, which helped me to understand the various roles that were assigned to Mercy throughout her life. Emphasizing her role as a mother is my own addition to this narrative.
I think what touches me most about Mercy is that she was so obviously gifted—everyone around her could see it, but, like many of us, she doubted herself. She wanted to act out of goodness, and not a desire for glory. As a mother of many who ran a busy household, she constantly second-guessed whether what she had to give was enough, or whether it was worth sharing.
I’m grateful to the people in Mercy’s life—her brother, her husband, and Mr. John Adams, who encouraged her to create and to share and to contribute. I’m grateful to the many women in my life—my mother, my teachers, and Cindi Daniels, who did the same for me.
(Habitot Children’s Museum)
My final performance before the pandemic was Lady Rainbow and the Brothers Grimm, an interactive musical-magical-puppet-fantastical for toddlers. I loved writing this piece, and the beautiful Bay Area children who came out to Habitot Children’s Museum to help me create Rainbow Magic. It was also a chance to break out those little-used recorder-playing skills!
The blurb read, “…Performer Stephanie Ann Foster (aka Lady Rainbow) uses animal puppets, music, and interactive play to craft colorful spins on the classic Grimm's fairy tales, while young audience members supply sound effects, suggestions, and rainbow ribbon magic to help her tell a new fairy tale each month. Expect all the wonder of the original stories but none of the scary parts (except for the occasional spray of water or confetti). Best for children ages 2-5, but our younger friends are always welcome, and everyone is invited to take photos with the puppets and rainbow ribbons after each show.”
At the height of the pandemic, we scrambled to convert the show to a web series, and put out a series of gentle episodes to comfort children during lockdowns. While I missed the magic of working live with a child audience, and while there were many technical issues to overcome (including filming outdoors beside a busy airport), I was grateful for the opportunity to share Lady Rainbow with kids.
(Bay Area Women’s Theatre Festival)
When Erin Merritt contacted me with this Aphra Behn Restoration farce I knew I had to participate. In this staged reading at the Bruns I played Mopsophil (the Columbina role), and had a delightful time being chased by various wayward suitors.
(Cut Glass Theatre)
Another visit to my favorite world of Narnia! I took on seven roles in this wonderful whirlwind, playing everything from precocious girls to wicked witches, mustache-twirling magicians, and winged horses. I was glad to work with the versatile Mat Freeman again, and to revisit the lovely people of Kodiak, Alaska. My favorite aspect of this work was the interactive nature of our script. The audience was so responsive and imaginative! We also had a lovely time hosting a Narnia art scholarship for the island.
The Three Sisters by Chekhov
Adapted and directed by Dave Sikula
Role: Natasha
The Visit by Friedrich Durrenmatt
Translated by Patrick Bowles
Directed by Gabriel Ross
Role: The Schoolmaster
(Las Positas Performing Arts)
A delightful romp through a script (and a world) that has always been special to me. I loved being the older woman in the cast and supporting all of these emerging actors in their work. :)
(Custom Made Theatre)
Brian Katz directed this histrionic and ahistorical punk extravaganza, and I was brought on as an understudy for two weeks of performances, playing the Narrator, and later John Quincy Adams. These guys were a riot.
(Las Positas Theatre Arts)
Director Titian Lish, determined to keep her department and its training cohort creative during the pandemic, devised an online production of Romeo and Juliet that was far more ambitious than I thought possible. Using multiple camera angles, multiple devices for each actor, sets created in individual homes, and a social distance film shoot, she staged the play almost entirely online. I was so impressed with the artists in training at Las Positas, and playing Lady Capulet alongside them was a dream.
(Actors Ensemble of Berkeley)
Gabriel Ross directed this staged reading for the Actors Ensemble of Berkeley, and I was fortunate to play The Common Man, allowing me to take on several roles within this fascinating text.
(Quantum Dragon Theatre)
What a fabulous experience with the new works development program at QDT. This time playwright Laylah Muran de Assereto crafted a story within the world of Dungeons and Dragons. In one night I had the opportunity to play a queen, a kindly murder victim, and…a dragon! I appreciated the chance to get on stage one month before my third baby was due—QDT has been a treasured creative outlet for me throughout my pregnancies.
(Quantum Dragon Theatre)
I returned to QDT's Forge to play the role of Layne in a new work by Jennifer Lynne Roberts. It was fun to stretch those comedic muscles while playing the under-appreciated nerd of the family (of course, with a heart of gold). I love being a part of this explorative writing process.
(Quantum Dragon Theatre)
QDT invited me back to participate in their new works program: The Forge. Playwrights were given several readings, editing sessions, and finally, a staged reading in front of an audience. I was cast in a reading of Happily by Rachel Bubblitz. I played Reena, an author struggling with maturity within the creative process. My own character creations came to life and argued with me—it was a blast!
This fast-paced zany annual event combines writers, actors, directors, and Bardophiles for a 48-hour Shakesperiment. This year a Shakespeare play and an example of modern technology were both drawn from a hat, and teams had 48 hours to rehearse and perform the original play combinations that resulted. Our show, The Facebook of Love, took second place by combining Romeo and Juliet with Facebook. The highlight for me? PLAYING MERCUTIO! (As a beer-guzzling frat boy, of course.)
QDT, the Bay Area's premier sci-fi theatre company, now hosts a new works program called The Forge. Playwrights are given table readings, editing sessions, and finally, a staged reading in front of an audience. I was cast in the final reading of Ageless, by Bay Area playwright Bridgette Dutta Portman. The role was a lovely challenge: a woman who had lived for over a hundred years but kept the body of young woman. The script had satisfying emotional journeys, many opportunities for strong partner scenes, and it tackled truly challenging social issues.
As part of a national event held just weeks before the 2016 election, Custom Made took part in a reading of the adaptation of the scathing novel by Sinclair Lewis. I played Sissy. It was lovely to bite into some text again and feel the stage lights on my face (not a common occurrence since the baby). The subject matter was not lovely, and dealt with the threat of a dictatorship taking root in the United States.
This was a lighthearted way to honor the passing of a beloved artist. I met my Goblin King (Alexiel de Ravenswood) on the night of the performance, and we re-enacted a favorite scene from the film Labyrinth. Something that made this event even more dear to me is that I was able to convince my mother, Laura Grewer, and my infant, Harlequinn, to join in on the scene.
(Cut Glass Theatre)
Once again we brought Narnia to the far reaches of the globe, this time by visiting the remote town of Merredin in Western Australia. Performer Javi Harnly tackled the male roles, and we were both honored to perform in the historic Cummins Theater. Our most memorable audience member was a baby kangaroo who, we must admit, slept through most of the show. Because we performed so near to Anzac Day we also had men in uniform in attendance. After the performance children were invited for a photo op while they tried on our costumes. We were thrilled to perform for such a responsive and giving community.
(Cut Glass Theatre)
We revisited our beloved two-person production, this time with a new male performer. Mat Freeman was a joy to act with, and his knowledge of C.S. Lewis brought a new level of understanding to the text. Together we performed in schools, churches, and libraries all over Kodiak Island, Alaska. Perhaps most memorably, we boarded a small plane to perform for one of Kodiak's rural schools in Ouzinkie—accessible only by boat or plane. This tour was one of the most memorable, joyful, and heartfelt experiences of my life. It is my hope to revisit the region to tour another play soon!
Bringing the works of fifth grade playwrights to life! What an honor it was to participate in this project. StageWrite works with students at every grade level, teaching them to use their imaginations and to create original characters (only some of whom are human). I was called in to help portray these original characters, and I had a beautiful time doing it. I especially enjoyed working with Trish Tillman and Brit Frazier.
I was thrilled to join Custom Made Theatre for my first foray into the San Francisco scene. The company creates vivid and relevant theatre, and Slaughterhouse Five was no exception. Vonnegut's surreal anti-war classic provided several opportunities to the actors, including my chance to play one woman (Valencia) at three stages of her life, and a sweet 45-year-old man (Derby) with costume changes (and an execution) on stage. What a true ensemble experience. I was incredibly impacted by this project, by my green WW2 coat, and by the many wonderful late-night conversations.
Photos by Jay Yamada and Stephanie Ann Foster
(The Mess)
Under the artistic direction of Renee LeVesque, the sketch comedy troupe The Mess brings hilarity to the East Bay by developing original scripts in its writing room, rehearsing in Oakland and Berkeley spaces, and getting its funny on for one raucous night each season. I was so pleased to work and laugh with this talented bunch of people. My favorite sketch to perform: The Closer.
(by Michael McGee)
A small group gathered for a staged reading before this play went into production. It was a great opportunity to flex character and accent muscles, and I had the chance to play several characters who would never have been available to me in a genuine casting situation.
This was the final act of an evening of short plays produced by Marin Onstage. While directing The Jewish Wife I was also able to tackle the role of Miss Julie, a demanding role in an engaging piece of theatre. I was especially impressed with our Kristin, Jocelyn Roddie, and with the flexible set design of Gary Gonser which allowed us to stage three productions in one evening.
This script was a joy from the audition onward! I enjoyed the fan-play of Restoration theatre, the costumes on loan from the San Jose Opera, and the irreverent and insightful direction of Larry Barrott. I also loved meeting everyone with Silicon Valley Shakespeare, a passionate, organized, and creative bunch bringing free Shakespeare to the San Jose area. I have signed on to assistant-direct with them next, and am very much looking forward to the experience.
My first performing experience in the Bay Area! The newly-launched Marin Onstage company seeks to bring classic texts to life—a goal I can very much support! I was blessed to be taken on as Nora (a dream role of mine) in their inaugural production (read this review, and this one). I also signed on as a director for their series of short classics. I was honored to work with director Ron Nash, and to meet such a welcoming, vibrant bunch. They provided me with a lovely introduction to the area.
(Cut Glass Theatre)
As a parting gift to South Korea and the final Korean offering of Cut Glass Theatre, I directed an adaptation of the classic children's book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This two-hander made use of the magic of storytelling. We toured it to three Korean cities, handed out cubes of Turkish Delight, and introduced many English-language learners to the text for the first time. I would love to tour the show here in the US again if the opportunity presents itself; what a beautiful story!
Photos by Chris Backe.
(Crushed Goblet)
In the plastic surgery capital of the world, we cast a plus-sized actress (Me!) as the Goddess of Love. This thought-provoking and table-turning play was an exercise in gender dynamics as the male and female performers traded power and switched identities in a frenzied build to the finish. I thoroughly enjoyed this project.
(Seoul Shakespeare Company) Watch the Kickstarter!
Director Jessica Adel and producer Lindsey Higgins envisioned a Hamlet of icebergs and icy winds—a setting in which Hamlet's surface tensions are only a fraction of what is happening beneath. I worked as an ensemble member (Guildenstern; Gravedigger) and as Dramaturg for the production. The most fascinating and rewarding aspect of the show was watching the Seoul theatre community unite to make it possible. From the teachers who brought their students (many of whom were seeing their first Shakespeare) to the Kickstarter sponsor who flew from overseas to see the work that he had supported, I was heartwarmingly aware that this was truly a community endeavor.
(Probationary Theatre Company)
Liz Lochhead's stunning translation of the Euripides text emphasized the otherness of Medea by crafting her as an English royal refugee amongst Scottish lords. Scottish director Robbie Quinn and vocal coach Amy Ginther supported us through challenging text work and emotional access. This was a chance for me to perform darker material than I am usually given, to work with age and with my lower register, and to speak poetry that is deservedly timeless. I will never forget the experience.
(Probationary Theatre Company)
This was a chance to break out of my typical mold and play the aged curmudgeon (and blatantly racist), Dottie. I had fun with the accent work and the wig work, and I took a lot of joy from the laughs and tears that this show provoked each night. Abaire has a special gift for portraying poverty truthfully but sympathetically. I was grateful for the chance to perform his script.
(Seoul Players, Daejeon Play Festival)
Here I achieved a long-time goal: to play a man! In this David Ives one-act three men gather for lunch on a steel girder, and each one reveals a fantasy life more intricate than the last. My character, Frank, was the sweet, dumb, friendly type. Working with the wig and stubble was a treat, as was the chance to see so many theatre practitioners coming together from around the Korean peninsula.
Photos by Glen Riley
(Probationary Theatre Company)
I gained a new appreciation for Ibsen while working on this show. His ability to craft dramatic irony creates scenes that are deeply poignant. When Dr. Rank says, "Thanks for the light," each character on stage takes his meaning differently, and we as audience members sigh under the weight of the line’s full significance. I enjoyed focusing on period movement and posture for this show, and it was also a chance for me to play more age and stillness than I had in the past. Australian director Liam Mitchinson helped me to make more interesting and subtle choices.
(Cut Glass Theatre)
This third production of our company offered a powerful juxtaposition of class and viewpoint by simultaneously casting the same performers as the original Australian convict settlers and the British soldiers that ruled over them. Playing the painfully shy Mary was a new experience for me—less bold than much of my previous work. I enjoyed playing with the sometimes comedic and sometimes painful opportunities that Wertenbaker crafted for her.
Photos by Kevin Lambert and John Rider.
In a movement envisioned by Jeanne Fiano, this show is performed each year in Seoul in order to raise funds for the last surviving comfort women of the Japanese occupation of Korea. The Seoul Players have long been supporters of the event. I was entrusted with the monologue “Miss Pat,” a chance to celebrate the strength and contributions of the women of New Orleans who helped to recover the area devastated by hurricane Katrina. I enjoyed creating a character who was salt-of-the earth, all-seeing, and all-patient to bear the pains of her community. Accent work was needed, and I tried my best to do justice to this resilient and big-hearted people by speaking their words correctly and truthfully.
(Cut Glass Theatre)
Every once in a while I find a play that becomes a life-long-dream as I discover it. Educating Rita by Liverpool playwright Willy Russel is well-known in the UK, and often required reading in schools, but I find that many young Americans are unfamiliar with this beautiful text. Rita fell right in the middle of my range. She was spunky, strong, insecure, humorous in her intense sincerity, surprising in her vulnerability, fun, and truly cathartic to portray. I relished the accent work required, and the examination of education and literature (both of which are very important to me, and perhaps too much so). I was thrilled that our company chose it to be our second play, and I would love to do it again one day.
Photos by Nadhirah Shukri
(Cut Glass Theatre)
The production that launched Cut Glass Theatre! Everyone in the company worked tirelessly to make this show possible. I handled Assistant Directing, costumes, props, and set design, and played the sparkling Cecily. What a truly enjoyable time. You can't ask for more witty dialogue than Wilde's, nor can you hope for a more thoroughly enjoyable evening of theatre than his material presents. Having a Rose Bruford graduate in the director's chair meant that we had very keen ears attending to our accent work. I was so proud of this production, and of what it did for the theatre community in Seoul.
I was cast as Ophelia, and because the theme of the evening touched on the darker aspects of Shakespeare's work, and so much of what she experiences is dark, I was able to perform three of her scenes. (I joke that I have now played the entire role without having to spend as much time off stage as other Ophelias might). This work required emotional access that was both challenging and rewarding to provide. It was the Ophelia I have always envisioned—the woman in white with flowers growing in her skin. I feel so honored to have played her.
At last the efforts of Artistic Director Lindsey Higgins came to fruition and Seoul Shakespeare Company presented its first main stage show. It took the labor of many dedicated artists to make this possible, and I was pleased to count myself among them as both an ensemble member and a Dramaturge. The highlight of the show, for me, was the chance to cast one of my young Korean students as my son. Watching him take his theatre skills out into the real world and handle himself so professionally made me feel truly proud.
Photos by Michele Farley
Much like Educating Rita, this was a show that changed my life but of which I was previously unaware. It is a heartbreakingly sad and truly darkly funny examination of how two people cope with the reality of a catatonic special-needs daughter. The narrative requires that the characters portray their memories of childbirth, of meeting with doctors, and of dealing with the day to day realities that grind away at their relationship, and somehow, much of it is compelling and funny. I was touched by the script. It's another that I'll always long to revisit.
Photos by Michele Farley
This choir allowed me to hone my vocal work while connecting to a wider Seoul community. We performed material that ranged from modern film scores to Handel's Messiah, and we often did so to benefit local charities. Under the direction of Conductor Ryan Goessl, I fell more deeply in love with the communal process of making music.
Performing the role of Portia was pivotal for me, and I’ll always be grateful to director Norm Jensen for the opportunity.
(West Coast, New York, Canada, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Mainland China, South Korea, 2004-2009)
This itinerant traveling troupe expanded my understanding of what is possible in theatre. I learned to enter any room and immediately find or create the most likely performance space (I still do this). I learned to tip tables over to form stage wings, to find and create props, and to craft characters with a minimum of make-up or costumes required. I performed suicide prevention for the troupes stationed in the Demilitarized Zone on the border between North and South Korea. I did family communications plays for the inmates of several upstate New York prisons, performing once for the guards between cell doors. I toured full-time with small groups of people, some of whom became lifelong friends. I played bunnies, aliens, bullies, children, old women, criminals, British servants, wise men, businesswomen, mothers, daughters, devils, drug addicts, cops, and angels. I learned to lead a team, to manage team conflict, to celebrate team birthdays, to rebook and recover and send a team member off to attend a funeral, to maintain a van, to make van-time fun, to handle phone and email PR, to file receipts, to keep detailed reports, and to direct a variety of actors in a variety of genres for a variety of intended audiences. Most importantly, I became comfortable speaking in front of any group, anywhere. The experience shaped my love for the people of New York and Asia, and deepened my relationship with the theatre.
(Los Angeles Actors Showcase Collective—Steve Helgoth)
My first and only stint in Los Angeles before I ran away to become a drama missionary. I loved the flirtatious clowning I was able to explore in the role of Lucio! This single blurred image is the only memento I have of our gender-reversal goth-inspired production. This was the show that got me an agent.
I toured California with this Renaissance Faire Comedy troupe for two summer seasons. We had a blast performing The Old Testament Condensed and Hamlet in Fifteen Minutes (Five..One…30 Seconds), and learning the lingo of the various communities of artisans actors and pirates at the faire. This single blurry image of a curtain call is all I have…
(Redlands Footlighters)
I played Bianca beside the fantastic Wade Denes. Bob Harper as Petruchio was an inspiration.
(Temecula Valley Playhouse)
I played Verges in this 1960s-inspired romp. The set was inspired by the television show Laugh-in. I loved working with Mike Rider.
(Ramona Hillside Playhouse)
A local reviewer compared my Gigi to, “A young Sally Field.” I loved this role!
(San Jacinto Valley Shakespeare Festival)
This was the second production of the San Jacinto Valley Shakespeare Festival. Playing Viola gave me the delicious opportunity to be a girl who is playing a boy. Once again I had the pleasure and challenge of working in the historic Ramona Bowl Amphitheater. I became more aware of the techniques needed to tell a sometimes subtle story from very far away. I enjoyed continued combat training, and was able to speak some of Shakespeare's most glorious pay-to-say lines. What a complex heroine she was, and what a pleasure to play.
(San Jacinto Valley Shakespeare Festival)
This was my first chance to work in an amphitheater—one that seats 5,400! The historic Ramona Bowl Amphitheater, home of the California State Play, Ramona, gave us a beautiful outdoor setting in which to stage Shakespeare under the stars. Never have I spent so many hours at Denny's poring over text. We all felt keenly the sense that we were bringing something uniquely beautiful and new into our community, and that we had a responsibility to do it well. My time with Juliet was treasured. I'll never forget her.
(Maggie’s Palace West Theatre)
I played Janet Chester at three different phases of her life at this beloved hole-in-the-wall local theater. A permanent highlight and bragging right of the experience was that the audition call said they wanted a sixteen-year-old…so I pretended to be sixteen. Much of the material was fairly adult. On closing night Maggie Washburn (owner of the theater) learned that I was fourteen, and she was mortified. Score one for the early bloomers among us! (I apologize for the blurry 1990s footage screenshots.)
Apothecary, Romeo and Juliet, (Linda Bisesti, Cal State Long Beach)
Helena, First Fairy A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Dennis Anderson, Mt. San Jacinto)
Celia, The Curate Shakespeare’s As You Like It (MSJC)
Hermia, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Anthony Priest, La Sierra University)
Irina, The Three Sisters (Michael Rider, Mt. San Jacinto College)
Featured Ensemble, The Man of La Mancha (Dennis Anderson, MSJC)
Messenger, Antigone (James Dublino, Mt. San Jacinto College)
Ensemble, Quilters (Gail Hoak, Mt. San Jacinto College)
Ensemble, Guys and Dolls, (Dennis Anderson, Mt. San Jacinto College)
Soloist, Broadway Review, (Dennis Anderson, Mt. San Jacinto College)
Eve, The Diaries of Adam and Eve (Kelly Suss, West Valley High School)
Nurse, Romeo and Juliet (Ron Murray, Hemet High School)
Antigone, Portia, Witch, Puck, A Night of Classics (West Valley High School)
Blind Child, The Miracle Worker (Stacey Bailey, West Valley High School)
Chorus, Romeo and “Julie” (Ron Murray, Hemet High School)
Soloist, Annie (Stacey Bailey, West Valley High School)
Soloist, The Nutcracker (Stacey Bailey, West Valley High School)
Evelina Culpepper, Help! I’m Trapped in a High School! (Ron Murray HHS)
Dr. Sweets, Hospital (Ron Murray, Hemet High School)
Sheila, Roomers (Ron Murray, Hemet High School)
Melissa Collingsworth, Hide and Seek (Ron Murray, Hemet High School)
Mrs. Barry, Anne of Green Gables (Stacey Bailey, West Valley High School)
Stepsister, Final Dress Rehearsal (Ron Murray, Hemet High School)
Judith, Just So Stories (Stacey Bailey, West Valley High School)
Griselda, Just So Stories (Stacey Bailey, West Valley High School)
Kim, Bye Bye Birdie (Stacey Bailey, West Valley High School)
Puck, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Ron Murray, Hemet High School)
The Angel Gabriel…a church!
