Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathleen McManus.
Kathleen, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve been a mimic since before I can remember and began studying acting at age 20 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I moved to Atlanta from my hometown, New Orleans, in 1982 and have pursued work in theater arts ever since. Spent some time at the Academy Theater in the 1980s, finished my bachelor’s degree at UGA in the 1990s and landed a job as Education Director at Georgia Shakespeare Festival where I stayed for a decade during its glory days transitioning from the tent to the Conant Performing Arts Center. It was there that I began to direct and produce, two skills that have served me well since co-founding Aris Theatre, “Atlanta’s stage for Celtic culture,” with some pals about six years ago. Along the way, I’ve worked at many of Atlanta’s theatrical institutions, the ones that are still here and the ones that are now gone, and I’m a proud recipient of three Suzi Bass awards! Two for ensemble work (The God Committee, Theatrical Outfit, 2006) (Big River, Theatrical Outfit, 2008) and one for featured actress in a musical (Big Edie, Grey Gardens, Actor’s Express, 2009).
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
If you go into any endeavor expecting the road to be one, long and joyous upward trajectory, you’ll be crushed at the first defeat. Acting is a profession filled with disappointments, but also great adventures. My advice to younger women performers is to keep learning, keep reading, keep watching others at work. Especially in the theater, finding a side gig that deepens your skills when you’re not in a role (writing, directing, producing, coaching, teaching) will help you feel like you’re part of something larger than your own career. Along the way, you will find your tribe, hold them close.
Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I define myself as a theater artist. For much of the year, I’m teaching acting, theater, and drama to middle schoolers at Woodward Academy. I’m more of a theater generalist, but I do specialize in dialect work, both as a performer and as a coach. As a director, I’m drawn to comedy and the absurd. As an actor who sings, every now and then I get to dive into a juicy musical, but I’ve also had a great run at many of Shakespeare’s heroines. And as a member of Working Title Playwrights, I am often found at their Monday night series, digging into a brand new script in a room filled with actors and writers.
I am most proud of the work I’ve been doing for Aris Theatre (ah REESH, a Gaelic word that means “encore”). What sets us apart is our exclusive focus on the plays of Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. We’ve produced the playwrights Enda Walsh, Stephen MacDonald, Morna Pearson, Brian Friel, Marie Jones, Sean O’Casey, Dermot Bolger, Iain Crichton Smith, Samuel Beckett, and Marina Carr. You can catch us from time to time in the backspace at 7 Stages in Little Five Points, or occupying the back room at Manuel’s Tavern.
Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well-positioned for?
More and more women are rising to the top in American theater, becoming artistic and managing directors, and founding their own companies. This positions us to push for the inclusion of more voices, not just women’s voices, but so many others who were not heard in the heyday of male dominance in the performing arts. At Aris, which is evenly divided between men and women, we have strived for the inclusion of women writers, women in design, and women directors. It begins with respect, for each other’s ideas and for the competitive spirit that lives in us all. Decision by committee can be messy, but there is so much more to learn from each other by ditching the hierarchy and truly listening across the gender divides.
Contact Info:
- Website: aristheatre.org
- Facebook: @aristheatre.org
Image Credit:
Dina Shadwell, Safaa Sammander, Judy Thomas, Jessica Fern Hunt
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