Catch up on our coverage of Brave Spirits Theatre’s repertory as we continue to introduce some of our actors across the productions. Danielle Scott and Katie Culligan play the lead roles of Beatrice-Joanna in The Changeling and the Duchess in The Duchess of Malfi. We recently asked them about their roles and their experiences working within BST’s repertory.
Danielle Scott plays Beatrice-Joanna in ‘The Changeling’
Starting off with a quick introduction: What is your name, where are you originally from, and what previous experiences have you had working with early modern drama?
DANIELLE SCOTT: My name is Danielle Scott and I grew up in a couple of different States (Utah, Nevada, & Indiana) and now I live in Virginia. I just received my MFA in Acting from the Catholic University of America. We spent a full year on early modern drama along with our Dramatic Structures course. I have been in a few Shakespeare plays, but this is the first time performing in early modern dramas not written by Shakespeare.
KATIE CULLIGAN: My name is Katie Culligan, I am originally from St. Louis, MO and most recently I worked on Doctor Faustus with BST last fall as (clever) Wagner, (bad dude) Benvolio, (stuffy) Raymond and perhaps my favorite of the seven deadly sins: Lechery.
Who do you play in BST’s repertory this season?
SCOTT: I play Beatrice-Joanna in The Changeling and Delio in The Duchess of Malfi. Beatrice-Joanna is the daughter of Vermandero and she is betrothed to Alonzo, but loves Alsemero. We follow her story and how her worth is only prized with modesty. Delio is Antonio’s best friend in The Duchess of Malfi and Delio helps Antonio out when conflicts rise up.
CULLIGAN: I play the role of the Duchess in The Duchess of Mafli. She is the wife of the recently deceased Duke and the reason why her brothers (Ferdinand and [the] Cardinal) decide to create a devious plot that results in an epic tragedy. She remarries beneath her station for love, much to her brothers chagrin.
Have you created any mental backstory for your character before we meet her in the play?
CULLIGAN: I believe the Duchess, prior to when we first meet her onstage, has led a charmed, comfortable life with a semi-supportive yet perhaps passionless marriage. She has been aware of Antonio in the past, but now she finally has the freedom to act on her feelings, and indeed she does!
SCOTT: Beatrice has lived in an oppressing world since a child. Her mother died when she was very little- so she is used to living in a world surrounded by male figures. Beatrice never really knew her mother, but always yearned for a female figure in her life. Beatrice has grown up with the concept that women are to be obedient and listen to their fathers and husbands. Beatrice is truly a puppet in her own life because she’s never had the freedom to make decisions for herself. [She] always stays in the lines and never strays from her father’s wishes because that is what is expected of her. Beatrice has one true friend, Diaphanta. Diaphanta is her waiting woman, but is more like a sister. They grew up together and are always looking out for each other- especially when it comes to Deflores. Deflores is always following Beatrice around, and Beatrice is never out of Deflores’ sight. No matter how kind or cruel she is to Delfores to get him to leave, he is always lurking around and sizing her up. Under her father’s commands, Beatrice is betrothed to Alonzo De Piraquo at a young age. She would have gone from one commanding male figure and then be handed off to Alonzo, who would have been the head of the house. Beatrice will go through with the wedding to please her father, that is until Alsemero comes along.
Katie Culligan plays the Duchess in ‘The Duchess of Malfi’
What have you learned as an actor from working in this repertory of early modern plays?
CULLIGAN: Something that’s really struck me about the Duchess while working on her character are the stages of grief that she goes through while still maintaining her leadership and dignity. The injustices that are thrown at her are almost too many to count, yet still she departs from the world of the play on her terms. Her inner-strength is real.
SCOTT: Playing a gender reversal in The Duchess of Malfi is interesting in an early modern play because it adds a new aspect to the show. In The Changeling, I realize that what Beatrice-Joanna goes through is still occurring in today’s society. There are so many ways that the world we live in today mirror’s with the world of the two shows.
There’s a lot going on in these plays about disguises and identities. If your character wore a Halloween costume to a party, which would she choose?
SCOTT: [Beatrice-Joanna] would dress up as a man. “Would creation had form’d me man.” Beatrice sees that the only way to have power is by being a male. “I would then have power to oppose my loathings, nay remove them forever from my sight!”
CULLIGAN: I think she’d go as her maid, Cariola. They have such a lovely relationship that the Duchess wouldn’t be afraid to swap places [or] stations for an evening. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery!
Who would win in a duel between Antonio and Ferdinand?
CULLIGAN: I’d like to say Antonio, but Ferdinand is ruthless and scrappy – he’s not afraid to bite.
Who would win in a duel between Alsemero and Alonzo?
SCOTT: Alsemero! He would outwit Alonzo.
What has been the most fun or interesting aspect of playing your characters?
CULLIGAN: As an actor it’s so fun to play the Duchess, because she begins the show with a rom-com mentality in the “wooing-Antonio” scene, but then gradually realizes she’s starring in her own tragedy. The journey she goes through from beginning to her end is expansive, and that’s such a cool challenge to work with!
SCOTT: The most fun or interesting aspect of the shows is switching characters. There is a whole new mindset going from Beatrice into Delio; the two characters have varying behaviors and personalities.
What’s your favorite line that your main character gets to say?
SCOTT: “I must trust someone.” We see how isolated Beatrice truly is in The Changeling.
CULLIGAN: “What would it pleasure me to have my throat cut with diamonds? Or to be smothered with cassia? Or to be shot to death with pearls?” She says this as she faces her own execution. Her intelligence, self-awareness and wit shine bright in this text.
Speed round choices! Werewolf or ghosts?
CULLIGAN: Werewolves – they tend to show up less frequently in stories than ghosts so they have the novelty factor.
SCOTT: Werewolf! “There Wolf, there Castle…”
Dead man’s hand or dead man’s finger?
CULLIGAN: Dead man’s hand – specifically when used with a hand-bag!
SCOTT: Dead man’s finger!
BST’s repertory of The Duchess of Malfi and The Changeling runs through November 18.
Remaining Industry Nights: November 12 (Duchess)
For Tickets: http://www.bravespiritstheatre.com/tickets/
-Production Dramaturg, Claire Kimball