Read our exclusive interview with stage and independent film actress Tanna Frederick, who’s set to reprise her role of Pandora Isaacs in the upcoming film ‘Just 45 Minutes from Broadway.’ She originally portrayed Pandora in the stage version in 2009 at the Edgemar Center for the Arts in Los Angeles. The film follows Pandora as she has to move back in with her parents, who are both successful stage actors, after her latest relationship ends. However, her sister Betsy has no interest in the family business, and moves to start her own life. Frederick discusses with us, among other things, why she wanted to reprise her role in the film, and what she finds so appealing about theater.
Shockya (SY): In the upcoming drama ‘Just 45 Minutes from Broadway,’ you’re set to reprise the role of Pandora Isaacs. What initially attracted you to Pandora before you appeared in the play, and why did you want to reprise the role in the film?
Tanna Frederick (TF): I think Henry Jaglom is a prolific playwright. The Actors Studio Harold Clurman had told Henry that he had the new voice of the modern American playwright, and I love the way his work feels. The cadences of his dialogue, the absurd reality of the characters and of course the subject matter. Of show people, show folk- whose lifespans have consisted of generations of theatre in this case, vaudeville, that subject matter is lovely, deep and moving for me personally. I had gone away to the Iowa Independent Film Festival. Upon my return, Henry told me he had penned a play in a four day time period that had echoes of his film ‘Last Summer in the Hamptons.’ He read it to me and Ron Vignone and by the end, our jaws had dropped and I was blown away. Henry finished the play in the two weeks that followed and we began casting. I liked my character of Panda, a woman who has decided to stop apologizing for her idiosyncrasies and flaws and move back in with her family in ramshackeled family home, “just 45 minutes from Broadway.” I also loved the conflict between “show folk” and “civilians.” I thought Henry had written it in a delightful, yet truthfully eerie, manner, symbolized by the conflict between the character of my sister, played by Julie David, and I. We ran the play for close to a year at The Edgemar Center for the Arts. The cast became like family and the audience kept coming to see us after the shows to tell Henry he had to make this into his next movie. I had always wanted to do a play that was adapted to a film where I played the character in both, and so it worked out wonderfully.
SY: Did you prepare for the role any differently before you began filming the movie, as opposed to when you portrayed Pandora on-stage?
TF: No, to stay true to the character I did the same preparation. The only difference was we had cast Judd Nelson as the lead man opposite myself so the chemistry was a little different. Other than that, it was pretty remarkable how the performances transferred themselves from stage to screen.
SY: Pandora moves back in with her parents, who are both successful stage actors, after her latest long-term romance fails. Can you relate to any of her personal dilemmas?
TF: Yes. Her parents were “successful” in the sense that they had no qualms about going after what they loved and reveling in the life of theatre. I think that’s an important message that it’s difficult for artists to keep close to their hearts; that success come from the “doing” of versus the acquiring of… It comes from the history of ones relationship to their art, not what fortune or fame may have been gained from acknowledgment their art by the commercial world.
SY: Pandora’s sister Betsy, who’s played by Julie Davis, has no interest in show business, and moves away from the family to start a life on her own. Why do you think some people don’t connect with the lifestyles their family members have come to love and embrace?
TF: Probably rebellion or the need to expand their own horizons. For example, my grand parents on my mother’s side were farmers; my mother became a nursing professor. Both of my parents were in the medical field (my father is a pharmacist), but my brother and I took a different route. He graduated from a Buddhist college; he studied English and is a writer, and I became an actress. I was lucky because my parents encouraged us to explore different areas than the ones they had conquered. Or perhaps the kids hated what their parents did. But I’d prefer to look on the flip side that they would like to journey into unknown territory.
SY: Henry Jaglom, who directed you in the stage version of ‘45 Minutes from Broadway,’ is also helming the film version. You also worked with Henry on two previous films, including ‘Hollywood Dreams’ and ‘Irene in Time.’ What is it about his work ethic that you find so appealing?
TF Actually Gary Imhoff directed ‘Just 45’…He’s an amazing theatre director, and won several ‘best director’ awards in LA for his work on the play. It was my third play I’ve done with him. He has an amazing sense of balance in terms of staging and dialogue. In dialogue heavy plays, or seemingly Chekhovian –esque dramas such as Henry’s plays, he keeps the movement light and airy to combat the thick dialogue, and always helps to find the humor in Henry’s work, of which there is much humor to be found. Also, Imhoff never over-rehearses the actors into the ground, or imposes the character on to the actor-he massages the role out of the actor organically…and everybody likes massages.
The reason I work with Henry Jaglom in film is because he is incredible. Incredibly bright, savvy, brave, bullheaded, open…I could go on and on and on…we work together amazingly well. We play like 12 year olds making a film. We are getting ready to do our fifth film together-The ‘M’ Word, co-starring Michael Imperioli, Corey Feldman, Frances Fisher and Gregory Harrison. The cast of every movie I’ve worked on with Henry has always been saturated with brilliant actors, and I can’t wait to work with this next cast.
SY: You have several other stage credits to your name, including ‘Always… But Not Forever,’ ‘A Safe Place’ and ‘Toussaint: For The Love Of Freedom.’ What is it about theater that convinces you to continuously take on stage roles?
TF: Stage is a necessity. Stage is staple. As an actor, I must go on stage between films. No question. To retrain myself. To shake myself up. The energy I receive from a live audience is completely different energy than what a crew and camera brings. Both are essential to feel-the freneticism of a theatre house or the silent calm of the camera rolling, or holding a structure of a play in my body then going to the broken slivers of the piece in film…
But both work synergistically to compliment one another and make performances whole and solid.
SY: Do you have a preference of filming movies or performing in plays?
TF: Methinks I answered that in the last one…If not, both are as important as the other.
SY: Besides acting, you’re also preparing for the Long Beach Marathon on October 9th as a member of REVO2LT Running Team. How did you become involved in running, and why did you decide to participate in the marathon?
TF: I’ve always enjoyed being active, it’s great way to stay in shape and I find it’s a great stress reliever. When I first moved to LA, going for a run was a fun way to get to know your neighborhood, I just kept running farther and eventually decided to try a marathon; I love that you can run for a cause. Also, it was a great excuse to fly out to Chicago and run with my best friend. My times have been great in the marathons I’ve run-I’m six minutes away from Boston qualifying time-which is a big goal for me. Unfortunately, after much deliberation, I determined I could not dedicate the proper amount of time to successfully train for this year’s Long Beach marathon. However, I am keeping both active and busy and have two marathon on the books for next year. Also, I just recently earned my second degree black belt in tae kwon do and I am also gearing up for my fourth annual 24Hour Surf-a-thon for my non profit, Project Save Our Surf. It’s 24 hours of surfing for kids, celebs, pro surfers and community members, with all proceeds going towards clean water both the local and global level. Check out our official website.
Written by: Karen Benardello
