Truly connecting to the inner emotions, fears and desires of someone trying to realize their goals and aspirations in life is one of the most important aspects of an actor’s job, on stage and in films. Veteran theater and film actress Tanna Frederick has a natural ability to connect with the darkest motivations of any character she takes on. She’s currently showing that ability as the main character, Lizzie Curry, in the play ‘The Rainmaker,’ which is currently playing at the Edgemar Theater in Santa Monica. While the production is based on N. Richard Nash’s 1954 play, ‘The Rainmaker,’ which was later adapted into a film starring Burt Lancaster and Katharine Hepburn two years later, Frederick concentrates on her own emotions to give her own relatable performance as Lizzie.
‘The Rainmaker,’ which is directed by Jack Heller, follows Lizzie as she capably takes care of the men in her house, but there’s emptiness in her life. She dreams of finding a husband and children to make her life feel complete. She becomes even more frustrated after visiting her cousin’s house leads to a failed attempt to find a suitable life partner.
To make matters worse, the Curry family farm, like all those around them, is impacted by the 1936 drought. Lizzie’s family farm is put into danger, as the drought is killing their animals and making them unable to maintain business. But the misfortunes of Lizzie’s romantic life and family business start to change when a charismatic stranger, Starbuck (Robert Standley) appears. He claims he can not only help the farm’s business improve, but also help Lizzie achieve the life she’s always wanted.
Frederick generously took the time recently to talk about playing Lizzie in ‘The Rainmaker’ over he phone. Among other things, the actress and director discussed how Heller’s faith in her ability to draw on the necessary emotions to play Lizzie convinced her to take on the role; how her experience in independent films and the intimacy of the small Edgemar Theater allows her to connect with the play’s audience and craft her acting skills; and how she started Project Cornlight to help bring filmmaking to her native state of Iowa.
ShockYa (SY): You’re currently starring as Lizzie in the hit play ‘The Rainmaker’ at the Edgemar Theater in Santa Monica. What attracted you to the role of Lizzie, and convinced you to take the play?
Tanna Frederick (TF): We’re extended through September, which is awesome. It’s been a huge, wonderful hit, which I feel very fortunate about. It’s a tough play, and it’s been done in so many different places. But we’ve had a great run, and I’m happy to be continuing.
What attracted me to it was that it’s a side of myself I haven’t really used before. It’s a smaller, more contained version of what I’ve been doing. Jack Heller from The Actor’s Studio approached me and said I would be perfect for the role, and I couldn’t fathom doing it. But with his brilliant direction, I was able to easily slide into the role and find the character of Lizzie.
Also, coming from a small Midwestern town in Iowa, and having six powerful and strong aunts, I grew up doing framework and household work. As I was developing the character, I really pulled from them and their tenacity.
There’s one aspect in the play, which I found to be the key to the role I’m playing, which is when Lizzie’s upset, she doesn’t cry. That’s what I saw growing up with all these aunts. They never cried when they were upset; they just went around doing more work. They would do it faster to hide their emotions. Lizzie’s always trying to hide her emotions; she tries to get through the day, and that helps her hide whichever emotional storm is brewing inside her.
SY: ‘The Rainmaker’ follows Lizzie’s epiphany that she will never get married until Starbuck, a conman, sweeps her off her feet. Were you able to relate to Lizzie’s struggles at all in her romantic life? How did you get into Lizzie’s mindset before the play began its run?
TF: I think there’s a commonality between Lizzie and all women, that that she doesn’t see herself as being beautiful, so I dug that up. I think that’s true for all women, who have that painful period in middle school and high school, where they were afraid to dance, and no one asks them to dance. They just felt they weren’t beautiful. That would be the access.
But like I said, I really concentrated on the emotions. I did do research into the 1936 drought, which is when the play is set. I looked into how intelligent women were, and how they made up for their loss of cattle, because the cattle were dying. The produce was not coming out, as the chicken and cattle were dying. So a lot of these women really had to get smart, and figure out ways to make money for their families. They were really strong women, so a lot of what I do is based on that.
Lizzie lives with her two brothers and father, so her business is setting the table every single day. That takes a lot of her time. Meanwhile, people were canning at that time. They were out in the garden a lot, and figuring out how to survive. With that, I kept looking for ways to keep busy.
SY: Robert Standley plays Starbuck in the play. What’s your working relationship with him like on the play?
TF: It’s amazing, he’s amazing. He did a two-year tour, actually, with ‘The Rainmaker.’ He went everywhere, to huge theaters, so to have him in this show is a huge blessing. He’s one of the most positive, upbeat, professional actors I’ve worked with. He’s just amazing, and he embodies the character of Starbuck.
Our scenes are so easy to do because he’s a vivacious individual. I just can’t help but react to his whole being. So the performances are never written; they’re varied, because he’s so honest with his work.
SY: The Edgemar Theater only has 99-seats. What’s the process like doing a classic piece in front of a small group of people in an intimate space?
TF: Being a film actress, for me it works really well, because I’m doing small work. Film is more intimate than theater, usually. But since this is a small, intimate house, I can craft and hone my skills.
Being on stage and doing honest work for smaller audiences, versus being on a huge stage and having to really push my instrument out there, is fantastic. I love the fact that it is intimate, and you can hear the laughter and sniffles of the men and women as they cry.
The play is still getting huge, packed audiences, and we’ve been running for six months. I love working in this small environment; it helps and makes sense to work in a smaller venue, because I’m trying to keep improving my work.
SY: Jack Heller is the director of the play. What’s the process of working with him on the play been like?
TF: Jack has been absolutely incredible. I love Jack like a father, as I have also worked with him as co-stars on screen and on stage. He played my father in my last film that just came out, ‘Just 45 Minutes from Broadway.’ So we already had that familial relationship, because he’s a brilliant actor, as well.
Working with him as a director is great as well. He really knows me and my style, and how to pull my emotions out of me. But at the same time, he helped me contain them and keep them below the surface, which is what the character requires.
SY: You previously worked at the Edgemar Center for the Arts with several other productions, including last year’s ‘Why We Have a Body,’ for which you made your directorial debut and starred in. What was the process of helming ‘Why We Have a Body’ like, and are you interested in directing another play in the future?
TF: It was great and so amazing-I love directing. I have a film I very much would like to direct that I’ve adapted. It was terrifying at first, and then it just flipped around, so you’re always doing something. It was a big eye opener because as an actor, you have times where you’re not running the whole ship. I was both acting and directing ‘Why We Have a Body,’ and I think that was necessary. I needed both sides of the coin with that.
Being a director is fantastic and incredible. It made me appreciate even more every director I have ever worked with before. I will never be the same actor again, because I know how difficult it is to be a director.
SY: One of your newest ventures, Project Cornlight, was created with the intention of developing and filming at least one Iowa-based film a year. Why was it important for you to develop Project Cornlight and give a voice to the Iowa film industry?
TF: The people in Iowa were so incredibly supportive to me, and gave me the confidence to follow my dreams. So I wanted to do the same in return, and help them follow their dreams. I feel it’s important, and there’s so much beautiful, untapped talent in Iowa. I think it’s necessary for films to be shot there, and there are new movies shooting there constantly.
I think what happens with some of these states is that huge movies with big budgets go in, and they bring Los Angeles people out. They don’t do a lot of local hires. The local hires are usually extras or smaller roles. Project Cornlight is all Iowans crewing, and acting in, the films, except for maybe a couple of names from LA. i think that’s the best way to make movies.
I’m so lucky to be able to film movies that way. There are so many nice people there, and I’m excited that we’re filming there. I’m the one who feels like the lucky one. But it was also inspiring to watch the filmmakers who come out of the process and make more films.
It’s the same with my film festival, the Iowa Independent Film Festival, which has been going on for eight years. It’s amazing to see the budding filmmakers and the confidence they get from that.
SY: You’ve appeared in several independent films in your career, including ‘Just 45 Minutes From Broadway’ and ‘Hollywood Dreams.’ What is it about independent movies that you enjoy acting in so much?
TF: I enjoy the freedom and experimentation allowed in them. I love the freedom of exploration. In bigger budget films, it’s more laid out. It’s take after take after take. With smaller films, you still have takes, but it’s sort of like doing smaller theater. There’s a lot of passion and love in making smaller films happen, and I appreciate that.
SY: Do you have a preference of theater over films, or vice versa, or do you enjoy acting overall?
TF: I love everything, as both of them need to be done. It’s so important for an actor to explore all of the venues they possibly can. I would do musical theater if I could sing. (laughs)
I believe for the craft, or at least for me, it’s important to explore every single facet of acting that I can. Going between film and theater helps me mentally.
In front of a camera, you’re not getting the reaction of the audience immediately, as you do from stage. But when you’re on state, it’s not like film; you get to go through the whole arc of the play. But of course it’s not captured on film. So then you’re doing it one million times for an audience. I’ve learned so much through audiences and energy. I learn when people are going to laugh.
Written by: Karen Benardello
