Suzanna Geraghty, appeals to our inner Zoe with her fast moving comedy
ACTRESS/ writer Suzanna Geraghty tells a terrific story as to how her show ‘Zoe’s Auditions’ came to production, and indeed, award-winning standard.
Based in New York at the time, the dyslexic actress had created the hapless character Zoe to service Suzanna’s ‘open calls’ – the short public auditions unions are obliged to host to ensure new supply to theatre-land.
These two minute sketches remained just that until acting coach Stephen Jobes told her to show up at his place and place $250 cash in an envelope. He then withheld the readies until she had developed the outline of a play and ultimately, completed it.
Her long-standing block to writing down words on a page evaporated under such pressure, which Jobes made sure was relentless.
“At one stage he even had my Winter coat,” she chuckles. “Another time it came down to my fridge money”.
Reader, we too can laugh with and at ‘Zoe’s Auditions’ on Monday October 7 next in Lime Tree Theatre at 7pm and again on Tuesday 8, this time at 11am. For this Irish actress’ one-woman show went on to pip another 76 from 11 different countries to take the ‘Audience Favourite’ award at New York’s United Solo festival in 2011.
Last year Suzanna was invited back to stage again, this time in the prestigious ‘Encore’ selection of shows brought back by popular demand.
What is it that works about ‘Zoe’s Auditions’, Arts page wondered.
“It’s a very uplifting and heartwarming experience,” the comedienne feels. “It features a character who is an underdog and someone like all of us, always striving to be more”. Essentially, the message is to ‘be yourself, everyone else is taken’, that great Oscar Wilde quote.
“It is about being put down, and recycled, getting up again and trying to find your place in the world – the importance of living an authentic life”.
Booking with www.limetreetheatre.ie and 061-774774
