Kate Al-Shamma recently relocated to Nashville from California. She currently teaches acting, voice, and movement at Belmont University and has taught these and related performance courses at universities in San Francisco and Santa Barbara over the past fourteen years. As both a performer and a director, Kate specializes in image-driven theatre, which includes Shakespeare as well as improvisational forms of choreographic theatre. She recently made her Nashville directing debut with Actors Bridge Ensemble’s production of BLUE/ORANGE.

1. What are the challenges of directing a one-actor show as opposed to a show with a multiple cast, particularly a complex show with so many distinct characters as I AM MY OWN WIFE?

In any show, the story telling needs to connect to the audience. With a one-person show, this is a particular kind of challenge since there is the energy of only one human being on stage. My question with this piece was how to bring it quite directly into relationship with the audience, how to activate the audience kinesthetically as well as emotionally. Throughout this production, we try to “endow” members of the audience with specific characteristics, making them carry part of the story. Another challenge with this play is the need for creating specific locations quickly and clearly using only the actor’s body and limited set or props. There is a fluidity to this kind of piece; it must flow.

2. What attracted you to directing this play?

I was attracted by the theme of human survival in the face of tremendous adversity. The details associated with both Nazi Germany and the subsequent communist rule are always disturbing to me. Furthermore, this is the story of an individual who is different, inhabits the fringe of a society; she is “the other.” I believe that many artists feel that they are living a bit outside of their culture. I certainly feel this way myself. How to “succeed” when living by a different set of values, when using your own standard of measure, can be an extremely lonely endeavor. Charlotte is such a beautiful example. She doesn’t become bitter, she is never negative. She finds her own way with such sweetness. And there are signs that this sweetness spreads outward and affects deeply most of the people she meets.

3. What does the word “survival” mean in the context of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf’s story?

Survival here is physical and psychological, “psyche” being another word for soul. This is the story of an individual soul which is forced to confront the darkest side of humanity. Like Psyche’s journey through the underworld and back again, Charlotte sees the face of death and destruction, and she returns to the living and continues on to make a significant contribution. Her life is meaning-full. That is the ultimate “survival” considering the violent context of her life.

4. Is it fair to say that Charlotte as Doug Wright presents her is an elusive character, and if so, how does that element affect this play?

The audience never knows the truth. We hear different sides of the story, or rather, we hear Charlotte’s side and how her side is questioned. Those questions are never answered.

5. If there’s one thing you would hope would stay with theatergoers after they left a performance of I AM MY OWN WIFE, what would that one thing be?

A renewed sense that each individual life is precious; each of us is so delightfully unique. I hope that this play stimulates our most compassionate selves, that it encourages us to embrace one another regardless of surface differences and to love one another with all of our fabulous oddities!