A View from the cast of A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE

Today actress Stephanie Cleghorn talks to us about her VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE and what it was like auditioning and how excited she is for the community to share in this powerful drama.

Why am I excited about Artes de la Rosa’s upcoming production of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge? Because Artes de la Rosa’s production is going to blow your mind!

When I first read this script before I auditioned it was literally an edge of your seat, gasp out loud kind of show. The characters were alive and passionate and I immediately fell in love with the role of Catherine. Miller gives his readers a tragic tale that is beautifully chaotic, intensely heartbreaking yet encouragingly romantic. What an incredible experience as a Latina woman to be given the opportunity to tackle the renowned work of Miller. With a cast full of heart and a director full of wisdom, I feel that this production is going to be inspiring while challenging the audience to feel deeper emotions than we usually feel comfortable.

In regards to Catherine, the role I am gratefully blessed to play, what a dream role this would be for any young actress! The dialogue between Catherine and Rodolpho, her young lover and fiancé is so poetically heart wrenching. These two young lovers are such dreamers and so lost in their hopes of love and escape. Their love story is likened to that of other cherished forbidden love tales where there is no fairy tale ending. What I find so endearing about Catherine is that I see so much of myself in her, unfortunately what I find most disheartening are the similarities in our weaknesses. Catherine exhibits some of the qualities in myself that I feel are strengths. Her desires to please and to love are two traits I admire. Her innocence and complete surrender to these new overwhelming feelings that represent her maturing as a woman and her understanding love in a new light are beautiful to witness. However her naïveté is frustratingly on the border of ignorance, and at times I feel she uses it to be manipulative and live in the comfort of what she has always known.

“You think it’s so easy to turn around and say to a man he’s nothing to you no more?” To be able to utter these words was an electrifying experience for me during auditions and words that I will always keep in my heart. During auditions Mr. Adolfo, our exceptional director, recognized the potential of each actor and was able to tap in to their capabilities. I know for me personally having a director that knew what buttons to push to immediately let all of my walls come down and to embrace complete vulnerability was one of the most liberating and cathartic experiences ever.

One simple visual of a very special person was all I needed to make a monologue come to life and to show my soul to all who were watching and Mr. Adolfo knew that and used it to get something out of me that I was aching to share. The vulnerability that will be asked of me is a challenge in which I am thrilled to accept.

The familial feeling of the cast of A View from the Bridge, the intimate story telling of this brilliant piece, and the risks the actors are being asked to take makes for a joyous journey that I am beyond excited about!