Susan JohnstonCollins played the hilarious Lady Louisa MacDrummond in The Real Sherlock Holmes at Lighthouse Festival in 2022. She’s also starred in The Last Resort and Having Hope at Home at Lighthouse as well. Outside of Lighthouse, Susan has starred in Mark Crawford’s The Birds and The Bees at Port Stanley Festival Theatre & Theatre Orangeville, Sister Act at Drayton Entertainment, and as Marilla Cuthbert & Rachel Lynde in Anne of Green Gables at Charlottetown Festival. We chatted with Susan about what role has had the greatest impact on her personally, what she loves about the character she’s playing, and why she wanted to be involved in The Sweet Delilah Swim Club.
Lighthouse Festival (LF): What do you love about the character you’re playing?
Susan JohnstonCollins (SJC): There’s alot to love about Dinah Grayson. It’s so much fun to explore her intelligence, grace, secret generosity, dry and cynical sence of humor and huge heart which she seldom reveals. Trying to harness all those facets is a tremendous and welcome challenge.
(LF): Why did you want to be involved in this production?
(SJC): I’ve been a huge fan of this wonderful play for a long time. I was so excited to be cast in a production that was to be produced in 2020. We all know what happened then. So, when I saw that Lighthouse was going to produce the show and it was going to be directed by one of my very favorite Directors and dear friend Jane Spence, I jumped at the opportunity and was thrilled to be cast. It certainly doesn’t hurt that the company is made up of awesome and extremely talented women. This summer with Jane S, Susan, Andrea, Debra, Jane M, Laura and Ben will be one I will truly cherish!
(LF): What role has had the greatest impact on you personally?
(SJC): This question is almost impossible to answer. Each and every role that I’ve been blessed with has taught me different things about myself, life, spirituality, the people around me and the world we live in. I simply couldn’t pick just one role that has had an impact. That’s the beauty of Theatre. We experience all these different lives that we then share with our audiences and that shared experience can sometimes inspire wonderful things!
(LF): How do you prepare for a new role?
(SJC): Every Actor has a different process and each project might require something a little bit different. As a general rule, the following are the steps that I would follow. I start with reading the play over and over and over again so I can get really familiar with the characters, places and situations. Next, I will begin ongoing research into the period and locations as well as anything else that might be particular to each piece. Then I start to work on the lines and try to do some preliminary memorization. For me, the final hard work on memorization has to come once rehearsal has started and I’ve met the other actors as well as started blocking the show. Depending on the size of the role, I normally start my preparation at least a month prior to rehearsal.
(LF): What inspired you to pursue a career in theatre?
(SJC): I feel like my wonderful Mother was my inspiration…not just in theatre, but in so many aspects of my life. Mom was an incredible singer and lover of the arts. So, I was exposed to amazing theatre and music from a very young age. Each experience opened my heart and spirit to the magic of the arts and when I was about ten years old, it dawned on me that this could be my life. Nothing could hold me back! I worked as hard as I could and was blessed with many incredible people, mentors and opportunities and after almost forty years of a professional career, I’m still excited about the next show! My ninety-one year old Mom, Rosemary, is just as excited too!