The following is the text work session taken from the full episode with Jeanne.
In this episode, Jeanne discusses a monologue she worked on from the TV show Threat Matrix. She plays a Cambodian woman who recounts her experiences of escaping the Khmer Rouge. I’ve visited Cambodia and seen first-hand some of the atrocities that happened there—just horrific, as we talk about.
You’ll hear Jeanne discuss:
- how a book she had read two years earlier helped her initially with the audition and then again, once she booked the part
- how she ended up finding a sense of ease with the text
- the challenges of learning a Cambodian dialect, and how she felt insecure about it
Plus, we talk about working on monologues that are stories set in the past vs. things that are happening right now!
It’s a great session, and it was really wonderful to hear Jeanne’s process of connecting to this material.
About the guest
Jeanne Sakata has worked at acclaimed regional theatres all over the country, including in NY, Seattle, Portland, the Bay Area, and numerous theatres in Southern California. She has played opposite such legendary actors as Chita Rivera, Estelle Parsons, and Raul Julia.
Jeanne is a member of LA’s award-winning classical group, the Antaeus Company, and has won a Los Angeles Ovation Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in Chay Yew’s Red at East West Players, the Lee Melville Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Los Angeles Theatre Community, Playwrights’ Arena; and the Drama-Logue Outstanding Performance Award for her work in The Maids at East West Players.
Jeanne has over 40 credits on film and TV including recurring parts on the shows Dr. Ken and High School Musical: The Musical – The Series, and she has even appeared in Justin Lin’s YOMYOMF web series.
Hold These Truths received a Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance, and a Theatre Bay Award for Outstanding Production, Principal Performance and Direction. It is also on display at the Library of Congress Playwrights Archive in the Asian American Pacific Islander Collection in Washington DC, where the Jeanne Sakata Collection was established.
Don’t miss Jeanne’s play Hold These Truths at San Diego Rep, starting November 14th!
Please enjoy the text work with Jeanne Sakata!
Total Running Time: 14:45
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Want to hear more from Jeanne? Check out my full talk with her here!
What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let us know in the comments.
Show Notes
Jeanne Sakata around the web
Her Site | Hold These Truths | Twitter | Wikipedia | Film/TV | Off-Broadway | Additional Theatre
Selected People and Items Mentioned
Watch Jeanne on Threat Matrix
Dr. Haing S. Ngor’s acceptance speech for The Killing Fields
Jeanne’s monologue (as Dara) from Threat Matrix
[accordion clicktoclose=”true”][accordion-item title=”+ click to view/close the monologue” id=leontes state=closed]DARA
The stream bed, it was dry season
But the rocks still slippery
Uncle Sam help me, carry my baby
He say he have baby boy long time ago in the States
[AGENT FRANKIE: Did he talk about his boy, did he say his name?]
No, but he say worse pain in world
is losing family
[AGENT FRANKIE: How long did you walk?]
At least three hours, then no more
But Uncle Sam, he move quickly like he see in dark
Then he stop us at pool of water near big boulder
Uncle Sam say, many mines in jungle on side
Only way through water
Water deep, cold
Sam carry my baby high
On other side, we see small house
He had name for it.
[/accordion-item] [/accordion]
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