Penny Thomas was comfortable in the spotlight from an early age, growing up in Fayetteville (between Sylacauga and Childersburg) and earning a theater degree at Samford University. Since then, she’s appeared on Birmingham stages in comedies and dramas. Her latest project is “Graceland & Asleep on the Wind,” two one-act plays being presented by Cahaba Theatre Group, the readers theater troupe, on Aug. 18. Thomas – who stars with Chatham Kennedy and Sunny Chander – tells us about that show, her earliest theater memories and much more (including belly dancing).
What’s your first memory of being on stage?
When I was a kid, my favorite bedtime story was “The Hobyas.” It was a gruesome tale about monsters that lived in the woods and kidnapped children. I begged for this story every night. When I was in first grade, I presented the story to my class. I acted out all the roles and was very dramatic. The teacher was so entertained that she asked permission for me to present the story to other classes. I performed it for all of the classes, all the way up to the fifth graders.
What’s your favorite role you’ve played or show you’ve been in?
I’ve been blessed with some amazing roles, comedic and dramatic. It’s hard to choose. I’m going to say PoPo in “Clown Bar,” just because it’s so far outside the box. “Clown Bar” is about the seedy underbelly of the clown world. It’s written in the style of film noire, but everyone is in full clown makeup and costume. PoPo is a sociopathic hit clown. She’s both terrifying and funny. It was a unique challenge.
Who is your favorite playwright?
Sarah Ruhl. She’s brilliant. Her dialogue is delicious. You can taste the words like honey in your mouth.
What’s a performance (on stage or screen) that sticks out to you as an audience member?
I saw “Les Miserables” in London in 1988. It was the first show to take me on a rollercoaster ride of emotion. I get chills thinking about it.
What is a role you wish you will or could have played?
I would love to play Martha in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” I’m so jealous of Melissa Bush Hallmark being cast in the VST version. Melissa is an amazing actress, though. I know she’ll do an excellent job. I hope I get to see it.
Any great advice you’ve been given by a director or anyone else about being on stage?
I learned a lot from Carl Stewart during my TNT days. “Stop thinking about your lines and listen. Stop acting. Just tell me the story.” That’s all acting is. It’s listening and telling the story.
Do you have any pre-performance rituals?
I have to put my hands on every prop that I use, and every costume piece, while speaking out loud what the thing is. Then I do hair and makeup. Just before the show starts, I say to myself, “You know the lines. Don’t think ahead. Don’t think behind. One word at a time.” It’s my mantra.
Tell me about a time something went wrong on stage.
I was playing Juanita in “Sordid Lives” at TNT. She’s a barfly, and she’s having her own little conversation while she drinks and smokes her way through the scene. At one point, she stands up and declares, “That makes so much sense!,” then immediately plops down in the chair. One night I plopped down and I could feel the chair tilting back. I leaned forward thinking that would be enough to correct the chair. The chair continued to fall backward in slow motion until it fell. I somersaulted backward to the back of the stage with a beer bottle in one hand and a cigarette in the other. As my feet flew over my head, a shoe came off and flew across the stage. I somehow managed to hold onto the bottle, and I landed sitting up. I crawled around on the floor gathering props, picking up the cigarette, and getting my shoe back on before crawling back to the chair and sitting. It was the biggest laugh I’ve ever received in my life.
Your next show is “Graceland/Asleep on the Wind.” Can you tell me about that?
It’s two one-act shows tied together with an Elvis theme. In “Graceland,” two women are in competition with each other to be the first visitor ever to enter Graceland. “Asleep on the Wind” is about a young Elvis impersonator and his relationship with his impressionable kid sister. The adult version of the sister is introduced to you in “Graceland.” The combined story is about the struggles of this young woman and why she’s so desperate to be first.
How do you approach this readers theater process differently from a standard play?
At its core, it isn’t really that different. We still focus on character development and relationships. It’s a bit more challenging to stay connected with your scene partner. You don’t want to give all of your energy to the book. Like any show, it’s about telling the story.
Can you tell me about your character in the show?
I play Bev in Graceland. She’s fanatical, highly competitive, rough around the edges, but she has a good heart. She gets a little crazy, but she’s very likable.
Tell me something people might be surprised to know about you.
I used to be a belly dancer in a troupe called Zivah Saphira. We would put on shows at the 22nd Street Jazz Cafe. I had a number that involved dancing with a cane while simultaneously playing finger cymbals. I wish I had half that coordination now.
What kind of music do you listen to when you’re not performing?
My tastes haven’t changed much over the years. I still listen to The Cramps and The Butthole Surfers. I’m developing a taste for jazz. I really like Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry.
What’s the last book you read?
I don’t read as much as I used to. “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” is one of my all-time favorites. I like to revisit it from time to time.
What’s the last TV series you binged?
“The Brothers Sun.” It’s a modern-day martial arts story about Chinese gangsters. What’s not to love?
What’s next for you?
“It’s a Wonderful Life Live” upstairs at VST in December. This show is my Christmas tradition. It’s done in the style of a 1940s radio show. I play the Foley artist. It’s so much fun. I look forward to it every year.
“Graceland & Asleep on the Wind,” presented by Cahaba Theatre Group at Avenue D, 3008 4th Ave. South, Aug. 18 at 2:30 p.m. Directed by Michael Wilson.
