From dancing to directing, performing has defined Rhonda Erbrick’s life. Born in the North but raised in the South, she cultivated her passion for the arts through rigorous training at Troy University and UAB. With experience in about 40 productions since graduation, she now leads Birmingham Festival Theatre as board president, championing diversity and community engagement. Her journey continues with directing the play “5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche,” which runs June 6-22.
Tell me a little about yourself, just basic biographical information.
I was born in the North but raised in the South. I grew up with hard workers who supported my love of the arts. My love began with dancing, then singing, and finally the stage. My degree is a product from a compilation of my training at Troy University and UAB. I have been performing since a young age. Recently, I tallied up to 40 productions I have been a part of after graduating college as an actor, designer, director, etc.
Can you tell me how you got involved in BFT and about your board participation?
In 2015, I was in my first show at Birmingham Festival Theatre, “Play it Again, Sam” by Woody Allen. I stayed after a performance socializing with Mindy Egan and Holly Dikeman, who were both members of the board of directors. After a long conversation, they convinced me to apply for a seat at the table. I was eager to help. BFT is a charming theater with a great deal of known and unknown histories, and keeping Alabama’s oldest black box theaters alive is important. I currently serve as the president of the board of directors, and I have learned a great deal while serving. Over the years I have served, I have enhanced the website and ticketing platforms, increased our presence on social media, led a renovation of the space, increased financial opportunities and so much more. What I am most proud of, is how much BFT has evolved with increasing the diversity of our stages while I have been at the helm. BFT is voluntarily run by the community, for the community, a resource to the community and a safe space for everyone in our community.
You’ve been in this play before, right? Can you tell me about that?
Yes, I played Wren Robin in Theatre Downtown’s production of “5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche” in 2014. I had taken a year off from theater and was practically dragged by a dear friend to auditions because I was so nervous. This production was my first experience dipping my toe into the Birmingham theater community outside of an educational setting, and it was simply magical. The cast and production team were a dream to work with and established lifelong relationships. Once a lady sister, always a lady sister. This show pushed my boundaries with comedy and improvisation, and I loved every second of it. If you saw Theatre Downtown’s production, you will find Easter eggs in BFT’s as homage. Being part of this show was the catalyst for me seeing the Birmingham Theatre in a different light and kept me around to see what more opportunities to grow existed.
And what is it like being on the directing side now?
Directing this show has been a two-sided coin. At the surface, it was initially difficult to not direct what was embedded in my muscle memory and ear. On the other side, it has been really fun discovering new choices. Being so familiar with the show made it easy to block the show in just two days, and most of the time I could give them the line when they called it before our stage manager, at least for Wren.
Can you tell me a bit more about the show?
“5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche” is a hilarious, outrageous comedy that’s just to die for. The audience enters the space with name tags of women’s names in the 1950s and are members of the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein. The group of widows is led by five officers who use the name tags to reference the members in order to incorporate them into the show. It is the day of the society’s annual quiche breakfast, and threats of nuclear warfare are in the air. After an atomic bomb drops, stakes in the show just get higher and more ridiculous as tensions rise, secrets are shared, traumas are voiced and sacrifices are made. The main theme is the remarkable strength and power of women coming together. The show runs a little over an hour, and the audience will be laughing the entire time and leave as part of a sisterhood they never knew they needed.
What do you hope audiences will take away from the play?
Joy. This show is a lot of fun, and if it were televised, it would have a massive cult following like “Schitt’s Creek.” The strength and resilience of women is remarkable. Right now, our city needs to laugh and remain hopeful. I believe this show gives just that through the absurdity.
What’s your favorite role you’ve played or show you’ve been in?
Callie in “Stop Kiss” has been one of my favorite roles I have had the privilege to play. The show is raw and unfortunately still relevant today. The LGBTQ+ community has been under attack, and as a member of that community, it made performing such a powerful piece even more impacting for my life.
Who is your favorite composer?
Steven Schwartz.
Who is your favorite playwright?
I love William Shakespeare. I even have three cats named after characters in his shows – Puck, Desdemona and MacDuff. Modern playwrights – John Patrick Shanley, August Wilson, Sarah Ruhl, Branden Jacobs Jenkins, Tarrell Alvin McCraney and Audrey Cefaly. Jeff Goode is also a favorite when it comes to dark comedy.
Do you have a favorite show?
“Danny and the Deep Blue Sea: An Apache Dance” will forever be one of my favorite shows, and I am honored I was given the chance to direct it at BFT just before COVID-19 hit. The show is a beautiful, gut-wrenching show about two broken people experiencing the complications of love and the realities of hard living paired with trauma that leaves you hopeful in the end.
What’s a performance (on stage or screen) that sticks out to you as an audience member?
In regard to screen, “Play” by Samuel Beckett with Alan Rickman, Kristin Scott Thomas and Juliet Stevenson. The technical execution is precise and very specific in its stylization. I think about those 15 minutes often, and I encourage everyone in the industry to watch it.
On stage, my mind drifts often to BBRTC’s (Birmingham Black Repertory Theatre Collective) production of “Choir Boy” by Tarrell Alvin McCraney. The production was incredible, and I am glad it was produced in Birmingham. It is a bold show also centering around the LGBTQ+ community and was a pivotal piece for the Birmingham theater community.
What is a role you wish you will or could have played?
Lady Macbeth has always been at the top of the classical bucket list.
Any great advice you’ve been given by a director or anyone else about being on stage?
- Never perform an emotion; tell the truth and the emotion will come.
- Great actors do not muscle through their character, they breathe through them.
- We have a personal responsibility to be authentic.
- Don’t look for the answers, look for more questions.
Do you have any pre-performance rituals?
Music has always been a ritual for me as an actor. I create playlists for each character and listen to them until I have been called to places and sometimes when I am even in the wings between scenes. I like to arrive in space as early as possible and warm up on the stage with movements from the Alexander Technique. Being alone with my music and movement on the stage before the hustle and bustle is equivalent to someone religious praying in a sanctuary. It is the breath before the leap where I can rifle through the chaos, quiet my mind and focus for the task ahead.
Tell me something people might be surprised to know about you.
My grandmother made me an addict to junk TV. It all began with a cancer diagnosis. After her diagnosis she became engrossed in the “90 Day Fiance” franchise. So, I binged the whole thing and its spin offs so I could understand what she wanted to discuss. By the time I caught up with her and was surprisingly invested, she told me she had moved on to “Sister Wives” and was over “90 Day.” So, I begrudgingly moved to the “Sister Wives” franchise. Now, I am addicted to both and I have opinions.
I also bake on the side when I can. My home bakery is called Sweets to the Sweet. As you can tell, my life is full of Shakespeare references. I am also a really good cook. The trick is getting me out of a theater long enough to be in the kitchen.
What kind of music do you listen to when you’re not performing?
Anything with a soul.
What’s the last book you read?
“The Midnight Feast” by Lucy Foley.
What podcasts do you listen to?
I love a good miniseries such as “The Ballad of Billy Balls,” but some recurring favorites are “Criminal,” “This is Love,” “Crime Junkie,” “Mortified,” “Spooked,” “Everything is Alive,” “Against the Odds.”
What’s next for you?
Producing the rest of Birmingham Festival Theatre’s 52nd season is the only thing on my planner at the moment. Our next show is going to be a really special piece I have been fighting for the rights to produce for years called “American Moor” by Keith Hamilton Cobb. It is a two-person show and a powerful commentary of being a black actor in the industry and also working with young white directors directing them on the black experience. “American Moor” opens in July and will be worth every second I waited for it to be on BFTs stage.
“5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche,” at Birmingham Festival Theatre June 6-22.
