Dayna Michelle Kurtz Interview by Jen Bush

What’s cooking at the American Theatre of Actors?  There’s an egg dish on the menu and it’s only available for a limited time.  Egg Frame by filmmaker and theatre artist Nicholas Kennedy will have its world premiere during the 48^th season of this landmark theatrical institution.  We had the good fortune to chat with cast member Dayna Michelle Kurtz about this production and her life as an artist.

It’s safe to say that Ms. Kurtz has a handle on emotions.  Both of her careers involve the human psyche.  “People have always intrigued me; What makes us do what we do? How do we relate to others? I explore this curiosity in several areas of my life. As an actor, the process of script analysis and character-building force answers to these questions. As a psychotherapist, I help enable others to find the answers to these questions for themselves.”

The appeal of portraying a complex character is what drew Ms. Kurtz to the play.  “When we meet “Delores” she has been suffering from early onset dementia for a period of time. Slipping in and out of reality was, and is, a formidable challenge to embody and portray.”

This play deals with heavy subject matter.  We wondered if the cast felt that this gave them an added sense of responsibility to portray the material in a more sensitive manner. “In terms of my responsibility as an actor, that comes with the territory. I always feel a responsibility to the playwright to honor the language and the story being told to the cast and creative teams to bring my best work,

and to the audience to create a memorable and hopefully meaningful experience for them.”

Ms. Kurtz’s creative process varies for each portrayal.  “It depends on the character. Some of them kind of “show up” in me organically as we begin to rehearse. Others require more planning, more research…I usually work from the top down; meaning, I tend to come up with a cerebral understanding of the character first, and then work on what they feel like in my body.”

Ms. Kurtz’s next project is sure to make you sleep with the lights on!  “Any horror film fans out there? You can see me in the next installment of the HELL HOUSE LLC ORIGINS SERIES: The Carmichael Manor premiering on the Shudder Network in October.”

Get your tickets to this EGGzemplary production!

Egg Frame
American Theatre of Actors
314 W. 54th St. New York City
LIMITED ENGAGEMENT: September 1 – 10