|
Union City resident
gets back on the stage in a big way
By MICHAEL
BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com
Union City resident Sharan
Mansfield started acting at the very early age of three years old. She
doesn’t remember much about the play, other than the fact that she
played an Indian princess. Now, Mansfield gives life to the role of Viola
four nights a week in the successful comedy, “Veranda,” being
staged at Ansley Park Playhouse in Atlanta.
Mansfield grew up in Columbus, Ohio and performed in every level of school,
through college at Kent State University. After college, she continued
her acting career by participating in community theater until 1989 when
she moved to the Atlanta area.
Then she stopped.
Mansfield was busy with a new marriage, her career as a psychiatric social
worker, her church and later was blessed with a grandson to dote on. She
also had two open heart surgeries in 1999 and when she recovered she realized
that whatever she wanted to do, she had to try and get it done. Mansfield
eventually felt the pull of the theater and slowly started working her
way back in. She became the resident head stage manager for Triune Productions,
a Christian theater company, and enjoyed sharing her knowledge with others.
While she enjoyed helping bring productions to life, she wanted to get
out from behind the curtain and get back on stage. She started looking
for auditions and decided to try out for everything and anything that
interested her.
“I saw there were auditions for “To Kill a Mockingbird”
at Newnan Community Theater and decided to try out, even though I didn’t
know how to find the theater,” said Mansfield, who knew she was meant
to get a part in the play when she saw the sign for the theater, just
as she was about to drive home, discouraged that she couldn’t find
the auditions. Mansfield got the part of Calpurnia, worked under director
Michael McClendon, and performed for sold out audiences for weeks. She
was hooked, again and decided to try out for “Harvey,” also
at Newnan Community Theater. She got the part of Mrs. Ethel Chauvenet
and her confidence level was soaring.
Soon, while looking for auditions for her grandson, she stumbled across
the audition listing for a play called “Veranda.” Mansfield
knew nothing of the playwrights John Gibson and Anthony Morris, who had
also written the wildly successful “Peachtree Battle,” and “The
Limousine Ride” but decided to go for a part anyway.
“I see each audition as a learning experience,” said Mansfield.
“I never feel like I’ll die if I don’t get a part. It just
so happened that I came out of the “Veranda” auditions with
the part of Viola Duncan.”
Viola is a longtime friend of Mrs. Edwards, the lead in the play. Viola
ends up running Edwards’ household and helping raise her children
while Edwards is busy with her charitable tasks as she tries to win the
title of “Christian Woman of the Year.” Mansfield sees Viola
as a feisty character with a very dry sense of humor. Because Viola has
grown up with Edwards, she sees right through her schemes. Mansfield stated
that this production is the first time that the role of Viola is being
played by a black woman. It also marks the second time in as many shows
that she has performed roles typically played by white women. “Veranda”
is part of a trilogy written by Gibson and Morris and a fourth installment
is in the works.
“It’s been a really fun experience,” said Mansfield of
her work in “Veranda.” The show is scheduled to run Thursdays-Sundays
through Nov. 23 but will possibly be held over, as both “Peachtree
Battle” and “The Limousine Ride” have been. After Mansfield
wraps up “Veranda,” she is open to the entire Atlanta theater
experience.
“I would love to do dinner theater or work with Kenny Leon,”
said Mansfield, who will also likely continue to do shows with Newnan
Community Theater, which she considers to be her home community theater.
“Theater is my passion and I just want to cram as much in as I possibly
can,” said Mansfield. With her talent and dedication to the craft,
she should have no problem finding more roles for her to sink her teeth
into.
|
