 |
| Hosanna Phillips as the conniving Alexa Vere de Vere works her charms on writer Evan Wyler (Joshua Lisiecki) PHOTO: Jan Cartwright |
Alexa Vere de Vere is a flashy con
artist. She seduces her victims
with the prospect of fame and fortune, or as she puts it, “the hum, the buzz,
the hype, the flash, the fame”. One Variety
reviewer called her “the absolutely fabulous whirlwind who blows through the
delightful, pointed comedy As Bees in
Honey Drown…. Alexa is a smart and very funny vivisection of the greed for
fame, glamour and the good life (or at least a new life).”
In the Farmington Players production of Bees, Hosanna Phillips plays Alexa, who
she describes as “a fantastic character because, whether you want to hate her,
love her, or pity her by the end of the show, she will have made you think
about something. As an artist, that is all you can really hope for in a
character.” Hosanna loves playing an antagonist character and discovering the
real person inside, saying, “Almost always, you will find that they started off
as a victim of something (even if their victim status is only in their own mind).
Any well-developed character is in some way a relatable human being, and I love
to discover what it is about a character that drives them to be how they are.”
For example, Alexa justifies conning artists because she can’t respect an art
world that values its creators only once they’re dead.
Hosanna loves Bee’s theme of “fame and fortune vs. substance and how our culture
often places image over achievement. It makes you think about what really has
value in life, and why it is that we place value on the things we do. Many
times, what is mainstream is not what is meaningful, yet it is so easy to get
sucked into [the hype]. This show has challenged me as an artist to examine the
things that I invest my time and money on. … While fame is not intrinsically
bad, chasing only the limelight will often leave you empty.”
The show also examines the question of “What Is
Art”? Hosanna asks, “What makes
something art? Is art for the consumer, or the creator? Is art eternal, or
fleeting? What is the value of art (monetarily, and otherwise)? As an artist
myself, this theme is especially relevant. Many of Alexa’s negative points
about the art world are sadly valid: the industry can chew up and spit out its
creators. Artists and critics can be cut-throat, critical and back-stabbing. …
On the other hand, art is expression, it can be beautiful and healing. When you
have the true drive to create, there is nothing that compares... Artists and
their work will continue to be valued subjectively, but the more we open our
eyes, the more we will see.”
Hosanna grew up in West Michigan and recently
moved here with her husband. She previously worked at Zeeland Christian school
where she cultivated her passion for working with youth. In addition to theater, her loves
include her two toy dogs, and learning crafts such as the knitting loom. As
Bees in Honey Drown is Hosanna’s first Barn experience: “I have been
grateful to meet more people in the area since I haven’t been living here long,
and the whole cast and crew have been amazing to work with. I am grateful to be
able to stretch and use my acting muscles after neglecting them for so long,
and I have been blessed with a great group to do so with.”
As Bees
in Honey Drown has nine performances at the
Farmington Players Barn Theater from February 8 – 23. The show is proudly sponsored by Ameritax Plus. Tickets are available online at
farmingtonplayers.org or by emailing boxoffice@farmingtonplayers.org or calling
the Barn box office at 248-553-2955.
No comments:
Post a Comment