Interview: Claire Clauson of WAIT UNTIL DARK at Greenville Little Theatre

The classic thriller Wait Until Dark opens this week at Greenville Little Theatre. The show stars Claire Clauson, who is also one of GLT's newest Resident Actors.

We asked Claire to tell us about herself, the show, and the challenges of following in the footsteps of Audrey Hepburn.

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First, please tell us a little about yourself.

I grew up in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota and attended Minnesota State University, Mankato where I received a BFA in Musical Theatre. I started doing theatre my freshman year of high school and fell in love with it. I feel very blessed and honored to do what I love every day!

How did you become involved with GLT's resident actor program?

I auditioned at the Unified Theatre Professional Auditions in Memphis where I was called back by Allen and Suzanne McCalla. We sat down and talked about what being a resident actor at GLT entailed. We chatted via email for about a week and ultimately I was offered a contract! It is truly a blessing to work at this theatre with such wonderful people.

Tell us a little about the show and your character.

Wait Until Dark is a thrilling story of a woman who finds herself in the midst of a con. Susan lost her sight eighteen months ago and must learn to trust her instincts, intelligence, and capability in order protect herself. I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that my heart is racing during the final scene, even though I know what's going to happen next!

What is your approach to playing a blind character?

I wanted to be as respectful and truthful in my portrayal of someone with vision loss as possible, so I spent a lot of time before rehearsals doing research and learning about how people learned how to interact with the world without sight. It really helped me find a way to approach the character! I spend lots of time on the set and have the layout memorized so I can maneuver the set without actually looking at anything. I've also done some rehearsals without my glasses, I have rather poor vision without them, and I practiced learning my own apartment's layout by wearing a blindfold while doing everyday tasks, like doing the dishes or folding laundry!

Is it daunting to be following in the footsteps of Audrey Hepburn?

I was initially intimidated, but I now find it very exciting! When I found out I was cast in this role, I watched the movie twice for inspiration and research purposes. After that, I just took on the role as I would with any other role. I wanted to make sure that I'm doing my interpretation of the script and not trying to be Audrey Hepburn's Susan.

What do you hope audiences will take away with them?

The fall is the perfect time for thrillers! There's also something very exciting about actually being in the room with the characters rather than watching a movie or a TV show. I also find the story to be incredibly empowering. I hope audiences walk away feeling the exciting rush that only a thriller can leave you with.

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Wait Until Dark runs October 26 through November 11 at Greenville Little Theatre in Greenville, SC. For tickets and additional information call the box office at 864-233-6238 or visit greenvillelittletheatre.org.

Photo credit: Escobar Photography