Interview: Emerson Collins Carries THE RED SUITCASE & Much More

Jiggs Burgess’ The Red Suitcase world premieres August 12, 2023, at the Broadwater Theatre Main Stage. Del Shores directs this co-production of P3 Theatre Company, the Del Shores Foundation and Beard Collins Shores Productions with the cast of Emerson Collins, Kristen McCullough, Bruce Melena, Charlotte Louise White, Mat Hayes, Pam Trotter and Tiago Santos. Emerson was most gracious in finding time to answer a few of my queries.

Thank you for taking the time for this interview, Emerson!

It is truly always my pleasure, Gil! 

Was your first introduction to Pogue when Jiggs Burgess submitted The Red Suitcase to your Del Shores Foundation Writers Festival?

Actually no! Jiggs was in Del's writing class, and they asked if I would come read a character for a work in progress, so I actually encountered a lot of this piece as Jiggs was creating it, and I was in love with this character and the story Jiggs is telling from those very first scenes!

(Full disclosure - we use readers for multiple rounds of the Del Shores Foundation Writers Search and jurors to choose the finalists and winner, so Del and I have no input or influence on the consideration of submissions.)

Were you surprised by the amount of submissions for your first Del Shores Foundation Writers Festival?

Yes! And it was thrilling. The entire goal of the Foundation is to find unproduced writers - LGBTQ+ Southern writers who have great stories and don't yet have access to building a network toward getting them produced. We work hard to get the word to as many of them as possible. This year we had a 25% increase in submissions, ranging from age 21-78 and representing 14 of our 15 Southern states. The stories they are telling are wonderful and unique and specific and it's thrilling to be given an opportunity to consider them.

What originally attracted you to the role of Pogue?

The scale of the role and the unique range Jiggs has given this character. He’s walking the audience through his memories, addressing them directly and then performing his own memories from age four to present. It spans thirty years or so and Jiggs has built this beautiful character. It’s so much to tackle and inspiring to attempt.

If you were to submit Pogue on a dating site, what characteristics would you include?

Ha! A writer with a wry sense of humor and love of banter. Self-aware, broken but put back together. At a phase in life where honesty about painful things is more important than pleasantries. Seeking challenging conversation, unconditional love of the good and the bad, and someone to remind him there’s light in this adventure of life too.

What flaws would you definitely omit?

A tendency toward brittle or bitterness if he’s not careful. A willingness to cut off and walk away.

What would your three-line pitch for The Red Suitcase be?

The Red Suitcase is a wide, overtly theatrical exploration of the stories that build us. Our own and those that come before us, and the lessons we learn from the memories we carry. It's about family and forgiveness and understanding that where we come from impacts where we go, but it does not decide it for us.

Who in the cast have you worked with before? Is everyone part of the Del Shores repertory?

I knew everyone but Tiago Santos, who is a brilliant addition to the extended Shores universe. I produced Kristen McCullough in the world premiere of Del's play Yellow and our film Blues For Willadean. Pam Trotter was in the Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife. Bruce Melena was in our world premiere of the play version of our film A Very Sordid Wedding that I assistant directed in Dallas. And Mat Hayes has been producing with us for years and I co-directed his short film Shafted in December, now playing at festivals.

Kristen, Charlotte, Bruce and I all did the first stage reading of The Red Suitcase at our first Del Shores Foundation Writers Festival in Dallas last fall.  So, it's a full family adventure!

You have a long history with Del Shores. How did it feel to direct Del in Six Characters In Search Of A Play, who first directed you in Southern Baptist Sissies?

The funniest part was watching Del Shores finally have to memorize his own words. His writing is genius for the way it is messy - the way people actually talk, but it makes it hard to memorize perfectly.  And truly, it was wonderful.  I had just done the regional premiere of Buyer & Cellar, a one-man show, so it was a natural evolution in our working relationship for me to use that specific experience to help him build this story performing all of these wonderful characters.

Was it an easy segue to transition from acting with Del to producing with Del?

Yes, that happened so early in our adventure together. When we went to do the national tour of Southern Baptist Sissies and Sordid Lives, I had worked in large scale theatres and we all just sort of dug in together to figure it out.  That led him to include me as a co-producer on Sordid Lives: The Series for LOGO and off we went from there.

Do you now have a shorthand in communicating creatively?

At this point very much. For over a decade, everything felt like a new adventure, this first time to try and do a new thing.  Now we’ve reached the point where we know (most) of the pitfalls in advance.  He’s an optimist and I plan for the worst, we balance each other wonderfully, we don’t do things that don’t genuinely seem fun to us, and we don’t work with assholes!

Whose idea was it to start your podcast "The Del & Emerson Show"?

At this point, I honestly don't remember? Ann Walker had a show on UBN Radio that we were both guests on, then we talked with Tony Sweet about doing it.  It was born out of the fact that we both definitely love to talk, so much of our work has been in specifically LGBTQ+ space and issues, and it gave us something to do while we were in the process of raising funding for A Very Sordid Wedding.  We're both news junkies and it felt like a way to address the absolutely silly and serious stories in our community. So much so that we brought it back as a twice a week show in the pandemic just to give us something to do that felt productive!

What did you want to be growing up? Actor? Producer? Director? Accountant?

It went through phases. An astronaut, a singer, after I lived in Singapore for the last two years of high school I briefly considered going into international news. But telling stories is in my blood because I think they give us the opportunity to affect change.

What gives you greater gratification – acting on stage? Or being behind-the-scenes directing or producing?

The answer to this has grown a little bit. I’ve always said that I am first and foremost an actress, and all of the other things are in service of finding more opportunities as a performer. We joke that my deal with Del is that I’ll produce it, if I get to be in it.  In that, in producing so much, and adding now directing, then Del and I sold a pilot in the pandemic and continue to write together, I find the greatest joy in being involved in all aspects of a work. Not every job on every gig, but having some input in the creation and then performing in the result – that’s a special perfection.  (But, the fantasy still is a great series where I can produce and create on passion projects on hiatus!)

What’s in the near future for Emerson Collins?

Well, both of my unions are now on strike! But, I have a piece I desperately want to direct, Del and I have a show we want to sell, the Foundation is headed for its next Writers Festival, and my partner Blake and I have our own cabaret show "I Dreamed A Dreamgirl" we're still touring and a new musical we've been consulting on. The easy answer is I'll go where the next thing pops up that's ready to launch. 

Thank you again, Emerson! I look forward to meeting your Pogue.

My pleasure my friend, thank you for all you do in supporting live theatre and smaller organizations!

For tickets to the live performances of The Red Suitcase through September 3, 2023; click on the button below:

 

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