Interview: ZOIE REAMS of TROUBLE IN TAHITI & SERVICE PROVIDER at Minnesota Opera

Trouble in Tahiti
MN OPERA PREMIERE
MUSIC AND LIBRETTO BY Leonard Bernstein

Service Provider
MN OPERA PREMIERE
MUSIC BY CHRISTOPHER WEISS
LIBRETTO BY JOHN DE LOS SANTOS

Marital bliss amiss.
Sam and Dinah are living the American dream in 1950s suburbia. Beau and Autumn are celebrating their anniversary over dinner and drinks. But there’s one problem… neither couple is happy. Beau and Autumn can’t seem to look up from their phones and Sam and Dinah can’t stand to be in the same room with each other. Leonard Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti and Christopher Weiss and John de los Santos’ Service Provider may not be filled with marital bliss, but these one-act crowd pleasers are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat all night long. 

What do you enjoy most about your roles in Trouble in Tahiti and Service Provider?

I enjoy that it's such a juxtaposition! We don't get to do that very often in opera where we are two completely different characters so far apart in time, circumstance and demeanor. It's fun to explore how different I can make them each night. I find joy in trying to understand both of these characters in such a short amount of time and I think the audience enjoys the fast pace of change as well! 

What is your favorite aria in either of these productions?

I think my favorite music is both of the duets in Trouble in Tahiti that begins with "Long Ago you were all strength and life and joy to me" or " It's there a day or a night waiting in time somewhere without despair." I think there's that beautiful sadness that these characters have hit a sort of rock bottom in their relationships but I do feel the beauty of the sadness is that there will be change. Whether these two stay together or not, the change that comes after such sadness has a beauty of newness to it that I think, in a way, is quite powerful. 

What is your favorite moment in these productions?

My favorite moments in both are honestly seeing some audience reactions. We are so close to them in this theater set up and because of that I really get to see people react. Whether that be laughing, tears or a hand grab of a loved one, it's cool to see the real time honest reactions so close and personal. It's a new experience as a lot of times the audience is mostly a dark abyss so seeing faces and reactions is a rare treat! 

What do you hope audiences take away from seeing these productions?

I hope audiences can take away a sense of just being a bit nicer and more gentle with each other and themselves. I think both of these pieces hold up a mirror to some of the uglier sides of humanity that exist on an everyday level and that some may be accustomed to perpetuating or enduring. It seems to show the not so nice learned behaviors we all have and hopefully this show can allow some people to reflect on their own situations and make adjustments where needed. 

What are your favorite local spots? 

My favorite local spots in Minneapolis are Young Joni for their drinks, ssam and pizza, Cafe Ceres for coffee and pastries and Bogart Donuts. A hot and fresh browned butter glazed donut there is hard to beat! 

Thank you Zoie for your time!