Interview: Theatre Life with Bligh Voth

Today’s subject Bligh Voth is currently living her theatre life onstage at Signature Theatre playing the role of Woman in Strategic Love Play. The show runs through November 9th in the ARK.

Bligh is a multi-talented actress who has performed in a variety of productions both locally and nationally. Her past area credits include A Christmas Carol, Parade, and The Civil War at Ford’s Theatre, and Jerry Springer the Opera, and Reefer Madness at Studio Theatre.

In NYC she has been seen off-Broadway at Second Stage Theater in On the Evolutionary Function of Shame, The Shed in Here We Are, Boomerang Theater Co: in Loveless, Texas, NYMF in The Time Machine, Primary Stages in Nineteen, and Atlantic Theatre Company in The Searchers (workshop).

Bligh’s talents have taken her across the country in the national tours of Jagged Little Pill and The Band’s Visit. The country was very lucky wouldn’t you say?

Her many regional credits include Coachella Valley Rep’s Next to Normal, Atlanta Opera’s RENT, TPAC’s May We All (World Premiere, Papermill Playhouse’s Million Dollar Quartet, Lyric Theatre’s Bright Star, and Big River, Totem Pole Playhouse’s Steel Magnolias, as well as productions at Ogunquit Playhouse; Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and Cape Playhouse.

With Strategic Love Play, Bligh is performing in her first two hander opposite the incredibly talented Danny Gavigan. Read on to see how this experience differs from nightly singing Alanis Morrisette songs with a large cast. The show also has Bligh reuniting with a very important artisan from her first professional show. Keep reading to see who it is.

Bligh Voth’s performance in Strategic Love Play is truly captivating and is definitely one of the big reasons you should consider going to see the show.

Grab your tickets to Strategic Love Play at Signature Theatre for a show that offers a perspective on dating that everyone should be able to identify with.

Bligh Voth is living her theatre life to the fullest and for another few weeks, local audiences will be extremely lucky to see this killer actress performing once again in the DMV.

Growing up, at what age would you say that the theatre bug bit you?

I grew up pretty religious, and I remember thinking at a young age that Sunday mass was such a fun show! It was all so theatrical, there were costumes and music and magic. I don’t mean to sound glib I just simply think that was where I first realized I wanted to be the one onstage (very well aware an alter is not a stage but you get the idea.) I’m also quite grateful to have been raised religious and in a church community because I think faith and belief in what you can’t see has been an incredibly helpful device for my own creativity. Church people say, “singing is praising god twice” and I really took that one to heart!

Where did you receive your training?

Oh, I love being asked this now, but it used to send me into a real tizzy. I went to Catholic University for one year and then I transferred to The Boston Conservatory and finished two more years of training. I left school because I was cast in Ford’s production of The Civil War directed by Jeff Calhoun when I was 19 years old. The plan was to take the semester off for the show and return to school the following year, but I didn’t have the money to go back, it was too expensive for my family. At the time I was so ashamed and lord if I didn’t spend years (plural) after the fact feeling very sorry for myself. I thought everyone who finished college must have all these secrets and tricks and talent that I now would never have. But now I’m proud of myself for finding my own way, it made me hungrier. I think theater is close to becoming a rich kid’s profession and something you can only pursue if mom and dad still pay your rent and I think that’s dangerous. I don’t think we make good art if everyone in the room has the same point of view. After I left college I moved back down to Virginia, and I worked in DC theatre and learned on the fly. I took acting classes at Studio Theatre, I read a ton, I studied voices I loved and composers I admired. I’m a little on the scrappier side and I like that about myself.

What was your first professional job as a performer?

My first professional job was in Reefer Madness the musical at Studio Theatre here in DC, directed by Keith Alan Baker and choreographed by Matthew Gardiner who is my director and dear friend for Strategic Love Play! I think I understudied all the women in the show? That summer was a whirlwind because I was going to BoCo that fall but I had applied and transferred colleges without telling my parents and they were…not pleased with me! They said I had to earn all my own spending money, so I worked at that McCormick and Schmick’s in Dupont as a cocktail waitress and then I also served at Mimi’s Bistro as a singing waitress while also canvassing on the streets during the day for a non-profit called CARE. When I got Reefer Madness I was excited but also knew it was going to be a challenge to learn the show and feel prepared with all my other jobs. Thankfully I got fired from McCormick’s because I am the most godawful server in the world, so that freed up some time!

How do you best describe your character in Strategic Love Play?

I’m going to let the brilliant writer of our show, Miriam Battye, answer this one for me, as this is the character description in the play and I think it’s perfect.

“She, who is amazing, and a nightmare, and knows she is amazing, and a nightmare. Loved fiercely and fiercely difficult. Hyper-sensitive and paranoid. Wounded. Feeling hard done by about the woundings. She loathes herself and also lives with a profound sense of her own (massive) value.”

Isn’t that wonderful? I love playing this amazing nightmare so very much. I love her.

What were your thoughts about the script after your first read of it?

My first takeaways from reading the play was that I badly wanted to try my hand at this character. I really love puzzle shows, and by that I mean I love shows that feel like it will be genuinely fun and exciting to buckle down and work on them. While this play is complete, it is also extremely current in its language and subject matter. It feels very alive, if that makes sense? I also loved how unapologetic my character gets to be, I love plays where women get to display behavior that we usually describe as stereotypically male behavior. I love playing that dichotomy. Also, and this might be broken of me but I find this play to be extremely romantic.

In Strategic Love Play it is just you with Danny Gavigan onstage for the whole show. Is this your first two hander and what would you say is the biggest difference performing in this type of show versus one with a large cast?

You’ve worked a fair amount in the DC area. What do you enjoy the most about performing here?

Well, I am from DC originally! I was born and raised in Capitol Hill, right off Lincoln Park and then my family moved to Virginia when I was in elementary school. Aside from these seasonal ragweed allergies that are really tryin’ to take me out, I love being back here. The theater-goers in DC are smart as hell, and incredibly generous with their attention and appreciation. I also love getting to work with Matt and reconnect with so many actor friends here!

You went out with the the tours of Jagged Little Pill and The Band’s Visit. How does touring a show compare to doing a long sit down in a regional theatre or on Broadway?

Touring can take it out of you because of the constant travel and the ever-changing living conditions but doing a long sit down makes me feel more rooted. Both are very lonely for me. But here I can cook for myself and maintain a structure that helps combat that loneliness. I hope this article comes out well before we close because truthfully more people should be inviting me over for dinner and helping me combat this loneliness! Shame on all of you! :)

After Strategic Love Play closes, what is next for you workwise?

I would LOVE to know what’s next for me work-wise! Do you know? I would love another job! Last year around this time I said to myself “I want to do plays” and I started the last year in a new play at Second Stage in NYC and I am now ending my year with a play here at Signature. I’d love to do a new musical that’s dark and funny. I’m also itching to do another Sondheim show, I want to give my Mrs. Lovett a go. I used to think I was too young but I haven’t gotten my botox in a minute so I think I could.

Special thanks to Signature Theatre's Publicist and Marketing Manager Zachary Flick for his assistance in coordinating this interview.