Theatre Ink’s fall production, Sense and Sensibility, will be the first play directed by Annmarie Benedict at North. Experienced in both acting and directing, Benedict hopes to bring a fresh and unique spin to the play.
According to Benedict, she performed in Mary Poppins in sixth grade. The magic of stepping on the set and watching it come alive was the moment she realized her passion for acting. “I remember feeling utterly terrified out on stage,” Benedict said. “And yet there was nothing that made me want to leave the stage. I just wanted to stay out there.”
Since then, Benedict has acted in various productions including a national tour of Romeo and Juliette and 1984 by George Orwell. She majored in theater at Middlebury College, then got a graduate degree in acting. She then became a full time actor in New York for ten years doing festivals, stage work, and even acting in Shakespeare plays.
“I did more teaching of acting, more directing, that kind of thing,” she said. “Mostly with young people, and I just love that. All my directing has been with students between sixth grade and college sophomores.”
Sophomore Stella Rossi, the stage manager for Sense and Sensibility, said, “She’s very clear with the cast on what they need to do and where they need to be, but she’s also very flexible with what they know and how much they need to know.”
Theatre Ink director Adam Brown added, “She’s been out in the theatrical world since she was young—it was her career and it still is. She speaks the language. She is a teacher, director, and I just really felt she could connect with kids and give them the skill sets to be successful.”
According to Brown, Benedict will bring an advantage to the production. “In terms of her knowledge and experience in different areas, especially this piece, Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen, it’s an important literary piece. She knows the piece, she knows the era, she just gets it,” he said.
Benedict said she has never seen this play done in a school setting, and she’s only seen it done by adults, bringing a unique perspective to the production.
According to Julia Bartow-Fuchs, a cast member in Sense and Sensibility, Benedict’s brilliance does not stop at the theater. “She’s very respectful to everyone—she doesn’t lead with an iron fist, but she really commands the room. She’s just very good at wrangling everyone and leading us in a way that’s productive with the show,” said Bartow-Fuchs.
According to Bartow Fuchs, having experience in acting can contribute to being a better director. “From a director, you understand what it’s like to try and rally a group of people and you know how to be an easy actor for someone to direct,” she added.
Brown added that she connects with the students in a way that pushes them to be their best, and feel good about themselves and their work.
According to Benedict, Sense and Sensibility is a comedic show. But beneath the surface, it is about the perspective on life and relationships between sisters. “I think having actors who really are experiencing those kinds of relationships at the ages that the characters are, is going to resonate even more,” said Benedict.
According to Brown, Benedict’s love for acting and directing will lead this production in a strong direction. Rossi said, “I think she’s very inspiring. I think they did an awesome job hiring her and she’ll be an awesome addition, and hopefully will be doing more directing with us next year.”
