Jan Cleveland
Jan Cleveland (Big Mama)
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
MARCH 11 — APRIL 17
What excites you about Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and the role you are playing?
This show is a classic of American Theatre. Maybe more than any other writer, Tennessee Williams gives audiences flawed characters in tough situations and then lets human tragedy play out. There are lessons to learn from these characters, and it’s exciting to help bring life to the family drama that unfolds.
What’s your biggest challenge about taking on this role?
Big Mama’s world gets ripped apart in this show. As with many women in the 1950s her job was to keep her husband happy, raise the children, and make the outside world believe that they are the perfect family. She is ecstatic at the first of the show thinking all is as it should be. But as reality surfaces for each of the characters, she moves through stress, fear, anger, denial and grief. My biggest challenge is to bring all this turmoil to life so that the audience touches those feelings too.
What type of audience would you say Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is for? Who do you think it will appeal to most?
Certainly fans of classic theatre and gripping drama will love this show. And those with an interest in what life was for many families in the 1950’s will find this interesting. Most of all, people with a curiosity about humans will love this show. As these characters demonstrate, no one is all good or all bad… various life events bring out the best or worst of each of us, and all the levels in between. I can’t help but think that audience members walking away from this show will compare their lives with what they have seen on stage, and want to show love to the people in their own lives more than ever.
You recently played Clarissa in Cross Words and were amazing! How did you feel when the run ended? How did you feel about the play as a whole? Any interesting takeaways?
Thank you for the lovely compliment. Scott Gibson gave us a wonderful script for Cross Words! A mystery so much in the style of Agatha Christie, with twists in turns right to the end – it definitely kept the audience guessing and we heard more than one gasp of astonishment through the run of the show. Its always a little sad to close any show, certainly a really good one where you’ll miss the fun each evening, and particularly miss the actors and tech people who all have worked to create that fun. But I always look forward to the next opportunity. Interesting takeaway? That even though the movie industry spends millions to create visually astounding multimedia movies, audiences still love being captivated by live performances of great plays.
What have you been filling your time with since your performance in Cross Words?
My other love has always been jazz. My jazz band G.A.M.E.jazz (Great American Music Experience jazz) performed a Christmas show in December at Denver’s best jazz club, Dazzle, and we will be back there on May 19 with a new show featuring jazz versions of great Broadway tunes, cinema theme songs, and a few old music themes from classic TV shows. If you like great music, don’t miss this show!
