Argomenti trattati
Connecticut Theatre Company’s Spotlight On series continues with a closer look at one of the ensemble members giving shape to Del Shores’ play Sordid Lives. In this profile we focus on actress Susan Thom, who takes on the role of Latrelle Williamson. The piece explores how she found the part, the artistic choices she’s made, and the ways she balances humor with humanity in a production full of outrageous personalities.
The production runs from March 13 through March 22 at Connecticut Theatre Company, and tickets are already available. This interview-style feature highlights the practical and emotional work behind the scenes while giving readers a sense of what to expect onstage: a loud, tender, and frequently surprising portrayal of small-town dynamics.
Discovering the character and initial attraction
Susan explains that her interest in Latrelle began with the character’s journey rather than a single scene or joke. Where many roles in this piece are built around flamboyance or broad comedy, Latrelle functions as a kind of anchor: she represents order, propriety, and a firm moral code. Susan was drawn to Latrelle’s character arc—the way someone who starts from strict certainties gradually allows nuance—so she committed to portraying that evolution honestly. To describe the approach she uses the term straight character to indicate Latrelle’s stabilizing role amid the chaos, a decision that affects timing, delivery, and interaction with other performers.
Balancing comedy and credibility
One of the central tasks for Susan has been preventing Latrelle from becoming a caricature. Though the play’s tone often leans into exaggerated personalities, Susan keeps a focus on emotional truth. She acknowledges that Latrelle can come across as meticulous, even stern—attributes she playfully likens to a courtroom demeanor—but stresses the importance of keeping the character relatable. Susan works to maintain the audience’s empathy by allowing small moments of vulnerability to puncture the character’s rigidity. The interplay between comic timing and sincerity is handled through precise choices rather than broad strokes, with accent work and physicality serving the dramatic intentions.
Accent, mannerisms, and sympathetic intent
Adopting a believable West Texas accent is part of the craft, but Susan emphasizes that accent alone can’t carry a performance. She pairs dialect coaching with the development of concrete behaviors that indicate Latrelle’s values and fears. Rather than leaning into mockery, she aims to make every mannerism explainable—rooted in history, upbringing, or a particular worldview. This method helps sustain sympathy even when Latrelle’s remarks are sharp or judgmental.
Collaboration within an ensemble
Sordid Lives operates as an ensemble piece, and Susan describes the cast dynamic as emergent and collaborative. Early table reads and conversations established a shared vocabulary, but Susan credits much of the chemistry to rehearsal room discovery. The group worked to build a sense of a connected community rather than a collection of isolated performances. In practice, that meant listening deeply to scene partners, allowing improvisational sparks to inform choices, and consistently finding ways for Latrelle to react authentically to the absurd situations around her. The result is a family unit onstage that feels both chaotic and cohesive.
A line that lands
When asked about a favorite moment, Susan singles out one memorable line that captures the play’s comic bluntness: “Are you the woman or the man?” She says that moment combines timing, surprise, and the kind of social awkwardness that reveals more about the characters than any exposition can. Delivering it requires trust among actors and an awareness of audience rhythm.
Where Latrelle might go after the curtain falls
Imagining Latrelle’s life after the play, Susan envisions a slow, genuine transformation. At the start Latrelle operates in black-and-white terms, but the narrative nudges her toward nuance. Susan believes that the character’s growth continues beyond the stage: over time she becomes more reflective and engaged with broader issues, moving toward advocacy and an expanded moral perspective. This speculative future is rooted in the seeds of change visible by the play’s end and underscores the playwright’s investment in characters who are capable of surprising developments.
Audience takeaway and critical response
Susan hopes audiences will surrender to the world of the play and enjoy the ride—laughing, cringing, and feeling alongside the characters. Early critical responses highlight that duality: reviewers note that while the production is uproariously funny, it also carries emotional weight. One critic praised the show for being both laugh-out-loud and unexpectedly moving, and another commented on the playwright’s gift for crafting vivid, recognizable characters that resonate with diverse audiences. A third observer pointed to the story’s authenticity, born of lived experience, as a reason the piece connects beyond its core community.
For those interested in seeing the performance, remember the run is from March 13 to March 22 at Connecticut Theatre Company. Tickets are on sale, and Susan invites theatergoers to come ready to be entertained and to leave thinking about what they’ve witnessed.