Beautiful Cages is showing September 9-24, 2022! We reached out to CJ Breland to find out more about her and her experience working on this production.
What is this show about in 3 sentences or less?
Beautiful Cages is about a young girl whose marriage comes to a disastrous end when the family matriarch forces an unnatural relationship in order to get a grandchild.
What’s your favorite thing about working on this production?
We laugh a lot in rehearsal. That is a great relief when working on serious material.
In what ways have you been preparing for this production?
I am both the dramaturg and an actor in Beautiful Cages. I enjoy doing research into the time period in which a show is set, and the action of this play occurs over a span of time. It has been fun to share that research with the production team and cast.
How did you get into theatre?
At 12, I wrote an adaptation of Cinderella and persuaded the neighborhood kids to participate. We performed in our backyard, using our clothesline as both backdrop and curtain. A reporter from the newspaper came and wrote a clever "review," noting that I wrote, directed, and costumed the show, and appeared as both the evil stepmother and fairy godmother.
How is working with The Magnetic different from working with other theatres?
I like the focus on original work at The Magnetic.
Biography
CJ Breland is happy to be back at Magnetic Theatre, where she was performing in Traitor when the world shut down in March 2020. As an actor, she has appeared locally with Asheville Community Theatre, Different Strokes! PAC, Magnetic Theatre, SART, Parkway Playhouse, Immediate Theatre Project, and in several NC Stage Company Catalyst Series productions. CJ taught high school Theatre Arts for 35 years, the last 19 as Theatre Director at Asheville High School. She would like to thank her husband Frank for running lines with her and Mandy for trusting her with this role. CJ encourages you to vote all the way down the ballot this fall.
Beautiful Cages is showing September 9-24 at The Magnetic Theatre in Asheville, NC. Grab your tickets here: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=132411