Steuer Hits the Ball Out of the Park in NY Theatrical Role
From the East Coast and
This is an amazing lady – a true actor. Monica Steuer was born in Brazil, lived a great part of her youth in Mexico and now calls the Northeast of the U.S. her home. If you can speak two or any of the three languages this lady commands – English, Spanish and Portuguese – it is a pleasure to see her glide from one language to another, with all its cultural nuances and with a wicked sense of humor inherent to each particular culture that she has down pat. It’s the same way she channels her characters on stage – translated to theater and film the same way she navigates life as she has always been accustomed to doing so as a result of living extensively and absorbing deeply each country.
When I asked my partner to give me his definition of a statuesque actress, without mentioning her name, since he had already met her, he said, “She commands presence, is captivating, regal and serene.” He literally summed up Monica, the attributes of someone we don’t often see in the acting world today. However, don’t be misled to think she can’t get earthy. She’s done diverse theater and film, but she is now proudly in a theatrical production receiving its New York City premiere for a role in which she plays Elena, a wife who remains homebound smoking pot, watching porn, and craving snow peas. Sign me up, that was enough to pique my interest and bring her in for an interview.
Tío Louie: Having lived in Mexico for 12 years, how do you feel being in a theatrical production written by a Mexican-American, born to Mexican parents?
Monica Steuer: To be honest, I feel great. It has nothing to do with having lived in Mexico. Number one, it is an amazing play. Octavio Solis is an amazing playwright. The more I read the play, the more I see his thought-process. Every word… every punctuation has a reason for being there. There are no loose ends in the play. Everything ties together. The cast is very talented. Not very often do women get amazing, powerful roles. Most of the great roles are written for men. It’s an ensemble play. The director is great. But the role given to me in the play is a heavyweight role – especially as a female. The character I play is rich and multi-layered – a deep role. I get to explore my comedic side and my dramatic side.
TL: As an actor what do you draw on?
Monica: You draw on your experiences and imagination. Imagination is a very specific tool for an actor. If I have to draw on a war experience or being a murderer, these are not experiences that I have endured. However, this is where imagination plays a role. Having been exposed to these three different cultures – Brazil, Mexico and the U.S., I have observed and seen different ways of thinking. This is great that life has given me these experiences – enriching my life, especially in exploring a role.
TL: You have been in a number of theatrical productions, how is it being directed by a woman?
Monica: I love it! When it comes to a director in my mind, it’s not about gender – it’s about quality. However, it is very seldom that I get to work with a good, precise, specific director – but the word “specific” personifies Elena Araoz. She will occasionally ask me to explore a particular word in a sentence. She will break it down. She also gives you the freedom to explore, to see what works and doesn’t work. Then again, it has happened in rehearsal where I will make a proposal and she will reinforce to take the other path. But later on, she can come and say, ‘You were right.’
I like to work in a collaborative environment. As an actor I am the creator of this character and my input is important, just like the director’s vision and input is important. The playwright, Octavio Solis came to one of our rehearsals during the second week and it was important to have him present. This play has never had a New York premiere. He had not heard his play’s words spoken in a long time. He created this play in 1993. Once he said to the cast during the actual rehearsal that we had to stop and we shuddered. I thought, ‘Are we going to be fired?’ He goes, ‘I feel so blessed to be right here, right now. It’s incredible to hear my play come alive again. Thank you for this. You guys are doing such a great job.’ And then he complimented the director on her casting. It’s such a luxury and a blessing for us to pick his brains and to have him present. He gave us his blessing and that was wonderful.
Monica Steuer on left with turban in Prospect
TíoLouie: Give me $0.10 worth of pearls of wisdom on how this role came about?
Monica: Maria Cristina Fuste is the founder of the Boundless Theater Company and the producer of this play – kudos to her. She produces in Puerto Rico and New York City. Producing independent theater is very hard to do. She and I met when I was working for 12 years in the NY theater, El Repertorio Español. Then years later I am in Brazil for Christmas and I receive an e-mail while on vacation asking me to read for this play. The initial schedules did not complement one another, but she worked with my schedule. Eventually when I read she wrote me and said that I blew them away. The director was assembling the cast, but the playwright had to approve also. When she got back to me she said, ‘I hope you are available.’ I was very touched that she remembered me. It just proves that the person you meet today could become the director or producer of tomorrow. Always treat people with respect and nurture your connections.
For details, Prospect is playing in New York City until Sunday, June 5th for more info CLICK HERE .
@TIO LOUIE/Louis E. Perego Moreno Louis E. Perego Moreno/@TioLouie Founder & Executive Producer of PRIME LATINO MEDIA, the largest East Coast network of Latino multimedia-makers, actors and musicians in bilingual Latino and mainstream media, digital and entertainment. An interactive Content/Impact Producer and Educator who for the past 34 years has owned Skyline Features, a bilingual multimedia and educational production company developing documentaries, television programming and advertising commercials featuring Latinos, Blacks, Women, Urban Youth and LGBT.
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