UC Irvine second-year MFA acting student Esther Pielstick makes her South Coast Repertory debut as the understudy for Honey in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” running through March 21.
What was your reaction to being cast?
I felt a wave of gratitude when I got the call. I was just so excited for the opportunity to work with such an amazing team at South Coast Rep and to deepen my education with hands-on experience.
How has it been to act professionally while in graduate school?
Stepping into this professional rehearsal process genuinely makes me hungry – hungry to improve my craft, hungry to work more at this caliber, hungry for more overall. Every show I’ve been a part of at UCI strives to cultivate the same system and work ethic as any professional theater, so luckily I felt very prepared going in.
What stood out about working with director Lisa Rothe?
She is dedicated to creating a safe, unifying and fun work environment for everyone involved.
What do you think makes this play resonate?
“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” is an incredibly complex study on human behavior that causes me to reflect on my own weaknesses and the casual cruelties that occur every day. The vulnerability expressed by this courageous cast reveals core insecurities that I know all too well.
