Spotlight On: Paige Machnicz
Connecticut Theatre Company’s “Spotlight On…” series continues with a look into the cast of Sordid Lives. Get to know Paige Machnicz who is portraying Bitsy Mae Harling in our production!
Introduce yourself to our audience.
Hi! I’m Paige and I’m playing Bitsy Mae! I’m so excited to be back on the CTC stage, as well as costuming this chaotic and fun show!
What drew you to your specific character in this “sordid” world?
Bitsy Mae feels like she’s constantly misjudged for her past mistakes, but truly feels like she has a heart of gold.
How are you approaching the balance between playing a cartoonish character and keeping them real/grounded, as the script demands?
Bitsy Mae feels very real and grounded in reality which is really nice. She almost feels like a partial narrator with Ty, but in different ways.
What is the biggest challenge of taking on this role, particularly with the required West Texas accent?
The accent itself is one of my biggest challenges. I can do a lot but Southern is a tough one for me!
Which of your character’s lines are you most excited to deliver?
“We were close, very close”. You’ll understand when you see the show.
“Sordid Lives” is a massive ensemble piece. How are you collaborating with the cast to create that specific, chaotic family chemistry?
How did you first discover the world of Sordid Lives (the movie, the series, or the play)?
The play! It’s very true to the movie from what I can tell, but the movie has a bit more, um… risqué moments for lack of better term. Those moments were shocking let me tell ya!
How do you think your character has evolved—or hasn’t—if you were to imagine them years after the play ends?
I think Bitsy Mae gets more acceptance and love from the others instead of being shunned out like she has been. She’s judged and gossiped about a lot during the show, and I hope that final scene brings some clarity and love to my sweet girl.
Love yourself, accept others, and sometimes you need to live in the chaos to do those things. At it’s core, “Sordid Lives” truly is about love, acceptance, and family.
“Sordid Lives” opens on March 13th and runs through March 22nd at Connecticut Theatre Company. Tickets on sale now!
“What I really liked about SORDID LIVES was that, despite all of the ridiculousness, it wasn’t just funny. Don’t get me wrong, it was very funny! But it was also moving.” — KRISTA GARVER of BroadwayWorld.com
“Playwright Del Shores is the master of characters: dude-at-the-bar characters, one-Coors-too-many characters, hell-hath-no-fury-like-a-woman-done-wrong characters, and men-who-adore-Tammy Wynette characters.” — LANA SWEETEN-SCHULTS of Times Record News
“Chain smokin’ and fast talkin’ housewives, crazy and eccentric characters, bizarre situations, a ‘coming out’ story, are loosely based on real life stories, as observed by young Shores who grew up in a small Texan town as “a Southern Baptist preacher’s damaged by religion child,” and lived through his own ‘coming out’ later in life. The authenticity of the characters explains the power and popularity of Sordid Lives with both gay and non-gay audiences. “Not only is it (the play) funny, but people really relate to the characters and feel safe to share it outside the gay community” Shores has said.” — ELIZA ANNA FALK of DC Theater Arts
