INTERVIEW WITH CONSTANCE A. DUNN
Five years ago you left the States and acting profession. What made you quit?
I began to look around me and not liking what I saw. Too many actors, not enough
playwrights writing new plays. Too many theaters relying on tradition out of fear of
losing subscribers, instead of pushing the boundaries of the art form, etc. Also, there
is always the frustration of balancing the art you love as an actor with the demand to
make a living, or going commercial. I had no interest in the commercial side which
meant I always had to have a money job, to be able to do the experimental stuff
which pays less. This leads to 16 hour days and I was exhausted. But I am convinced
there is a better way, so I try to achieve that in other ways.
You traveled for two years around Europe. Which countries have you visited
and which city/place made the strongest impression?
Each city has a personality of its own, so to compare them doesn’t seem fair. I rate
them according to the experiences I had in each. They are all very vivid in their own
way. But no matter where I go, I am always drawn back to the Balkans. It’s a magnet
for me and feels the most like a home I lost in a past life. If that makes any sense.
What was your most memorable experience?