It was such an amazing opportunity to be
able to sit and chat with Marsha S. Blake
about a number of things, one of the biggest obviously being Orange is the new
Black. The show has done so well in it’s
first two seasons on Netflix, and now with
the recent launching of the third season,
list if new characters were introduced.
Litchfield doesn’t quite know just what
they’re in for with Berdie Rogers. Without
question, she has a no nonsense type
of demeanor that you expect to see in a
prison system, yet, that same personality
is causing her to blend a little more than
what her fellow corrections officers expect, or want to see for that matter. She
definitely gets the immediate gratification
she’s in search of, which is the respect
of the many prisoners taking part in her
drama classes, and she’s seemingly making the difference that she set out for, but
along the way, she’s unknowingly planting
the seed that land her back on the outside of the prison walls. It all gets pretty
deep, as we know OITNB to be.
In our two-part exclusive, Marsha gives
us the full rundown on Berdie, and why
although she’s working hard to make a
difference, she’s still having such difficulty
getting that across to her peers. Part one
is all about Orange is the New Black! In
part two, which will run in our upcoming
issue of UGDigital, hitting digital newsstands July 25, 2015, we’ll get to know
about the other roles and projects that
Marsha is involved in. She has been working at her craft for more than ten years
now, and finally, the demand is beginning
to catch up with her work. She has her
hand in a variety of projects, including
Happyish, and Our Nation.
for now, take a look at
part
one
Urban Grandstand Digital: It’s such an
honor to talk to you today. How are
you?
Marsha S. Blake: I’m great
Urban Grandstand Digital: This season
is really good. I’m actually sitting here
watching the show right now. I find
myself rewinding back, and playing the
episodes over again to really get to
the grit of what’s going on. I was always a fan, but there’s just something
that your character brings to the show,
and I’m just trying to figure it all out.
Marsha S. Blake: Ok, when you figure it
out, let me know (laughing)
we went through that, and I’m like there’s
lots of cursing in shakespeare, and I’m
not telling these kids they can’t curse. If it
facilitates the learning, I don’t care if they
say fuck. I don’t care if they chew gum. I
understand the rules as to why they don’t
want gum everywhere, but I’m in there
once a week. If they’re listening to me
and chewing gum, I just care that they’re
listening to me. I can see how I would get
frustrated week after week. Imagine year
after year of dealing with that and being
admonished for trying to get the learning in however it happens. You would
eventually not be able to handle it. I think
what happens with Birdie, who knows
what’s going to happen because she did
get fired (laughing). But Healy knows the
system. That’s why he survived. He’s up
in there, knows the system, and he’s an
older guy. He’s like if you want to come in
here with your new ideas that’s great, but
this is what works.
Marsha S. Blake: Right. What I see is
a woman who’s really trying to make a
difference in that system, but you have
many who don’t see it, or don’t believe
that you’re genuine. Why do they feel this
way?
Urban Grandstand Digital: I thought
it was funny how you were setting up
Marsh S. Blake: I liken it to working in the the drama class, and he immediately
education system. Sometimes I go in and came in with counts to you ha f