Catalina Sandino Moreno was playing Blanche

Quick Facts

• Director Lynnea Benson
• Play by William Shakespeare
• Theatre Company Frog & Peach Theatre Company, New York
• Runtime September 2004
• Starring Esteban Plunk, Walter Brandes, James Carroll, Rhonda Cole, Joe Corey, Jane Culley, Derek Devareaux, Karen Lynn Gorney, Jerry Griffin, Hanna Hayes, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Mort Kroos, Vince Lombardi, Hal Smith-Reynolds, Rob Sedgwick, Ryan Tramont

Information

Catalina Sandino Moreno played the Spanish princess Blanche in Frog & Peach’s 2003 production of King John, sharing the stage with the great Karen Lynn Gorney of Saturday Night Fever who played Constance. The original actress who played Blanche had to leave the show in the middle of the run, and Catalina was asked by one of her teachers at Lee Strasberg, Ted Zurkowski, if she would be interested in taking over the role. Catalina said yes.

Christopher Currie, the stage manager and assistant producer of the production, said that Catalina saved the show. “She was very brave: she had less than a week to learn the role, she’s not a native English speaker, and this was Shakespeare no less! I couldn’t get over how brave she was (and bravery is the critical ingredient for acting): with very little outward nervous and an unassuming confidence, she tackled the role. Catalina’s comment that she ‘did a pretty bad job’ is coming from her surprisingly unassuming nature (given her exceptional talent) and doesn’t reflect reality: the cast and crew had special rehearsals all week to get ready for the weekend opening, and Catalina did a great job under very high pressure circumstances.”

Quotes by Catalina

It was my first theater in New York. It was Shakespeare. It was scary! I think I did a pretty bad job. The first week they were like, ‘Oh my God, there’s a lot of agents down there so you have to do a really good job.’ Of course, the first week I was like, forgetting my lines, forgetting where the light is going to come. But, you know, it’s practice. I think you have to practice to do a good job. So that was practice for me, and theater - I really respect theater a lot, and I think if I jump again into theater, I have to be prepared. Because audiences are not stupid. They know what they’re watching. And I want to be respected.

Links

• Gallery
• Official Site

Many thanks to Riikka for compiling this information. She wishes to thank Christopher Currie for his generosity and help!