Meet the Actor: A Theatre33 Interview with Era Pogosova

May 5

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Tell us about yourself.

Well, I really do not like these kinds of questions. Doing this only because I have to :) Me… a doer… don’t know how to rest… was a scientist by day until the theater took the center stage of my life and I’m sort of going with the flow and riding the wave. If I do something - I give it my all, otherwise, I don’t see a point in doing it.

What is your earliest memory of wanting to be an actor?

Ironically, I never wanted to be an actor. I still don’t think of myself as an actor, despite being a part of 30+ plays. A firefighter, a dancer, a teacher - yes. Was seriously considering a business career in high school but then everything turned upside down after a phenomenal chemistry class. So, I suppose the closest I came to wanting to be an actor is my immense desire to dance when I was a kid, but life interfered.

Which actor—past or present—do you most admire, and why?

I have many. I admire them because they are honest, genuine, and believable in every role. Leo Dicaprio, Robert Downey Jr (oh, so handsome!), Morgan Freeman, Tim Robbins, Robin Williams, Meryl Streep and Kate Winslet. I’m sure I can think of a few more, but these are the top that come to mind.

What’s the most challenging role you’ve played, and what did you learn from it?

Well, that’s a tough one. Eleonore Duse in Otto Eskin’s Duet was probably the role that I now think I was least prepared for despite tons of research, but at the time, it seemed good. I wish I had a do-over with that one, ideally in English. Emma in Pinter’s Betrayal is another role that doesn’t come easily as it is completely opposite of anything that comes naturally to me. Her character, personality, values conflict with mine on many levels, so I have to find a way to make Emma palpable for myself, understand her and like her to accurately present her, which poses a huge challenge. I’m not complaining though - I like that challenge :)

How do you approach developing a character?

I’ve had the honor to play some historical figures (Madam Rubinstein, Eleonora Duse, Maria Meyn) and a bunch of fictional characters. The approach differs some between the two given the availability of first-hand accounts/journals. But in a nutshell - research, tons of research, experimenting with given circumstances, partner work, director notes, more research, more experimenting, looking for and finding what feels most genuine and honest.

What’s your process for preparing for a role, from first read to opening night?

It really depends on the role. With some of the “deeper” roles, the ones that get under your skin and don’t let you go for a few months after the project is over, it is a very complicated process. And it goes beyond the opening night - it brews from the first read, simmers through the rehearsals, builds in intensity, adds layers, colors, hues, gets stripped, then coated again to get to the “right” feel for the audience. It really boils down to two questions - what does my character want and how does she/it/he get it? And everything in between. But it has to be done in such a way that the audience believes every single step.

Do you have any pre-show rituals or superstitions?

I like to be the first one in the theater. When it is dark and quiet. There is something special about that. Generally, life is overflowing with tasks, events, chores. But on the show days, I sneak in early and just slowly go through everything I’ll need, sometimes with some loudly blasting music in my earphones, sometimes in complete silence. Right before going on stage, I take huge breaths in and out, the kind that seem to last forever. As the lungs empty, the character fills my being and takes over while I'm on stage. I’m not superstitious :)

How do you handle stage nerves or performance anxiety?

Breaths. Deep ones. Occasionally, the nerves do take over - music then helps a little, something that resets me (I have a list of favorites).

How do you memorize lines and stay in character throughout a performance?

In a very treacherous manner. I don’t have a good memory - I have to write everything down. Same happens with the lines. I write and rewrite my lines, I say them outloud, I record them, listen to them, repeat. Running through lines with a partner is also incredibly helpful. I didn’t know that there was an option to not stay in character through a performance :) When I’m on stage, it’s not me - it’s the character. When there is substantial backstage time where you take the character’s skin off and goof around (shh, don’t tell the directors), then I find a “mechanical” switch to jump back into the character. These are typically less “involved” and demanding roles.

Have you ever had a major on-stage mishap? How did you recover?

I suppose I have been lucky - nothing immediately comes to mind. Sure, I skipped lines, had to adjust to lines/scenes that were skipped, but nothing really major :)

What’s the most unforgettable moment you’ve experienced on stage?

That realization when you feel the audience hanging on to your every word, where they breathe with you, their heart beat follows yours. When, at the beginning of the play, there are giggles and squeaking of chairs, coughs, but as you draw them in, you feel with a six sense that they are mesmerized, absorbed into the story and don’t want to miss a single move, a single glance or word. I’ve only experienced that a couple of times, but it is truly magical.

What’s a dream role you’d love to play one day?

I don’t really have one. I suppose playing complicated characters, who are completely opposite from me and my daily life, pose a fun challenge. I love getting into someone else’s shoes, their skin, when bringing that character to life. I have read a couple of plays with characters I’d love to tackle, such as Estelle from No Exit (Sartre) and Lisa from Partners in Crime (Schmitt), but I just don’t know theater literature that well to have a dream role.