SPOTLIGHT ON: Valerie Graham

The Scientists New Jersey guest star, Valerie Graham, gives us her thoughts on Marie Curie, trampolines and the history of New Jersey.

Valerie Graham joins The Scientists

SCIENTISTS: Tell us a little about yourself.
VALERIE: I’m Valerie.

S: What was the last show you did?
V: A show I wrote. Writing is fun. And stressful. Deadlines are real and typing can only go so fast. I found ad-libbing within my own structure to be incredibly freeing. I tend to get nervous during shows, so it was nice to let that go.

S: The Scientists is a historical farce, what is your favorite little-known or wacky historical fact about New Jersey? 
V: Here’s the thing. I moved from New Jersey when I was 8. I’m pretty sure that’s right before they teach history or geography. So….something something colonies….something something settlers?

Wingra Ave in New Jersey

S: What is the one thing The Scientists crew can't miss while visiting New Jersey?
V: My childhood home. Or the park at the end of the street. Just at the end of Wingra Ave. You’ll see it. 

S: If you were a scientist, what would you invent?
V: I want to be a physicist. I mean to transition careers. I’ll invent facts about the universe. 

S: What do you think about the real life Marie Curie? 
V: A great gal. I’ve joked that I’d love to do a companion piece to The Scientists, Marie’s solo docudrama. It’d be a beautiful mix of forms. We’d use a looper. We’d do science. Maybe it’d be immersive. You walk into her lab. She’s sitting at a table, moving between biting a pencil and erasing a problem. That sound starts to loop. The room would be pulsing. And then…

A trampoline

S: Someone tipped us off that Marie may do a bit of burlesque in the show, have you ever done burlesque before?
V: No. If I ever do burlesque it’ll be under the name Choo Choo. And I’ll dress in a boxy train costume. I’ll make great coal and caboose jokes. I’ll obviously sing a song called Trolly Folly. 

S: Any other big plans for this fall?
V: Saving for a trampoline.

Catch Valerie in The Scientists performing at 1978 Maplewoood Arts Center (1978artscenter.org/) Sunday September 28th at 5:00pm. Click here for more tickets and more info!