Photo of Meridith C. Grundei by Kellie Coughlin.

MEET MERIDITH C. GRUNDEI
Servant/Ensemble/Understudy for Elizabeth and Gretel in Frankenstein

At the Theatre Company: Sweet & Lucky and SWEAT, both with Off-Center. Other Theatre credits: The Misanthrope (American Conservatory Theatre), God’s Ear, Messenger #1, Failure…A Love Story, Mr. Spacky, Mr. Burns, The Three Faces of Dr. Crippen, Spirits to Enforce (The Catamounts), Faith (Local Theater Company) and House of Yes (square product). Recipient of the 2011 Camera Eye Award and nominated as Best Actress in a Comedy by the 2012 Culture West True West Awards. She is married to frequent DCPA Theatre composer Gary Grundei.

• Hometown: Fort Collins
• Training: I have an MFA in Contemporary Performance from Naropa University in Boulder
• What was the role that changed your life? I was in a dance concert, and in one of the dances, the choreographer gave me the lines, “When I grow up, I want to be just like Wonder Woman!”  I loved speaking on stage and from that moment, I wanted to act. I was 10 years old.
• Why are you an actor? I believe that stories are crucial to our understanding of where we came from, where we are and where we are capable of going. I love being a storyteller. It is my way of giving back in this crazy world we live in.
• What would you be doing for a career if you weren’t an actor? I would do what I am already doing. I started a business six years ago called Red Ball Speaks where I travel to companies and use improv and theatre to teach team communication.
• Ideal scene partner: I would have to say Gilda Radner. I would love to have had a good laugh with that woman.


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• Why does this production of Frankenstein matter? It shows how quickly we judge the “other.” If only humans would suspend judgment for a moment and see someone for who they really are, perhaps our world would have fewer “monsters.”
• What do you hope the audience gets out of seeing Frankenstein? I hope people take the time to reflect on how they treat others. I also hope they feel the tension our director and design team have created. Love it!
  
• Finish this sentence: “All I want is …”
  “… for people to experience life, to take risks, to be curious and to ask the hard questions.”


Photo above and right: Cast members Meridith C. Grundei and Charlie Korman at the Opening Night party for ‘Frankenstein.’ Photo above: Grundei goes for a swim in The Catamounts’ ‘Failure: A Love Story’ in 2013. That was a fanciful musical fable about three 1920s Chicago sisters who never saw death coming. (Also pictured: Ed Cord, front, and Ryan Wuestewald.) Both photos by John Moore for the DCPA NewsCenter.

Follow Meridith C. Grundei on her web site, or on Twitter @redballspeaks

 

Frankenstein: Ticket information
• Through Oct. 30
• Stage Theatre
• ASL interpreted, Audio-described and Open Captioned performance: Oct. 23
• Tickets: 303-893-4100 or BUY ONLINE
• Groups: Call 303-446-4829 


Previous NewsCenter coverage of Frankenstein:
Photos: Opening Night of Frankenstein
Video series: Inside look at the making of Frankenstein
Five things we learned about Frankenstein at Perspectives
Photos, video: Your first look at the making of Frankenstein
Frankenstein: On the making of a two-headed monster
Frankenstein and race: It IS a matter of black and white
Breathing life into the Frankenstein set: ‘It’s alive!‘
A Frankenstein ‘that will make The Bible look subtle‘
How Danny Boyle infused new life into Frankenstein
Casting set for Frankenstein and The Glass Menagerie
Introducing DCPA Theatre Company’s 2016-17 season artwork
Kent Thompson on The Bard, The Creature and the soul of his audience
2016-17 season announcement

More 2016-17 DCPA Theatre Company ‘Meet the Cast’ profiles:
Aubrey Deeker, The Glass Menagerie
Thaddeus Fitzpatrick, Frankenstein
Sullivan Jones, Frankenstein
Mark Junek, Frankenstein
Charlie Korman, Frankenstein
Amelia Pedlow, The Glass Menagerie
Jessica Robblee, Frankenstein
John Skelley, The Glass Menagerie
Wesley Taylor, An Act of God

Follow the DCPA on social media @DenverCenter and through the DCPA News Center.