INTERVIEW: ‘Joan Crawford’ and her gospel are headed to Edinburgh
Photo: The Gospel of Joan (Crawford) will soon play the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Photo courtesy of the company / Provided by Berlin Rosen with permission.
After a successful run at the East to Edinburgh Festival at 59E59 Theaters in New York City, the new show The Gospel of Joan (Crawford) will now head to the main event across the pond: the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The play, written by Sydney Green and directed by Sofi Lopez Arredondo, is an allegorical piece that follows five characters stuck in hell, all of whom are hoping to win a poker match against Joan Crawford and gain a spot in heaven.
Co-presenting The Gospel of Joan (Crawford) are Reyna Carrillo and teatrito. The creative team has put together a talented cast: Michael Bogardus, Thyme Briscoe, Susana Gomez Laverde, Aliza Jane Cosgrove, Niray Almonte, Heather Lynn Wong, Amanda Whyte, Divya and Eka Savajol. Performances in Scotland will run Aug. 12-17 at Venue 45.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Carrillo and Bogardus to talk about the experience of working on The Gospel of Joan (Crawford) and the current state of indie theater. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What made you believe in this piece and present it as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
CARRILLO: It all started with my collaboration with Sofi Lopez Arredondo. We initially worked together at NYU Gallatin’s Arts Festival, and knowing how aligned we were in our work ethic and passion for theater, we began thinking about projects beyond the university setting. We first presented The Gospel of Joan (Crawford) at The Tank NYC in the summer of 2023, and the audience response was overwhelmingly positive.
Later that year, Sofi pitched the idea of taking the show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. At first, it sounded a bit crazy — excitingly crazy, I should say. We had to consider fundraising, marketing, promoting the show independently and figuring out how to get 17 people to Scotland! It was a huge undertaking, but the enthusiasm from everyone involved made it feel doable.
Our team is incredible. It was the people and their belief in the project that really convinced me to go for it. We wanted to do something that felt bigger and share this unique story with a broader audience, and Edinburgh felt like the perfect stage for that.
What are some of the challenges of producing indie theater?
CARRILLO: There are definitely a few challenges we’ve faced. One of the biggest is working with a limited budget. We’ve been fortunate to rehearse at NYU, as many of us attended NYU schools like Gallatin and Tisch. We’ve utilized classroom spaces for rehearsals, which has been incredibly helpful. There are also wonderful opportunities, such as the East to Edinburgh (E2E) program provided by 59E59 Theaters, which are highly accessible. Through our shows there, we were able to prepare for what is to come in Scotland. We are very thankful to the 59E59 family!
Despite these challenges, our team is very resourceful. For example, our associate producer, Catherine Woo, not only helps with production tasks and marketing but also serves as the photographer for our promotional photoshoot. Similarly, Eka, one of our actors, also assists with lighting design. We all wear multiple hats and are willing to step up and contribute wherever needed.
Producing indie theater is a big financial challenge. If you are feeling generous, please take a look at our GoFundMe campaign and support us!
How has it been working with Sydney Green and Sofi Lopez Arredondo?
CARRILLO: Working with Sydney Green and Sofi Lopez Arredondo has been incredibly rewarding. Our collaborative process has helped me grow as a communicator and planner. Both Sydney and Sofi have high expectations, which has pushed us to elevate the play. We’ve worked hard to adapt the play to meet the length requirements for the Fringe, redesign costumes and fully commit to taking this project as far as we can.
We often joke that The Gospel of Joan (Crawford) will change lives, but in truth, the experience has been transformative for all of us. Joan’s story has brought us together and empowered us as emerging artists.
How excited are you for Scotland?
CARRILLO: We are so excited! We want to extend our gratitude to The Space UK for allowing us to participate in this year’s festival, where we will be presenting our show at Venue 45 from Aug. 12 through [Aug.] 17. If you’re around, come check us out!
What attracted you to act in this unique show?
BOGARDUS: I heard whispers that a play festival called the Broke People Play Festival at our university was planning a reading that was looking to incorporate a drag queen into the show. I had done a few club gigs at that point but found it fruitless amidst my studies, so this was an incredible alternative to the nightlife circuit. Once I got the callback and found out it was a character impersonation of the one and only Joan Crawford, I knew that I had made the right decision to audition. I’ve kept back at it in part because I keep finding new and interesting ways to play along with the text, and to find out what it means as an actor to encapsulate not just the person, but the essence of what they go through on stage. A few of the original cast and crew members were reminiscing the other day, and we couldn’t believe the lengths in which we’ve seen this show.
What do you think the play says about today’s society and the potential for an afterlife?
BOGARDUS: Going into our initial reading this show was quite serendipitous for me and my ease at the afterlife. It provided laughter for me when death and its consequences [were] becoming a companion of mine. If hell is full of dimmed stars anally gambling for our lives, then I will continue my life of sin. In all honesty, it is very refreshing to leave our nihilism at the door, where even the women at their wits end can still see the value of life in their own death. The show lets you laugh at the absurdity of the human condition and might make some of us brush up on our poker skills before our final breaths.
How did your run at 59E59 go?
BOGARDUS: The people who run the show at 59E59 were incredible and hospitable during our run with them. Shoutout Melissa, we couldn’t have had all that table space without you! All three nights were a totally new perspective. From an introspective yet attentive audience to an all out laugh fest, no two nights were exactly the same. It was great practice, as the crowd in Edinburgh can shift from day to day. But we cannot thank the people at 59E59 for many of our actors off-Broadway debuts and for the other acts at East to Edinburgh! We hope to see y’all there.
How excited are you for Scotland?
BOGARDUS: Oh, I am over the moon! I wasn’t able to travel abroad for my undergrad years, so a Roman holiday is exactly what I needed. Alongside the beauty and culture of both Edinburgh and the Fringe Festival, I am equally as excited to spend time with our wonderful cast and crew and build up some incredible experiences along the way. Oh, and the ability to get a whole new wardrobe of my family’s tartan.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Gospel of Joan (Crawford) will play the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Aug. 12-17 at Venue 45 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Click here for more information and tickets.
