Lisa Verlo talks about how her Hollywood experience gave rise to her show Hollywoodn't, in another of our meetings with artists from the USA.
I ran into way too many issues on the casting couches of Hollywood.
Let’s start with your telling me something of your background, where you’re from and how you started in the business.
The “where I’m from” question has stumped me my whole life. My dad is from Norway and met my mom in South Dakota on a pheasant hunting trip. I was born in Flint Michigan like Michael Moore but my dad accepted an overseas position with General Motors so we ended up moving to France and The Philippines. I ended up back in Michigan in high school but left for Los Angeles as soon as I turned 18. I was looking for more of a cultural melting pot.
I studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute while singing in coffee houses and doing a little improv comedy. I also did window displays at Camp Beverly Hills. Let’s just say I had a lot of offers… and not the dotted lines on the kind of contracts I was hoping for.
What’s your EdFringe show about? The inspiration. The message. What do you want people to take away from having seen it?
Hollywoodn't is about having given up my dream of being an actress because I ran into way too many issues on the casting couches of Hollywood. It took me years to come to terms with what the real issues are, the abuse of power, and the very grey area of coercion and consent. So many women and others, of course, gave up their dream because the sacrifices were too great. There was an undermining of values and morals and a very unethical and unpalatable sense of quid pro quo.
Is it new for Edinburgh or is it tried and tested material you’ve performed before?
It is both! It is a world premiere in terms of its current iteration but I have been developing this show for years. Especially since the #metoo movement brought so much of this to the forefront. But there are conversations that need to continue. This show calls into question the wolves in sheep’s clothing: the “gentlemen” predators.
Do you have a particular type of venue you like to perform in back home?
I am certainly interested in making up for lost time in the theater, up on a big stage. But I have to say, some of my best or most impactful performances, have been in salon style, private residences where conversations started up right after the show; where people were interested in and able to discuss some of what was brought up. With theater settings, people tend to get in their car right away and miss out on the meaningful engagement that comes with performance as art, entertainment, and social commentary.
Do you tour around the USA and if so are you aware of variations in responses to your show depending on where you are?
I have not toured with this one. I look forward to performing it on the East Coast and possibly a couple of the colleges where one of the directors I identify as a predator used to teach as a professor. He is now serving a 15-year sentence in federal prison for child sex trafficking.
Have you performed outside of the USA before?
Yes, my first play ever was as one of the fairies from Sleeping Beauty on a stage in Strasbourg, France when I was ten.
What made you want to perform at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe?
I identify as international having grown up and travelled all over the world. There is not a better theatre arts or performance experience than attending or participating at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. So much talent, inspiration, and creativity all in one place!
What are you main concerns about performing at the Fringe?
Well, it is nice to have a packed house after all the work, sweat, and tears it takes to mount such an ambitious endeavor. Doing a solo show really puts it all on one person pretty much. I am grateful to have such an incredible musical collaborator, Frank Simes, who is an outstanding composer. I also have a great team with the super talented Elizabeth Kaye Sortun directing, Ines Wurth who knows the ropes as producer, and my fabulously experienced tech Becca McGlynn. But at the end of the day, it’s just me doing everything else that needs doing so there’s that. Oh, and iPhones and apps sure help!
What are you hoping to gain from your time here?
A wonderful time, some fantastic theatre experiences, lots of new friends and any curious folks who might be interested in following my What Lisa Said posts on Substack where I will be releasing excerpts from my upcoming Hollywoodn't memoir: https://substack.com/@lisaverlo
Are you performing here or anywhere else outside of the USA on this trip?
I’ll take any referrals I can get! Got any?
