Allison Sell has quickly become the Valley's go-to actress for all things Shakespeare - having appeared in a wide range of Shakespearean tragedies and comedies, as well as other classics, for the Southwest Shakespeare Company over the past few years. Up for three AriZoni awards for her work this past season, including two Best Actress Zonis (for As You Like It & King Lear), Sell is currently setting the stage on fire in SSC's part comedy, part drama Hysteria, which runs through September 19th.
Allison is a self proclaimed "accounting nerd" and is pursuing a Masters in Accounting on top of her stellar acting work. She will be appearing as Viola in Southwest Shakespeare's Twelfth Night in the Spring and she took a few minutes in her very busy schedule to sit down and answer some questions exclusively for PHX Stages.
Name: Allison Sell
Where you were born and or raised: Cleveland, OH
What brought you to Arizona? I was living in New York, and my parents found an opportunity to purchase a retirement home in Goodyear, AZ. I moved here to take care of it until they could make it out. From Harlem to Goodyear, AZ – not shocking at all.
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| William Wilson and Allison Sell in Hysteria photo: Sara Chambers |
Siblings: Jason: Computer Nerd; Dan: also Computer Nerd
Family/Children: My husband is a Math teacher, and golf / wrestling / (sometimes) track coach. I have a four-legged, tailed son named Dingo Diesel Omar Vizquel Sell Astgen, and he’s a blue heeler. He’s a working breed, but doesn’t currently have a job.
Day job/part time job (if not acting full time): I work as an accountant, pursuing a Masters in Accounting, and the goal is to be a Forensic Accountant (CPA, CFE). Accounting Nerd. :)
First show you ever saw & the one performance you attended that you will never forget: I don’t remember the first show I ever saw, but I remember the first show that had a huge impact: August Strindberg’s A Dream Play at the Cleveland Playhouse. Cleveland has a wonderful theater scene, and my parents took me to a few shows a year. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, Strindberg wrote A Dream Play while insane…and it shows. When 16 year old me saw it, I had no idea what was going on, but I never forgot it – to this day. I have grown such an affinity for it over the years that I even use a piece as an audition monologue. I actually can’t wait to see it again (or maybe even do it).
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| Allison Sell, Beau Heckman, Andy Cahoon, Jesse James Kamps, Joe Cannon Equivocation - Southwest Shakespeare Company - 2015 photo: Devon Christopher Adams |
Moment you knew you wanted to perform for a living:
I have always known I was supposed to do this. I never really wanted to do anything else.
First stage kiss:
Geez…I guess I’m such a stage hussy that I can’t even remember.
Best stage experience you’ve had so far:
Southwest Shakespeare’s Equivocation by Bill Cain directed by David Barker. The 6-person ensemble for that show (Randy Messersmith, Andy Cahoon, Joe Cannon, Beau Heckman, Jesse James Kamps, and myself) became such a tight, cohesive unit both onstage and off. It was a real joy and honor to be a part of such a project. When you combine that with the work of the best designers and crew in the valley, the outcome was something I’ll be proud of for the rest of my life.
What has been the most fun or fulfilling aspect of your current/ most recent show?
I am currently performing as Jessica in Southwest Shakespeare’s Hysteria by Terry Johnson. The play is so great, in that it slaps the audience around, and keeps everyone asking, “just what kind of play is this?...”. The moment I received the script, I started memorizing the 20 minute monologue that turns the show on it’s head. That was the intimidating part of the show, and as soon as I had it down, the rest was just cake. Hard-to-memorize, fast-paced, farcy, cake.
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| Allison Sell in Elektra - 2004 University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music |
Any upcoming or side projects you can talk about?
I’m probably taking some time off to take my CPA/CFE exams in the middle of the year, but I’ll be back again as Viola in Southwest Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night this Spring.
Leading role you've been dying to play:
Cleopatra. I’m a few years off of that one – I’ll get there.
Leading role of the opposite sex you wish you could play:
Tybalt!!! Oh god –TYBALT! (In Romeo and Juliet) For YEARS I have had this weird obsession with that character. You get to come on, be a bit of a badass, stage combat, start a war and die. Then you get to go sit in the green room for like an hour - Sounds fantastic! I have this whole idea of a “western” Tybalt…oh god don’t get me started…I’ve been obsessing over this for too long. It’s a thing now.
Pre-show rituals or warm-ups:
I run the whole show out loud while stretching.
Worst flubbed line/missed cue/onstage mishap:
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| Allison Sell and Jon Hutton in King Lear Southwest Shakespeare - 2015 |
Worst costume ever: Anything with a corset.
Best costume ever: Anything without a corset. (I’m also pretty partial to The Fool from last year’s King Lear, but they made me get soaking wet in it every night, so this could also be included in the “Worst” as well.)
Your go to audition monologue/song:
I jump around a bit with this. Right now, I’m nostalgic, and I’ve been doing the Lawyer from A Dream Play.
Worst audition experience:
All I am willing to say is that I went up. Hahaha – it’s so uncomfortable in my head right now…
If you could go back in time and catch any performer or show, what would they/it be?
I’d like to go back a few centuries, and see one of Shakespeare’s “pants roles” debut. A man playing a woman playing a man – I’d pay to see that.
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| Allison Sell and Jesse James Kamps in Uncle Vanya Southwest Shakespeare - 2015 Photo: Mark Gluckman |
Harold Ramis.
Actor/actress in the Phoenix area you'd love to perform with:
This is a hard question – I have had wonderful experiences with many Valley Actor/Actresses. I’m going to go with somebody from my hometown then - Jesse James Kamps. We work really well together, and there’s a real rapport and trust – probably because we’re both from Cleveland!
Your personal acting idols:
I want to wake up someday and have Sigourney Weaver’s career.
Performer you would drop everything to go see:
David Barker – talk about energy on a stage, man.
Current/recent show other than one of your own you have been recommending
to friends:
Between the Masters, work, rehearsal, and performance, I unfortunately don’t get out much…..
Favorite play(s): David’s Red-haired Death by Sherry Kramer
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| Beau Heckman and Allison Sell in Private Lives Southwest Shakespeare Company - 2013 |
Most listened song/music on your iPod/Phone? Currently – What’s the Story Morning Glory by Oasis. Whoa. Throwback.
First CD/Tape/LP you owned: The Bodyguard Soundtrack. Because, you know, I was alive, and it seemed like a prerequisite to that.
Last good book you read: Everything is Illuminated – Jonathan Safran Foer.
Must-see TV show(s):
Past: Arrested Development and Deadwood
Current: Archer. College football. ALL of the College Football.
Guilty pleasure binge watching tv show: Currently, I’m re-watching Fringe to wind down at the end of the day.
Last good movie you saw: Birdman
Favorite movie: Ghostbusters
Music/book/movie that makes you cry: I’m going to say a channel: ESPN. I’m from Cleveland – we never win anything. Constantly snatching defeat from the clutches of victory….
Favorite restaurant in the Valley: I love the little bar/grill around the corner from our house – CAPS Sports Grill.
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| Andy Cahoon and Allison Sell in Fairy Worlds! Southwest Shakespeare Company - 2014 Photo: Devon Christoper Adams |
Sports teams you root for: Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavs, Cincinnati Bearcats. And the Yankees can suck it.
Something about you that might surprise people: I HATE curtain calls. They are so awkward – “Hey everybody – I was just someone else for the last two hours, now clap at me!”
However, I don’t feel that way as a patron of a show, so I have to get over it.
Special skills: Tongue tricks. I can totally make a butt with my tongue. It’s gross.
Career you would want if not a performer: I’m already doing this and Accounting – no more, please.
Worst non-theatre job you've had: I temped somewhere as a secretary for a week. Every day after lunch, the boss would take out a strip of bubble wrap and *pop* them for about a half hour. EVERY. DAY. What was this habit replacing? How bad was the last habit, that THIS was a suitable alternative? Did he take off all his clothes and steal everyone’s staplers every day?
Best non-theatre job you've had: Doing it now – Forensic Accounting.
Three things you can't live without: Chapstick, Eye drops, Contacts.
Words of advice for aspiring performers: I’ll give you the advice that was given to me when I was 18: Make sure this is what you really want to do. It’s an unforgiving, hard and lonely road to walk many times. If you can be happy doing something else, then do that. However, if this is what you have been called to do, then keep your head up, and keep on going. There is no rest for the weary in this game.
What you love most about theatre in Phoenix: I have enjoyed working with so many other actors and designers in this city. It’s exciting to see who is working on a project after I get cast.
What you think needs to be changed/improved/different about theatre in Phoenix: Can we all stop doing the same 5 shows? Every year?
And, the “Inside the Actors Studio” 10 questions:
1. What is your favorite word? BALLS!
2. What is your least favorite word? Cube. I hate the way it makes my mouth feel.
3. What turns you on? Intelligence and Humor.
4. What turns you off? Pretty people who developed nothing but the outside.
5. What sound do you love? My dog drinking water.
6. What sound do you hate? Animals in pain.
7. What is your favorite curse word? BALLS!
8. What profession other than yours would you like to attempt? Forensic Accounting
9. What profession would you not like to do? Stage Management. People would probably die. I don’t know how they do it.
10. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?
“The Dog Run is to the left.”
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