Quarantine Q/A: Veronika Duerr

Veronika Duerr
photo by Vanie Poyey

by Gil Benbrook

Our series of "Quarantine" interviews, which focus on individuals involved in the Phoenix theatre community and their reaction to Arizona's stay at home mandate, continues today with a conversation with actress and playwright Veronika Duerr.

COVID-19 has affected us all in many ways. The theatre community has been harshly impacted with show closures and postponements. We hope this series of daily interviews will be a way to provide some personal insight to what people are doing during this period of time while highlighting familiar individuals from the theatre community in town.

Was there a show you were in or involved with or preparing for when the stay at home order started?

Duerr: "I was supposed to do a remount of Richard II with Southwest Shakespeare Company for a weekend outdoor festival."

How have you been personally impacted by our current situation?

"My fall/winter acting employment schedule will be either cancelled or moved to another date. I will lose my AEA health insurance due to a lack of weeks even though I had all the weeks covered before the crisis closed the theaters. My husband took a pay cut to help his company stay afloat and I was denied unemployment insurance. So, there’s less money coming in."

How has your daily routine changed?

"I’m at home with my 2 year old all day, every day. She can’t go to preschool anymore, which usually gives me a break in the day."

What do you feel will be different when theater restarts?

"I think it will take a while for people to be comfortable enough to go to the theatre even after we re-open. Large groups of people are going to continue to make us nervous for a while. I also think we will have to have health measures in place for the artists. If anyone were to get sick, the whole production could be brought down quickly."

When do you think that’ll happen?

"I have no idea. January?"

Veronika Duerr and the cast of Silent Sky
Arizona Theatre Company
photo by Tim Fuller 

What have you been doing to stay creative during this time?

"Baking, cooking, painting, gardening, decorating, writing poetry and journaling"

Any binge tv shows you’ve watched?

"90 Day Fiancé. All the versions of it. It’s garbage. It’s so bad that it’s good."

Any new hobbies you’ve taken on?

"I know how to edit video now. I’m more present on social media. I know how to use Zoom. I’m not really excited about these things but they are new."

How has this experience changed you?

"I’m looking at the world a little differently. I am fully convinced that healthcare can not be tied to employment. We need Universal Healthcare immediately.

I’m grateful for my circumstances and aware that others are experiencing real trauma whereas I’m just being inconvenienced. I may have days where I feel really depressed but I refuse to complain. My depression mostly comes from seeing how my friends and loved ones are struggling and grieving and not being able to do anything to truly help.

I feel the importance of connection now more than ever. In the theatre and in life."

What is the one thing you’re most looking forward to not that the stay at home order is starting to be lifted and some businesses are beginning to reopen?

"Seeing my mom and hugging her as soon as it’s safe to travel. I miss my mom a lot."