Leyden’s fall play “Stage Door” is about the adventures of aspiring actresses living in a New York boarding house, striving to find their own purposes in the 1930s. Actresses Rebecca Kupfer and Heidi Reinhofer answered some questions about the play.

What is the play about?

The play is about a group of young actresses living in a boarding house while they look for jobs. It sounds a lot more boring than it is; the characters personalities will really show you exactly what I mean.

Why should people go see it?

This play is wonderful, and I’m not just saying that to get people to come…I honestly mean it. We have an awesome cast, a phenomenal director, and an amazing show!

What made you audition for this particular role?

Originally, I had no idea what “Stage Door” was, but when I was asked to audition for “Jean Maitland”, I got excited and saw the movie. I thought to myself, “Gosh, I sure would love to be her!” So I auditioned, and landed the role! There are certain things about Jean that I can relate to, so I tie in my own personal experiences and emotions to hers when becoming her character.

What is your favorite thing about the play?

My favorite thing about the play is that the girls each have such different personalities and that we’re actually able to portray that.

It’s hard to choose just one favorite thing about the show… it’s great getting to do what I love with the the people I love, and I’m thrilled to be back on the stage, this time, as Jean Maitland!

Can you tell me a little bit about your character?

My character is very quirky. There are two Mary’s in the show, my character is Little Mary, and they are basically like Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, if you will. They have all of these little funny bits and they’re just so excited about everything, even though they don’t have jobs or boyfriends or really anything except each other and the girls in the house.

My character, Jean Maitland, is one of the main roles in Stage Door. When life is swell, Jean is very much like Marilyn Monroe… a charming, ambitious, vivacious blonde beauty who becomes a famous actress, and a worldwide icon. When things don’t go her way, however, Jean can be quite the sharp-tongued diva.

What were some of the challenges you or the cast faced during production?

The cast, in general, had a little bit of trouble in the beginning creating the chemistry between us because we didn’t really know each other that, but we’ve definitely grown on each other. This is a great cast.

One difficulty that the cast faced at one point during the production process was that not everyone was ‘pulling their weight’ at times. That changed as time went by, though, and everything came together. It’s really important that everyone does their part because even the smallest thing has a big effect. We aren’t just a cast…we are a team…a family. And when we give our 100% best, and work together, the things we can do are incredible. It’s been amazing, and I feel so blessed that I’ve gotten to spend the past few months in a terrific show with such wonderful people!