The Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowship

In August of 2009 Paula Plum was awarded the Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowship with SpeakEasy Stage as host theatre The Fox Actor Fellowship is a yearly grant awarded to five candidates nation-wide to strengthen the artists relationship with the host theatre and to create new work. As part of her grant proposal, Paula studied Mask, Clown, and Melodrama at Ecole Philippe Gaulier, Paris, from Jan to March of this year. Next season, Paula will be combining her skills as both actor and teacher, conducting two workshops for SpeakEasy, "Handling The Hot Moments - How To Work With Sexuality On The Stage" and "Mask: Angels & Demons."

Paula will continue her work on her original piece What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, based on the life of Edna St. Vincent Millay, one of the original feminists and a poet who faced the demons of morphine and alcohol addiction. Paula will continue to explore Millay's despair over the loss of her physical beauty and young lover which simultaneously led to her depression and inspired so much of her extraordinary writing. SpeakEasy is partnering with Paula in the development of this piece and will mount a reading and/or production of the work during the 2011-2012 season. Next summer, 2011, Paula will spend six weeks studying movement and mask classes at the D'ell Arte School and two weeks studying at Ecole de Mime in Montreal.

The Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowship is designed to provide substantial support for exceptionally talented actors to further their artistic and professional development, deepen and enrich their relationship with a not-for-profit theatre and ensure their continued professional commitment to live theatre.

Learn more about the Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowship.

Paula Plum's Blog

Paula Plum recently studied in Paris, France at Ecole Philippe Gaulier as a part of her three year Actor Fellowship with SpeakEasy Stage. Join SpeakEasy Stage this summer as we follow her theatrical endeavors and adventures in Paris. Each week we will bring you new entries from her blog, French Plum.

Paula will share her wild Parisian rendezvous with you as she encounters crazy French clowns, a Parisian Heidi Klum and a funny little Frenchman armed with a drum and beret. She introduces us to "Earl Grey," the ass whoopin', Baptist Texan and shares important life lessons such as, "Paris is not for sissies," and "big boobs are no longer funny."

Follow her on her blog.

Handling the "Hot Moments"

Instructor: Paula Plum

This six-week workshop explores the skills needed to present "hot" material - scenes involving romantic and sexual relationships onstage. The workshop will focus on expanding comfort levels for the actor using humor, discussion, acting games and exercises. Scenes will be chosen representing straight and gay relationships, and the workshop will culminate in scene-presentations for an invited audience at the Boston Center for the Arts. Application by invitation only. Selection for this workshop will be based on an interview with the instructor. Maximum: 10 students.

For more information, please send headshot, resume, and letter of inquiry to:

Paula Plum
c/o SpeakEasy Stage Company
539 Tremont St
Boston, MA 02116