Are you a fan of art or theater? Anna: A Theatrical Monologue has been showing for the past couple of weeks and The Captain’s Log had the chance to interview senior Cora Barr about her experience playing American sculptor, Anna Hyatt Huntington.
Barr shared that the idea of creating Anna: A Theatrical Monologue was inspired by the exhibition at the Torggler Center, which features the work of 20th century sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington and has information on her life and family history. Professor Gillman of the CNU Theatre department, who Barr has worked with in the past, read about Huntington’s story and “felt as if it should be told through performance.” Professor Gillman and Executive Director of the Torggler, Holly Koons, worked to commission Kathleen Cahill, a Pulitzer Prize nominated playwright to write a theatrical piece about Anna Hyatt Huntington. Barr said that “the goal was to create a museum piece that could be performed within the exhibition. I was approached by Professor Gillman to act as “Anna” in the piece, and this project is over a year in the making.”
Barr worked in association with Professor Gillman through the 2024 Summer Scholars Program to conduct their research for this production. Barr shared, “Our main focus was to learn about the type of theatre I was going to participate in, which was a combination of museum and immersive theatre.” They aimed to gain a better understanding of the history, psychology, and benefits of these forms of theatre. Barr said that “it was helpful to learn how both actors and audiences tend to react to theatre in non-traditional settings because this helped my preparation as an actor.”
Barr also spent this time researching who Huntington was in order to effectively play her. When asked what the most interesting thing she learned about Huntington was, Barr said “her dedication to herself and her passions: animals and artistry.” She went on to say. “In my opinion, Anna was a fearless woman and pioneer for women artists, and I admire her confidence in herself while still having so much humility for all that she accomplished.” Barr explained that learning about who Anna was inspired her to have the sureness in herself to take on a project like this. “I have never worked on a project this size and consisting of so much hard work and dedication, but I feel like Anna’s story gave me the confidence to go for it.”
There’s so much to learn about Huntington through this production. Barr shared that she hopes people enjoy learning about Huntington’s contribution to art, specifically song women artists. “She is unfortunately under-appreciated during this time, but I hope that this performance helps encourage community members to learn more about her, her work, and her family.” Barr also shared her hope that women who watch the performance are encouraged to follow their passions after hearing Anna’s story.
Members of the Newport News community have loved coming to see Anna. Barr described the support from the community as “positive” and “overwhelming”, leading to more fall dates being added to the show. “I have absolutely loved getting the chance to speak with audience members after performances”, she goes on, “and it has been an honor to hear that the performance has touched them in some way.” Barr also loves when returning audience members who enjoyed the show so much bring their friends with them to see it again.
This performance has been a unique experience for Barr because it is, what she describes as “a non-traditional performance setting and a moving piece.” Barr explained that it was challenging to navigate how she could use movement and her voice to keep audiences engaged and encourage participation throughout the piece. “I have never played a historical figure in any acting piece, so I had to figure out how to balance portraying who Anna was as a person but also adding some of my own qualities to the character.”
When asked why people should go see Anna, Barr said that “seeing Anna is a great opportunity to engage in art within the community” and explained that witnessing this piece is a unique experience that people do not see often in museum settings. In addition, Huntington and her family were significant to the history of the Newport News area. “Many of Anna’s sculptures are located in Newport News, including the lion sculptures at the James River.”
So grab your friends and go see Anna’s final performance on Oct. 5th at 11 a.m. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the city we go to school in, as well as the artists who inspired so many others in our community.
