Actress Clare Lopez- “Artists Help our World Reflect on Themselves, and Reevaluate Prejudices or Preconceived Ideas About What It’s Like to be in Someone Else’s Shoes”

Actress Clare Lopez was born in a small suburb of Chicago, Illinois and grew up in Sacramento, CA. She is one of seven children. Her love for theatre and acting started by accident. In her freshman year of High School, she was in a Drama as Literature course– reading The Glass Menagerie; Always an avid reader, and even more fond of writing, she found herself getting pretty passionate about the character of Laura. As she worked on her class assignments she found herself getting into heated discussions in defense of who this character was, and the validity of her choices. It was in those passionate arguments with her classmates, and her furiously has written character analysis papers, that she realized that she loved being inside the skin of characters.

“Although I didn’t know I would pursue acting professionally, it has sparked my interest in theatre and totally shaped my life” “It empowered me to share stories of characters like her, through my work as a Performer.” “ I started college at Saint Martin’s University (Lacey, WA) as a Music major, and quickly added Theatre. As I found myself taking every acting/script/ scene class I could get my hands on. When I realized I was still hungry for more training, I went on to attend the PCPA Pacific Conservatory in Santa Maria, CA.”

Lopez is actively involved in the newly launched Professional Theatre company, Breadcrumbs Productions based in Syracuse, NY and led by Artistic Director Tanner Efinger. Its mission is to create bold and imaginative theatrical experiences. To support local Artists and to help them create sustainable careers as Artists. Lopez was approached by Tanner about the company and connecting with fellow theatre Artists in the region. Over a year later, they have collaborated on a full launch to include, 4 rounds of Adult Acting Classes, hosted nearly a dozen Professional Development Workshops, devised & produced four productions, and developed several theatre- based monthly gatherings.

In the film, “12 Days with God,” Directed by John Ginty, Lopez plays the leading role of Lisa Sherman, wife of Devin Sherman. It is a true story based on the book of the same name by Devin Sherman. During a 12-day stay in the hospital, Devin has two major surgeries to remove a large cancerous growth behind his eye. Lisa Sherman spends the film both championing him while trying to hold it together as she faces each hospital visit. The film has just been picked up for distribution by Pureflix and will be available for streaming in Spring 2019.

Lopez has spent over 2 full seasons touring as a Performer and Teaching Artist with Merry-Go-Round Playhouse’s Youth Theatre. “In my time with MGR, I toured seven productions throughout 70 school districts in upstate New York. I also got to teach pre- performance workshops, workshops in careers in the arts, and creative writing. It was a lot of driving and took a lot of stamina to perform 10 shows a week. I loved being a part of a child’s first ever experience in theatre. And even more so, I loved being able to teach about all of the diverse ways you can make a career in the arts. As a child, I had no idea a person could make a living designing costumes, being a Director of photography, crafting props, or coordinating stunts. I grew up feeling like a career in the arts was reserved for Broadway and Hollywood Actors and Directors, and that was it. So it was really empowering to get be the person to help educate students, and open up possibilities for them.”

What do you enjoy most about acting? “ I love that working as a Performer requires me to work on myself and grow as a person. Acting requires a certain self-awareness and makes me notice how interactions, relationships, and circumstances shape human behavior. I also love that the act of seeing a good film or experiencing theatre helps others to develop empathy and compassion. By watching someone else’s story reflected on screen, we start to imagine what it’s like to be them. I love that Artists get to help our world reflect on themselves, and reevaluate prejudices and preconceived ideas about what it’s like to be in someone else’s shoes.” “Apart from all that, it’s a blast. It’s the most exhilarating and exciting work I’ve ever done. Every day I get to go to an audition, or perform, or rehearse, I’m thankful. I’m thankful that I get to spend my life collaborating and creating something that wasn’t there before, doing something that makes me so remarkably happy.”