BRIDGING TV & THEATRE: Andrea Anders & NECESSARY ROUGHNESS

Today we are continuing our summer series on the TV shows featuring some of the brightest and best talent onscreen and onstage with the fourth part of BroadwayWorld's series on USA's new primetime network drama NECESSARY ROUGHNESS focusing on tonight's featured guest star Andrea Anders, who plays a recurring character on the freshman dramedy. Featuring an impressive assortment of players known for roles on screens large and small and stages far and wide, NECESSARY ROUGHNESS was created by Craig Shapiro and Liz Kruger and features Callie Thorne, Marc Blucas, Scott Cohen, Mehcad Brooks and Andrea Anders. The show centers on therapist Dr. Dani Santino (Thorne) and her suddenly crumbling domestic life coming in the wake of her husband's (Craig Bierko) newly discovered affair, just as she enters a new area of expertise in her field and starts taking on the clients of her career - chief among them being star quarterback TK (Brooks). Will her newfound romance with Matthew (Blucas) and his relationship to the team lead to a fumble? And who exactly is the shadowy figure behind the scenes, Nico (Cohen)? Plus, how will Dr. Santino balance the roles of therapist, mother and newly-single woman approaching her forties? NECESSARY ROUGHNESS goes in for a touchdown by bringing together issues from all sides and taking them on play-by-play - because, after all, as the tagline goes: "Everyone has issues to tackle." Touchdown!

Playing the PR fixer going head-to-head with the team's trainer, Matt, and toe-to-toe with their therapist, Dr. Dani, does not seem the ideal way to kick off - or rekindle - a relationship, but Andrea Anders brings a sweet and spicy flavor to her role of Laura and, as she has proven on previous series such as BETTER OFF TED and, most recently, MR. SUNSHINE, co-starring Matthew Perry, she can bring any enterprise an extra added kick. In this short conversation we had onset of NECESSARY ROUGHNESS last month, Anders and I discuss her role on the show, what we can expect in her character's arc this season, plus what her experiences were like working with the cast and creative team of the series. Additionally, we touch on some of her previous stage and screen work, such as MR. SUNSHINE.

NECESSARY ROUGHNESS airs Wednesday nights at 10 PM on USA.

Moliere To MR. SUNSHINE

PC: Who is your character on NECESSARY ROUGHNESS in your definition?

AA: I am playing Laura Radcliffe. I have been hired as the team's publicist to head clean-up of the image of one of the team's players.

PC: Is this a recurring role?

AA: It is a four episode arc right now.

PC: Starting when?

AA: Episode Four.

PC: Had you worked with any of these actors before?

AA: Actually, no! This was the very first time for me working with all of them.

PC: How wonderful. Will you be coming back for more episodes?

AA: If they would have me, I would love to! Atlanta has been very nIce To me.

PC: You're a New York girl at heart, correct?

AA: Well, I started in New York, but I currently live in LA.

PC: What is NY versus LA to you?

AA: It's all very different. I've come to really love Los Angeles - I love New York, too, but I have come to love Los Angeles, as well. I love the weather. (Laughs.)

PC: What was your favorite stage performance from your formative years?

AA: Oh, I remember in college doing a play by Moliere.

PC: Oh, wow! Moliere - the highest of high comedy.

AA: Yeah, it was really fun to do. (Laughs.) I don't know if I was very good in it, though.

PC: It's not easy to master a master like Moliere so young!

AA: Probably not!

PC: What is it like working with Callie Thorne - who also has some considerable stage credits?

AA: Dr. Dani - Callie Thorne - is such an amazing actress. She's really a powerhouse actress. She's gonna force me to bring my A-game, that's for sure! I hope I do.

PC: Are you looking forward to working with Marc Blucas, who, I believe, plays your former flame on the show, yes?

AA: Yes, our characters have met each other before... in the Biblical sense. (Laughs.) Yeah, he's great. He's a really nice guy and talented and fun. It's going to be very interesting...

PC: What a photogenic couple you two must make!

AA: (Laughs.) Oh, thanks. He's definitely easy on the eyes!

PC: So are you! You could almost play brother and sister, as well.

AA: Oh, no, I don‘t know! I don't want to think about that with what we are doing... (Laughs.)

PC: Had you worked with the director of this episode before?

AA: No, I hadn't worked with him before.

PC: How did you get involved with NECESSARY ROUGHNESS in the first place?

AA: Well, I was working on MR. SUNSHINE and we had gotten the news that the show was over. So, Sony knew I was available to do this.

PC: What was it like working with Matthew Perry on MR. SUNSHINE? That was his baby. Did you feel a sense of closure when it ended?

AA: I feel like we did our jobs and we did them the best that we could - you know, you just never know. You have to leave it up to the powers that be. I think he did a really brave thing. He was the executive producer, too, so he was so busy. I think he handled it with so much grace and integrity. It was great to be a part of it.

PC: The best writing and directing and acting is on TV now - especially shows like DAMAGES, MAD MEN, GAME OF THRONES...

AA: I totally agree. That's an excellent point.

PC: Do you feel you are a part of that movement by being on this particularly unique show?

AA: (Pause.) Hmmm. How so?

PC: Well, it's unclassifiable - it's not a sports show or a shrink show or drama or a comedy...

AA: Yeah, it's sort of right down the middle, isn‘t it? But, yeah, I feel that it's extremely well-written and I hope my character is received well by everyone.

PC: Are you a sports fan yourself?

AA: Well, I am a Green Bay Packers fan.

PC: So, you're a football fan on top of it!

AA: Yeah - football, but, specifically, the Packers. (Laughs.)

PC: Right.

AA: Yeah, if the Packers are playing or it's a team that's going to affect the outcome of the Packers, then I watch football.

PC: Is there something that attracts you to them specifically? Is it a family tradition?

AA: Well, I'm from Wisconsin so it's sort of required... (Laughs.). And what a year we've had!

PC: Oh, wow, so was that like the ultimate moment as a Packers fan?

AA: Yeah, my mind was just... my boyfriend actually said, "You're making me nervous!" when we were watching it. (Laughs.) And, then they won!

PC: No way! Were you there?

AA: No, I wish I was, can you imagine? I was actually in LA watching it with some college buddies, as well, so it was really special.

PC: That sounds so great.

AA: It was! It really was.

PC: What was the collaboration like with the cast and crew onset today?

AA: Well, they have been at it for three episodes together now - they have just wrapped the third and now they're on to the fourth. They have a really good energy and connection - everybody is taking care of each other and working well together. It's impressive. I'm so glad to be here.

PC: Here in Hotlanta!

AA: In Hotlanta! (Laughs.)

PC: Thank you so much, Andrea. This was great. I can't wait for your character!

AA: Thank you, Pat! Bye for now.