Interview: Cameron Meyer On SEX WITH STRANGERS & Other Theatrical Liaisons

Crimson Square Theatre Company presents Laura Eason's SEX WITH STRANGERS opening September 24th at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. This two-hander, directed by Benjamin Burt, features Cameron Meyer and Casey King as the titular STRANGERS. Had the chance to question Cameron on SEX WITH STRANGERS as well as her extensive Los Angeles theatre background.

Thank you for taking the time for this interview, Cameron!

How did you first connect with Crimson Square Theatre Company for this production? Open audition? Referral from a creative?

I've been a fan of Crimson Square for a while and have seen several of their productions. Faye Viviana (the producer at Crimson Square) has directed me before.

What would your three-line pitch of SEX WITH STRANGERS be?

SEX WITH STRANGERS is a provocative thriller about a 40-ish woman and a younger man who meet at a writers' retreat. As they navigate their relationship, the play examines several timely issues such as privacy vs. social media, art vs. commerce, and gender equality in the marketplace. But more importantly, it begs the question: what does it take in today's world to make a true connection with another person?

When did you start rehearsals? In-person or on Zoom?

We started doing table reads in late July. We were fully vaccinated then, so it was great to rehearse in-person.

If you were to submit your character Olivia onto a dating website, what qualities of hers would you list?

Olivia is passionate, intelligent, and open-minded. She wants a partner she can trust, but she has an adventurous side.

What character flaws would you omit?

LOL! Olivia can be pretentious and arrogant and is jaded about relationships.

Your acting resume contains more 'nice gal' roles than 'bad gal' ones. How would you categorize Olivia?

Olivia is a nice gal with a wild side that she mostly keeps hidden from the world.

Do you find a 'bad gal' role more challenging to nail than a 'nice gal' role?

I find "bad gal" roles easier, and I adore playing them as much as possible. They are a wonderful outlet; those characters have an unadulterated point of view about the world without much guilt or fear of consequences, so you can really get creative and have fun. One of my goals is to play a bad gal in a studio tent-pole film, like Alfred Molina in Spider-Man.

You've done a lot of theatre work in the L.A. theatre community. Do you get more roles from referrals now? Or do you still have to make the rounds of auditions?

Thank you for noticing! I'm very proud of my work with small theatres; they've made me a better actress. I get work from referrals, but I still audition.

Have you worked with any of the cast or creatives of SEX WITH STRANGERS before?

Before the pandemic, Casey King invited me to do a scene from SEX WITH STRANGERS in a class, and Faye saw our work there. This is my first time working with Casey in a professional context, and he is a real pro but also keeps things fun. Faye has directed me before in a commercial project (in addition to producing, she is a wonderful actress and director).

Can you name one singular attribute about each L.A. theatre/theatre company you've worked with?

The New American Theatre: They do excellent work with the classics, and are also supportive of new writers.

Skylight Theatre Company: In INFLUENCE, I loved working with Alan Rosenberg - he is super talented and was very kind to me.

Odyssey Theatre: Natasha in Chekhov's THREE SISTERS is one of my favorite roles of all time, and the Odyssey was great to us.

Greenway Court: Being one of the leads in Elin Hampton's world premiere THE BELLS OF WEST 87TH was amazing, and the Greenway Court has a great facility.

The Groundlings: Phil LaMarr, a legendary Groundling, directed me in a sketch show there which was a blast.

Boston Court: Jessica Kubzansky is a brilliant director; I learned a lot from her.

Improv Olympic West: I wish they were still around - just a friendly and playful vibe, which is as it should be with improv and sketch comedy!

Hayworth Theatre: I loved doing Chuck Rose's play SAFE there (with New American Theatre), and the project landed us on the cover of Variety which was such a fun surprise.

What was your initial reaction to seeing your face on the cover of Variety back in 2008?

I heard about this right as I was driving off the studio lot after finishing up a role on USA Network's Monk. I was like, this is the best day ever!

What did you do during the lockdown to keep creatively sane?

I participated in staged readings over Zoom and built a voiceover studio in my closet(!) Also, I watched a lot of detective shows - I just found it soothing to watch a group of people working together to solve problems and crack a case.

What's in the near future for Cameron Meyer?

I've been getting some cool television auditions lately. After this play, my goal is to book a fun television role (preferably a bad gal, and preferably on a detective show!) and then take a trip to England. I haven't been there in years and seeing theatre there and visiting Shakespeare's birthplace keeps me inspired.

Thank you again, Cameron! I look forward to seeing you at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.

For tickets to the live performances of through October 17, 2021; log onto www.crimsonsquare.org

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