Interview: Karina Arroyave of THE WOMEN OF PADILLA at TRT

The Women of Padilla, written by Tony Meneses and directed by Ken Rus Schmoll, will be performed at Two River Theater (TRT) from April 8th to April 30th. In the show, eight women carry on life at home while their husbands are away at war. The women keep the faith through the power of food, faith, laughter, and each other. The show is inspired by the heightened lyricism of the renowned playwright and poet Federico García Lorca. This new play shows us there is always a way, even through the hardest of times, to set our love free.

Broadwayworld.com had the opportunity to interview Karina Arroyave who plays Blanca in The Women of Padilla.

Arroyave is best known for her role as 'Jamey Farrell' in the FOX TV show 24 and also appeared in 2005's Best Picture winner Crash. Other film/TV credits include Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, Bull, Mysteries of Laura, Blue Bloods, 187, Flawless, Falling Down, Lean on Me, NYPD Blue, As the World Turns (1988-1994), Law & Order, All My Children, The Practice, Judging Amy, Chicago Hope, Touched by an Angel, and Without a Trace. Theater credits include Stephen Adly Guirgis' Between Riverside and Crazy at Pittsburgh Public Theater, Quiara Alegria Hudes' Water by the Spoonful at Arden Theatre, Stephen Adly Guirgis' Motherfucker with the Hat and Adam Bock's Swimming in the Shallows at Kitchen Theatre, Tony Glazer's Stain on Theater Row, José Rivera's School of the Americas at The Public Theater, Eduardo Machado's Once Removed at both Long Wharf and Merrimack Rep, and José Rivera's Marisol at Louisville's Humana Festival. She made her Broadway debut as 'Frederica' in Jane Bowles' In the Summer House at the Vivian Beaumont. Recent films include The Karma Club, Lost Cat Corona, Holy Rollers, Adam, Adrift in Manhattan, and the Academy Award-qualifying short film Family on Board.

What inspired you to take up acting?

When I was 5 I would watch commercials and then run to the mirror to imitate them, so i think it was something that was always in me. I was in acting class by age 10 and in the drama club at age 12, which is where I found out about the High School of Performing Arts in NY.

Tell us a little about your background and education.

I auditioned for the High School of Performing Arts and got in. I started working pretty consistently after graduation. I took a few acting classes after graduating and then after September 11th became interested in comedy. The world seemed so bleak to me then, that I found myself in search of the opposite of that bleakness. I took comedic improv classes at The Groundlings and ACME Comedy Theatre in LA and then sketch comedy at The P.I.T. in NY. I then took several writing classes at NYU and The New School and wrote my first play, which contained a lot of humor.

You have very eclectic credits. We'd love to know about a few of most memorable stage or screen experiences.

I'm having a hard time narrowing them down so let me talk about the 1st one that comes to mind which is when I did my own play, The Love Junkies of Hell's Kitchen as part of Theater for the New City's "Dream Up" Festival in NY. I wrote the play, acted in it and also directed it. It was a 2 person play so you can imagine what a saint my cast mate, Gary Hilborn, was to put up with being the only one getting notes. That was the busiest time of my life. I had one day off (my birthday) between May and September. In addition to what I previously mentioned, I also raised the money and was costume designer, set designer and prop master. I purchased the set and props, had custom-made pieces built, did the marketing and publicity, co-designed the lighting along with my stage manager, CrisTina Ramos, did all of the administrative work, hired the stage hands and ushers ... it was madness! BUT, talk about a memorable growth experience. I will never put myself through that again, but knowing I was able to do it was life-changing.

What has been the greatest challenge of your career?

Managing my anxiety, which is still an issue.

How do you like working at TRT?

I'm really enjoying it! Everyone is very, very kind and Red Bank is a lovely town. I love being by the water and the energy that brings to a place.

What would you like NJ Audiences to know about The Women of Padilla?

I'd like them to know that The Women of Padilla is much more than a story about war. I've never had any experiences related to war and I relate to this play so much. Ultimately, it's a story of hope, love and connection; things we all long for and can relate to.

What are your plans for the future?

I just want to act as well as I can for as long as I can. I'll be reprising my role in the feature film version of a short I shot by the same name, "Family On Board."

Anything else, absolutely anything you would like our readers to know.

I'm grateful that they've taken the time to read this and I hope to meet them after the show!

You can follow Karina Arroyave on Instagram @karinaarroyave

The Women of Padilla will be performed at Two River ater in the Rechnitz Theater from April 8th through April 30th. theater is located at 21 Bridge Avenue, Red Bank, NJ 07701. For tickets, call the box office at 732.345.1400 or visit their web site at: http://tworivertheater.org/.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Karina Arroyave

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