Interview: Mary Fanning Driggs Is A Pioneer Theatre Veteran, With ONCE Marking Her 22nd Production

Mary Fanning Driggs has performed at Pioneer Theatre Company more than once.

The role of Baruska in the musical ONCE is the sparkling actress' 22nd show on the PTC stage, including recently Mamma Mia! -- "Driggs regularly steals scenes as the goofy sidekick Rosie," wrote one reviewer.

Her PTC credits include Sweeney Todd, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Les Misérables and Smokey Joe's Cafe. But she's no diva, only considering lead roles. Driggs shines in even smaller ensemble roles, like the surprised reporter in Elf, along with featured characters, such as the "superb" comically cantankerous Martha Watson in White Christmas.

Her favorite local and regional credits include Annie in Annie Get Your Gun, The Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress and Charity in Sweet Charity, along with being directed by the legendary Tony Kushner in The Tempest. With PTC as the city's largest fully professional theater, Driggs is a member of Actors' Equity Union and maintains a private vocal studio specializing in pop-belt techniques.

Uniquely in ONCE, cast members perform a musical instrument as the show's only accompaniment, and she's learning to squeeze out music from the unwieldy accordion (What is the definition of an optimist? An accordion player with a pager.)

BroadwayWorld interviewed the popular Salt Lake City actress, who was recently profiled with other mothers at the theater company who have spent years managing schedules to balance mothering and professional work. For Diggs, the juggling included recently missing her daughter's university graduation ceremonies with the rehearsal schedule for Mamma Mia!

What's it like being a 22-time veteran of the PTC stage? Have all the performances been while you were a Utah resident?

I feel very fortunate. I never take any of my opportunities to perform at PTC for granted, and I work very hard and audition for every show I do there. And it's nice to know my way around! There are a lot of twists and turns in that building! Yes, I have been a resident hire for all of my PTC shows.

You pursued an acting career in New York City. What was your favorite experience there?

I did Annie Get Your Gun at a huge county-funded outdoor theater in New Jersey. It was a beautiful show with a full orchestra and had an audience of 3,000 each night. I loved that. I also loved seeing some very iconic Broadway shows with their original casts when we lived in NYC: Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, Into The Woods, Angels In America. I'll never forget those experiences.

At what point did you say, "I can make this my career"?

Well, I said that before I even moved to New York right out of college. I always thought I could make it my career. The trick has been to keep it my career.

The accordion in ONCE? A rediscovered talent -- or a newfound joy?

Definitely a newfound skill. I've played the piano since I was 8, but not particularly well. I played for myself while I sang at the audition, and I had learned how to play a short song on the concertina. When I was called back, I was told I would need to play the accordion, so I got to work. Fortunately, I found a very patient teacher who has helped me. I'm pretty sure he thought I was crazy, but he has been awesome.

What excites you most about ONCE?

ONCE is really a beautiful show, but the thing that has been the most exciting for me has been telling this story and making music with such amazing musicians. Several of them move seamlessly between a variety of instruments. (I even caught our wonderful director at the piano the other day, playing a beautiful classical piece.) It's really remarkable. I mean, who doesn't want to be in the band?

How do you balance a working actress with your other lives?

It takes a village, right? My family is so accustomed to my acting life that they all handle it pretty well. And on the other end of the spectrum, I just had the mother of one of my daughter's friends tell me that she had no idea I was an actress. So maybe my lives aren't very balanced after all. But somehow it all works.

To post a comment, you must register and login.