Artist Profile: Arwen Anderson

April 9, 6:27 PMSF Theatre ExaminerLance Gardner

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Arwen Anderson

Arwen Anderson is an Equity actress, singer/songwriter and aerial silk and trapeze artist living in San Francisco. She teaches aerial arts at the San Francisco Circus Center. Originally from the East Coast, Arwen moved west about 12 years ago to rid herself of her Type A personality. It sort of worked. When she was a little girl, her parents worked in a colonial restoration village in Staten Island, NY. Her father did the pottery demonstrations and her mother did the loom weaving and natural dyeing demos. They used to dress Arwen up in colonial attire and let her go on donkey cart rides all day. Perhaps this is how she got into performing? Actually, she has wanted to perform ever since she saw Annie on Broadway when she was five. Throughout the years she has entertained notions of quitting acting and becoming a marine biologist, a writer, a park ranger, a personal trainer and a grad student, but thinks that maybe, just maybe, she has actually picked the right profession. Arwen has one younger brother, Josh, who is one of her favorite people in the world and one husband Dave, who is the most phenomenal musician you have ever heard. She has degrees in Psychology and Theatre from Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. Oh - and yes - Arwen was named after the elven princess in 'The Lord of the Rings'.
 

1) What is one thing that you do before every performance?

Ride my bicycle to the theatre. It's the best warm up ever.

2) Favorite role that you have performed?

It's a dead tie between Dawn in Lobby Hero and Stella in Streetcar.

3) Theatre pet peeve?

Oh god - one word: CRAFT. Actors talking about their "craft'"and the spirit of the "craft" and working on honing and developing their "craft" and respecting the "craft". Ugh. Gag me now. I find this akin to musicians talking about "chops". As in: "Dude - Clapton's got wicked chops!" I hate that. Just typing it makes me cringe. I can't explain it rationally to you.

I also dislike the word "moist".

4) What role would you love to play that you would never be cast in?

Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar.

5) Who do you want to see naked?

Are you kidding me, Lance? Really? I think we all know that seeing someone barely clothed is generally WAY better than seeing someone naked. And, well... being an aerialist means that I see people barely clothed all the time. People who also happen to be extremely fit. I am one lucky girl. :)

6) What's next?

Well, I just finished Skin 'by Steve Yockey last week at the Climate, which was the last of 4 shows back to back to back to back. I've basically been working straight with no break since June and well, I'm kind of tired and need a little break. But there are a bunch of irons in the fire, so we'll see what comes up.... Right now, I'm teaching a lot of aerial silk and trapeze at the Circus Center and my doubles trapeze partner and I have almost completed a new routine and will now start shopping around for venues in which to perform it. Hey - anyone out there want to hire two twin tall blondes who kick some ass on the doubles trapeze? ;).