Two-time Tony-nominated actress Carmen Cusack (“Bright Star”) chatted about starring in the Off-Broadway production of “Pen Pals,” where she is playing the role of Bernie. It is being performed at the DR2 Theatre in Manhattan.
Cusack is working opposite Gina Torres, who is playing Mags. As part of this rotating cast of actresses, their run on “Pen Pals” will wrap up on March 1st, 2026.
Written by Michael Griffo and directed by SuzAnne Barabas, “Pen Pals” is inspired by a true story, and it chronicles five decades of friendship through handwritten letters exchanged by two women who have never meet in person.
Cusack is the wife of Emmy award-winning actor Paul Telfer, who plays Xander Kiriakis on the Peacock daytime drama “Days of our Lives.”
Playing Bernie in ‘Pen Pals’
On playing Bernie, Cusack remarked, “I didn’t quite know what to expect, but I have been enjoying it! Apparently, I’m alright with the Jersey accent, so that’s all good.”
It’s a lot of dialogue, Bernie is loud, fast and the words are just falling out of her mouth, so you really have to stay present and focused,” she observed.
For Cusack, playing Bernie is a great deal of fun and it’s “low stakes.” “While it is a lot of back-and-forth dialogue, you don’t have to actually memorize it. You just read it, so that’s good. This play is thoroughly moving,” she elaborated.
“It’s very, very moving,” she admitted. “I’m having the best time being able to really be in the moment and let it take me where it’s going to take me and not be worried about the words,” she explained.
“The words, the motions, the movements, and the feelings all just fall into place. You must absolutely be present at all times,” she added.
Working with Gina Torres as Mags
On working opposite Gina Torres as Mags, Cusack said, “Gina is absolutely lovely! The weird thing is that we don’t get to look at each other at all. So, that has been challenging because I just want to sit there and watch her performance.”
“What Gina has been doing with Mags is so tender, moving and lovely. The hardest thing is to sit there and not be able to watch her and feed off of that,” she noted.
“Gina has a beautiful voice, and to be able to hear her read the letters to me is just so natural and moving. Gina is really pouring her soul out,” she elaborated.
“I’m able to grasp that, and respond to it,” she added.
Lessons learned from this play
On the lessons learned from this play, Cusack reflected, “I feel like I’m still at the beginning of understanding what this role is, but since it’s a short process, I’ve got to figure out really quick what it’s teaching me about myself.”
“It taught me that I adore acting,” she admitted. “This is just a wonderfully written play, and I don’t have to think about singing a big song, unlike most productions I have been a part of.”
“I don’t have to worry about my voice in that area, in that way. I just can just be in the moment. With this show, there is so much freedom, and I am thoroughly enjoying that freedom,” she elaborated.
Cusack on her two Tony Award nominations
Cusack opened up about earning her two Tony Award nominations for “Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical” for her acting and singing work in such Broadway shows as “Bright Star” and “Flying Over Sunset.”
“Those were lovely,” she said. “I felt great… Being invited to the Tony Awards party is always nice,” she added.
Stage of her life
On the title of the current chapter of her life, Cusack revealed, “Mindfulness.” “It’s all about being present,” she said.
Advice for young and emerging actors
For young and aspiring actors, Cusack said, “To make sure that they look themselves and know that they are enough! Just to continue to reassure yourselves that there is hard work involved. You’ve got to look after yourselves.”
“Sometimes, the only person in the room is you to tell yourself that you’re enough,” she said.
“Just go out there. If you’ve done the work, if you’ve done the rehearsal, if you’ve got the craft, then just believe in yourself,” she added.
Success
Regarding her definition of the word success, Cusack said, “Success, to me, means finding peace and finding love.”
Closing thoughts on ‘Pen Pals’
For fans and viewers, Cusack expressed, “The one thing I want them to get out of ‘Pen Pals’ is the importance of friendships and the connections, just staying in touch with people.”
“This is such a beautiful story… a true story of two pen pals who were given the assignment to find a pen pal when they were in high school,” she said.
“They continued to stay in each other’s lives through major losses and even deaths. Even though they’ve never met each other, they have each other’s support, and they are in opposite sides of the world,” she explained.
“There is somebody out there that can really help you through things that you would never imagine could until you just open your heart up and nurture that,” Cusack concluded.
To learn more about actress and singer Carmen Cusack, follow her on Instagram.
For more information on the Off-Broadway play “Pen Pals,” check out the official website.
