Canadian actress and director Megan Follows (“Anne of Green Gables” and “Reign”) chatted about starring in the Off-Broadway show “Pen Pals” opposite Michelle Clunie.
Academy Award winner Katharine Hepburn once said: “If you always do what interests you, at least one person is pleased.” This quote applies to Megan Follows.
Follows is best-known for playing Anne Shirley in “Anne of Green Gables,” as well as for her acting work as Catherine de’ Medici (Queen of France) in “Reign.”
“Pen Pals” was written by Michael Griffo and directed by SuzAnne Barabas. It is being performed at the DR2 Theatre in New York City.
The show is a celebration of the endearing power of friendship and connection between two women Bernie (Michelle Clunie) and Mags (Megan Follows) through handwritten letters that span nearly five decades.
“SuzAnne Barabas, the director, was great because she gave us permission to own it and have our own fun with it. You have to do that because you are stepping into something and you need to make it your own, and that’s what Michelle and I have been doing,” Follows explained.
Portraying Mags in ‘Pen Pals’
On playing Mags, Follows remarked, “I’ve had a ball playing Mags. She is kind of a crazy character, and it has been fun making her my own. There are clues that are in the text, and they become more apparent such as the fact that she’s a bookworm.”
“Mags seems quite outrageous but she has actually been very internalized, so she has been living through novels; that’s why she’s an avid reader.”
“Mags is not as free and then she acts out because of that,” she noted.
Working with Michelle Clunie
On working with Michelle Clunie, as her luminous acting partner who plays Bernie, Follows expressed, “I feel very blessed and very lucky to work with Michelle.”
“First of all, we are having a lot of fun. I can only speak for myself,” she said with a sweet laugh. “It’s crazy because you hit the ground running on this show. You have one day and one rehearsal so it feels daunting.”
Lessons learned from this play
On the lessons learned from this play, “It taught me that I need to do it for me, and that I want to have fun. When I am playful and when I am having fun, I can only do it for myself.”
“Then, I want to share who I am with other people. There is no point in second guessing,” she added.
Stage of her life
On the title of the current chapter of her life, Follows disclosed, “More to be revealed…”
‘Anne of Green Gables’
Follows recalled her experience starring in “Anne of Green Gables.” “That was pretty remarkable,” she admitted. “Anne gave me a taste for strong, powerful creative women.”
“It also gave me a taste for wanting to be front and center,” she said with a sweet laugh.
‘Reign’
On starring in “Reign,” she stated, “I loved ‘Reign.’ Catherine is one of my favorite roles because she is powerful but she doesn’t have permission to have her power, so I always say ‘people who can’t go through the front door with their power, go around the back.’ As a character she is great because she is righteous, so you take the judgment out of it.”
“Catherine believes in what she is doing, and that is a great thing for a character,” she acknowledged. “Also, hurt people hurt people.”
Closing thoughts on ‘Pen Pals’
For fans and viewers, Follows remarked, “I hope this show teaches people the importance of friendship and human connection.”
“Also, I hope it inspires them to be vulnerable with somebody else and to take a chance because we all need each other,” she concluded.
To learn more about the Off-Broadway play “Pen Pals,” check out the official homepage.
For more information on award-winning actress and director Megan Follows, follow her on Instagram.
Read More: “Pen Pals” review starring Michelle Clunie and Megan Follows.
