Katherine Reis chatted about starring in the Off-Broadway show “Cracked Open.”
How did “Cracked Open” come about?
I put myself on tape in 2022 for a staged reading of the play and I was fortunate enough to get the role. Gail and I got on really well and we both had the same thoughts about Mathilde.
We did another reading maybe a year or so after, and then this past fall I got an email saying that we were going to be able to do the show at Theater Row. It’s been really awesome to return to it after so long. I’m really grateful to still be doing the role.
What inspires you each day as a creative?
It can be anything. I always think about the late David Lynch, one of my heroes, when I think about creativity. He talks about how everything we do stems from ideas. “Ideas are like fish, and you don’t make a fish, you catch the fish.”
Ever since I was a kid, I really enjoyed that feeling of having an idea, and I really really enjoyed doing something with that idea. So, I think, if you keep your eyes open you can feel creative every day.
How does it feel to be a part of the digital age? (Now with streaming, technology and social media being so prevalent)
I grew up in the early 2000’s, so I am not sure if I have the most perspective on it. I was on social media when I was pretty young, and I started my career when streaming was already on its way.
I have watched so many cool television shows and been able to see a lot of movies that I wouldn’t have been able to see otherwise, which is incredible.
I still think watching something in a movie theater with other people is the best way of seeing a movie, but that’s not always possible.
Social media is tricky, isn’t it? It’s designed to be addictive and boy oh boy is it, so I try to be careful with how much time I spend on it.
Although, again, some of the hardest times I have laughed is watching a TikTok video at three in the morning, so everything has its good and its bad aspects, I guess.
What is your advice for young and aspiring actors?
That’s a tough question. Your career will go up and down, just like everything else, so you have to learn to accept the ups and downs as they come.
I have worked really hard on not basing my self-worth on what roles I am or am not getting. Find good friends and be really dedicated to the art itself.
What does the word success mean to you? (My favorite question)
To be completely sincere, success for me is found within inner peace. Everything is temporary. Happiness, money, health, people, it’s all temporary. If I can maintain a peace within myself, I think that’s about as successful as I can get.
What would you like to tell our readers about “Cracked Open”? (What’s the one thing you want them to get out of it?)
I hope people are moved by it. I hope people can see their own life reflected in it or maybe learn about the lives of other and gain empathy for them.
I don’t want to give too much away, but I think it is a great reflection on how people deal with a difficult situation.
We have all been in difficult situations, so hopefully you can find some solace in that when watching the show.
To learn more about actress Katherine Reis, follow her on Instagram.
