Company Actor Member Robin Madel and Louise Flory work closely as members of MTWorks' marketing committee. Madel wanted to share some questions she had asked Flory regarding her role in COSTA REHAB and her life as an award-winning actress.Tell me about your character in Costa Rehab. How do you connect with her?I play Lieutenant Ann Cramer. She is an Army Nurse, stationed in the rehab ward of a state-side military hospital. Relatively new to the job, she is still struggling with her role. My maternal grandmother was a nurse for many years and my mother is a social worker who has worked within the hospice system at various points throughout her career so I have some genetic coding towards care-giving. I would say that I connect with Cramer in the way that she sees the person, not the wound or disability. That is probably why it is often challenging for her to separate her emotions from her duties.
What type of research have you done about disabled veterans and those who care for them to prepare for the show?I actually played a nurse earlier this year so I spent time in an emergency room as a shadow and received a lot of first hand stories in that environment. Before we began rehearsals for
Costa Rehab I did some research on army nurses because they are a very unique area of the profession, given the additional structure of the military -- beyond the usual rules and regulations of a hospital setting, or the
basic patient protocol, there are all of these other parameters since you are a solider first and a care-giver second.
We are also in a very alarming situation in this country because we have more released veterans than any other time in history. Many of them are young men who are also suffering from some type of life- altering injury. Not only are they attempting to assimilate back into their lives after numerous tours of duty but they are coping with physical, mental and emotional disabilities that greatly hinder their ability to re-enter civilian life smoothly.
In terms of personal research, I had a long conversation with the senior nurse case manager at the Warrior Transition Unit of the Keller Army Community Hospital at West Point. She is a captain in the army and provided such incredible, honest insight into the life that my character lives. Our talk enriched my understanding and fueled my work in rehearsals in a way that I cannot even describe. I have also
reached out to the Wounded Warrior Project to find out more about the first hand assistance (both medical and psychological) that is being provided to soldiers as they transition out of active duty.
Tell me about your history as an actor. How did you come into it, what type of training have you done and when was the first time you considered yourself an actor?My parents would say that I've always known that I wanted to be a performer. I have been auditioning and in classes since I was little, as well as studying it in college. While I have always called myself an actor, I think the declaration felt official when I received my first professional paycheck. It also came along with dying my hair black and learning to sword fight -- that was a pretty amazing summer.
Is your family supportive of your acting efforts?Yes, always.
Weren’t you in a show that had a ComicCon following? What was that like?I was the female lead in a web series called
Issues. We did have a table at ComicCon in New York which was my first experience with fan photos and rapid fire press questions. I think my favorite part was getting to see that a passionate idea can become a pretty big reality. I remember the creator Scott Napolitano and I just standing in the midst of the massive crowds at the Javits Center marveling at the fact that six months earlier we were huddled in a strip mall parking lot in Hamilton, NJ trying to get shots off before we lost the light or got arrested.
What’s the most challenging part of acting for you?I think the biggest challenge is the potential powerlessness. So much of your ability to actually do the job you love is in the hands of others. But I am always trying to circumvent that by helping to create my own work or collaborate with other passionate artists such as the family at MTWorks.
What’s your favorite part of acting and being an actor?Honestly, I feel so fortunate to get to do what I love that I try my best to enjoy every part of the process. So many people don't have the luxury of choice or the gift of opportunity. I just want to help tell stories that connect us.
What is your favorite type of role to play?Whatever I am working on at the moment. I really strive to only take part in projects I adore so that I can
dive in fully with no regrets.
Where would you like to take your acting career?I always say that I want the trifecta- theatrical work at the off-Broadway and Broadway level, feature films (a mix of larger-scale work and fierce independents) and a juicy TV guest star here and there (something Sorkin-related if possible). In addition to that work, I hope to be writing more and helping others get their work made as a producer or as part of a larger organization (something like the Adrienne
Shelly Foundation, Killer Films or Ted Hope's Double Hope Films). And I always strive to combine my artistic work with philanthropy. I pick a relevant charity for each longer scale project and make a donation.
Eventually I would love to work more with an organization like Girl Up or Virgin Unite.
COSTA REHAB OPENS NOV 3rd AT THE WORKSHOP THEATERBUY TICKETS TODAY 
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