June Carryl

The daughter of Congolese immigrant father Guyanese immigrant mother, June Carryl grew up in Montbello in Northeast Denver, Colorado. She studied Political Science and English Literature at Brown University. June's plays include CONSORTIUM (LDTE BIPOC Short Plays), TOW (Coerage Theatre Company'a NOMAD Project), and THE GOOD MINISTER FROM HARARE (ADAA Saroyan/Paul Award). A director and actor as well her recent directing credits include Chandra Thomas' Untitled Circus Play and Phanesia Pharel's BLACK GIRL JOY (Echo Theater Company's Young Playwrights) and Jaisey Bates' WHEN WE BREATHE (Vagrancy Theatre's Blossoming Project); favorite acting roles  include Frauleing Schneider (CABARET, Celebration Theatre), Gerty Fail (FAILURE: A LOVE STORY, Coeurage Theatre), the Nurse (ROMEO AND JULIET, A Noise Within), Camille Bell (MINDHUNTER, Netflix) and Dr. Louise Hastings (Hulu's HELSTROM).

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA
http://www.jcarryl.com
FB: June Audrey Carryl Lomena
IG: @junecarryl

MORE ABOUT ME
What was your most gratifying moment in the theater?* 
My most gratifying moment in the Theatre remains being onstage during JULIUS CAESAR (I was playing Cassius) and watching the white handkerchief an actor accidentally dropped. This was a  on a black stage in a microscopic black box and no one had picked it up for ages. So during my speech to Antony (it was the meeting prior to battle) who was wearing war paint I wandered over, squatted and picked it up and offered it to him to clean his face. My friend Rhonda said all she could think about was how are they going to deal with it and that it meant something to her that I did and made it the story.

What play or production changed your life?*
When I was in third grade my school went to Denver Center to see THE TAMING OF THE SHREW. Katherina was wearing this long blood red gown. I sort of understood it, but I thought, "People DO this?!?" It would be years before I got brave enough to pursue it, but my brain was cracked wide open.

How do you overcome disappointment?*
I don't know that I do deal with disappointment. It's just not a luxury  for me. I finally learned to keep it moving. I used to pillory myself for every failure and I still get deeply fixated on things--failures with people mostly. Everything else? Meh. Keep it moving.

If you could bring one change to theater, what would it be?*
More black and brown people, especially women telling our stories.

What do you want artistic directors to know?*
Get used to discomfort. People of color live with it all day every day. It's your turn.

What’s the one thing nobody knows about you that you’d like them to know?*
I still want to play Hamlet someday--like do the whole play.

What is your favorite thing to do when you’re not writing?*
My favorite thing when I'm not writing is watching THE AMAZING WORLD OF GUMBALL.

Why do you keep doing theater?*
I keep doing theater because there is just so much to say that gets lost when you're talking through a TV screen or a projector.

How do you imagine telling stories in these times? *
I can't think how one wouldn't imagine telling stories in these times. There is literally everything still to say and everything on the line.

WHAT I'M WORKING ON
I am currently working on a new play for the Vagrancy's Blossoming Development program.

KEYWORDS
BIPOC, dark comedy, fables, Young Audiences, drama