Interview with Cast Member Taylyn Reine
You were given a workout packet to follow for your character-- how did it feel to get so physical with your research for the character? What preparation was involved before and throughout your rehearsal process? What was it like to do exercises as if you were really on a soccer team?
The workout regimen was a total dream. They were all personalized based on our characters and our typical activity level, and they were in a lot of ways our first way into the world of the play. Health and fitness is already a huge part of my life, but with the addition of our personal plans and rehearsal preparation, it quickly became more than just a part—it was my focus. It was the non-negotiable part of each day, because that’s how it would be for #00. The daily training combined with copious amounts of research were my focus for the weeks leading up to our first rehearsal. With the help from members of the creative team, we researched all things soccer: drills, team dynamics, rules and procedures, important icons, etc. I also found that I was fascinated with research on the pack dynamics of wolves. There was no way that The Wolves was a random mascot choice for these young women. After reading articles about wolf pack positions, the uniqueness of howls, and their patterns and tendencies, it became clear that these women on these pages were just as ferocious and fearless as their namesake.
The workout regimen was a total dream. They were all personalized based on our characters and our typical activity level, and they were in a lot of ways our first way into the world of the play. Health and fitness is already a huge part of my life, but with the addition of our personal plans and rehearsal preparation, it quickly became more than just a part—it was my focus. It was the non-negotiable part of each day, because that’s how it would be for #00. The daily training combined with copious amounts of research were my focus for the weeks leading up to our first rehearsal. With the help from members of the creative team, we researched all things soccer: drills, team dynamics, rules and procedures, important icons, etc. I also found that I was fascinated with research on the pack dynamics of wolves. There was no way that The Wolves was a random mascot choice for these young women. After reading articles about wolf pack positions, the uniqueness of howls, and their patterns and tendencies, it became clear that these women on these pages were just as ferocious and fearless as their namesake.
#00 has social anxiety. How did you approach this part of your character, and was any research involved? Did this present any challenges for you as an actor?
I was really careful when approaching the portrayal of social anxiety. Sarah DeLappe wrote it beautifully in a way that makes the actor not have to work too hard, while also allowing the character to be more than just that diagnosis. Instead of focusing on what anxiety looks like, because it looks totally different on other people, I tried to look at coping mechanisms. Someone with anxiety isn’t trying to be anxious—they’re actively trying not to be, so that’s where I wanted to throw my energy. This resulted in rituals with my gloves, a certain way to wrap my hands, a counting exercise I do on my hands when tensions rise, among other little things that got me into the mindset of someone as intense and dedicated as #00.
Your scene is highly emotionally charged and reflects an important moment from the 1999 Women’s World Cup in which Brandi Chastain rips her shirt off in celebration. How did you go about portraying this scene?
The timeout scene is probably the scariest and most rewarding thing I have ever worked on. It is roughly five minutes that uses all of my actor training in its entirety. The biggest challenge it presented was keeping myself safe and healthy. The instructions for the scene is that the actor should exhaust herself, which is a beautiful challenge, but I knew that I would have to be careful to keep separate the emotions that will inevitably rise when your body is in what can only be described as a panicked state. The whole thing was collaboratively and intricately choreographed down to the breath and voice, with myself, Director Kim Shively, and Assistant Director Tyler Okunski. We worked on a routine to get me in and out of it, and now I look forward to pushing myself like that and finding the victory in the #00’s surrender everyday.
What were your favorite moments throughout the rehearsal process? Did anything surprise you?
My favorite moments were the ones that came from absolute mistakes and accidents. It’s such a trusting and dedicated group of people, that we all can fall a little serious when approaching rehearsals, just out of love for the project. But everyone showed up to play and push further. Days into the process, we felt like we’d been together for years. We had all of these jokes and voices and one-liners that to anyone outside of the room would be confusing and probably a little annoying, but to us they were the height of comedy. So I suppose my favorite part would be seeing these relationships and little moments inform our storytelling on stage. Seeing people that I took my first acting class with performing as grown, trained women—with technique and passion. Seeing my best friends come together to create lights, sets, sounds, and actions on stage that I am confident will impact an audience. The team— the WHOLE team—that was my favorite part.