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Eleanor Roosevelt was the wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States, a United Nations diplomat and humanitarian—and one of the most admired and powerful women in the world. President Harry S. Truman even dubbed her the “First Lady of the World.”
Roosevelt, who penned more than two dozen books during her lifetime, died in 1962 at the age of 78.
Local theatergoers will get a chance to meet the former first lady courtesy of the one-woman show “Eleanor” by Mark St. Germain and starring acclaimed actress Kandis Chappell that runs at Laguna Playhouse through February 2.
Chappell’s tour-de-force solo performance that clocks in at 85 minutes with no intermission brings to life the dynamic and iconic First Lady. Both strong and vulnerable, public and private, Eleanor Roosevelt’s fascinating story explores the life of the passionate and unforgettable woman at the heart of her husband’s presidency whose impact on history cannot be understated.
Chappell originally performed “Eleanor” at North Coast Repertory in the summer of 2023. That production was directed by David Ellenstein, who serves as the artistic director of both North Coast Rep and Laguna Playhouse.
So what’s it like playing someone as famous as Eleanor Roosevelt?
“Playing an icon like that is very daunting,” admitted Chappell during a recent interview. “I grew up hearing that she was the most admired woman in the world.”
For research Chappell read one of Roosevelt’s books as well as biographies on the First Lady, and watched videos including a Ken Burns documentary, which helped give Chappell a foundation on which to base her character.
“The play covers just about everything n her life,” said Chappell. “It starts with her childhood but jumps around in time. And it is a one-person show, but I play 15 different people. Some are only for one line, but others come back that were important in her life.”
Chapell noted that because she had never performed a one person show before, she asked to have someone sitting just off stage with the script during previews through to opening night in case she forgot one of her lines of dialogue.
Because she is returning to her role for the Laguna Playhouse production, the rehearsal period was shorter than normal. However, Chappell found that the Laguna production had its own challenges.
“The Laguna Playhouse is a different theater than North Coast Rep,” explained Chappel. “North Coast only has around 200 seats, so the audience is right there with you. It’s a small stage and I can touch the people in the front row. The Laguna stage is way bigger, and they have a different set design including a platform that I step up to. That has been a big adjustment for me. And I thought the lines would come back easily, but no—it’s like memorizing it for the first time.”
Chappell said the audience reaction to the play at North Coast Rep was more than positive.
“Complete strangers waited after the performances to tell me their stories about Eleanor Roosevelt, because they identified me with Eleanor.”
At the Saturday, January 25 performance at 2 p.m., audiences will get to meet another Roosevelt.
Mary Roosevelt, a relative of Eleanor Roosevelt, will give an exclusive talkback following the matinee performance.
Performances of “Eleanor” are Wednesday through Sunday, though February 2. For tickets, visit LagunaPlayhouse.com.