INTERVIEW: Rhyn Saver in "The Cake"

When I saw the casting for The Cake at Horizon Theatre Company, my face lit up as if  it'd been years since seeing a dear friend. In actuality, it'd only been a few weeks, but I've been a fan of Rhyn McLemore Saver since the first time I saw her on stage, which turned out to be her first Atlanta performance. I'm thrilled to bring you this interview with Rhyn during the run of The Cake, on stage now through Sunday, June 23.

Rhyn Saver | Photo: Mark Bradley Miller

Before we get to the interview, allow me to set the stage. The Cake was written by Bekah Brunstetter, writer of the hit television series This Is Us, as well as a number of other shows. If you've seen This Is Us, you already know what a treat The Cake is going to be.

The Cake is loosely based on the Supreme Court case of a Colorado baker's refusal to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. This story, set in Winston, North Carolina, is not about forcing acceptance down anyone's throat, but instead it's presented with hope of opening hearts.

Now, let's meet the phenomenal and totally awesome Rhyn...
wanderlust ATLANTA: Please share with us a little about your journey to Atlanta, and then your journey to the stage at Horizon Theatre.

Rhyn Saver: As a Southern woman (born and raised on Jekyll Island, GA), I've always felt strong ties to my home state. No matter where I've traveled or lived, my heart has always remained in Georgia. 

My theater training took me up north to Pittsburgh, where I received my BFA from Carnegie Mellon University. From there, New York City became my home base for well over a decade. Throughout my career, I've always kept a finger on the pulse of the Atlanta theater community, looking for potential job opportunities to bring me back down South. 

I'm forever grateful to Freddie Ashley for giving me my first job in Atlanta (Stupid F*cking Bird at Actors Express), which was a wonderful introduction for me into the Atlanta theater community. 

Since then I've been fortunate enough to work at many incredible theaters here in Atlanta. I still have representation in NYC, and I go up to NYC now and then for various auditions; but I'm thrilled to now call Atlanta my home base. Horizon Theatre has been on my bucket list of places to work, and I'm so excited to be doing this gorgeous play at this fantastic theater!

I was first introduced to The Cake a few years ago when I did an initial workshop of it at The Alliance. Marcie Millard (who plays Della in our current production) played Della in that workshop, and we had the immense honor of working directly with the brilliant playwright Bekah Brunstetter. I remember thinking, "Man oh MAN I hope I get to do a full production of this someday". And now here we are—years later—doing it at Horizon! And the fact that I get to do it again with Marcie?! Well, that's some pretty delicious icing on the cake, pun intended.

wanderlust ATLANTA: This was my second time seeing Parris Sarter (Macy, Jen's fiancée in The Cake) perform and I certainly hope not my last. (She was amazing in The Revolutionists) She's brilliant in this role, being true to her character's real self in interactions with Jen and Della. You'll see the later in the opening scene and you'll get Parris' deep talent right away.

Macy (Parris Sarter) and Jen (Rhyn McLemore Saver) in "The Cake"

wanderlust ATLANTA: As an actor—and as a human being—how do you reconcile or separate political and religious beliefs from the character you're playing when they're not in alignment? Or even when they are?

Rhyn Saver: I love this question. The simple answer: empathy. 

I have played myriad characters that are the polar opposite of all that I believe in: from an extreme racist, to a homophobe, to a murderer...I've played them all. And every time I had to dig deep to discover the underlying emotions driving these characters. And EVERY time, I've discovered a common thread: fear. Specifically: fear of the unknown. Fear is such an incredibly powerful emotion, and it's often  the driving force behind acts of unkindess and hatred. 

I'm able to get into the minds of these characters by placing myself in their shoes and seeing through their eyes. It's uncomfortable, but necessary in order to live their truths. 

In the case of my character in The Cake (Jen), our beliefs happen to very much align. She is torn between two different worlds: the world of her religious, Southern  upbringing and the world of her life in NY and her love for Macy (her fiancée). She is struggling to stay true to her roots and her faith, while also staying true to her authentic self.

Like Jen, I am a Southern woman who was raised with a strong Christian faith, but have found myself questioning certain beliefs within that faith. Also like Jen, I've found that "the parties (up North) are easier when people start talking shit about people down here, I just nod and say 'totally'. But something inside of me burns a little, so in my head I go away. I just go away". I have totally been there, and I can completely relate.

wanderlust ATLANTA: Marcie Millard is hilarious! She plays Della, owner of a famous bakery in Winston, NC, and she's just been selected as a contestant on the most popular baking who on American television! We, the audience get to venture inside her blissful-turned-confused imagination while "on the set" of the television show. She's also a devout Southern Baptist, which she has to reconcile with her love for her best friend's daughter when asked to make her wedding cake.

When you meet Tim (Allan Edwards), you'll wish you'd checked your funny bone at the door, because it's going to hurt! Tim is the antagonist in the play--and damn funny about it--but his love for his wife is undeniable.

Della (Marcie Millard) and Tim (Allan Edwards) in "The Cake"

wanderlust ATLANTA: All of us theatre enthusiasts know how little free time you have, but when you do have a little time to do something for you, or just for fun, what do you find yourself doing?

Rhyn Saver: As someone whose job is to be in the spotlight, I tend to shy far, far away from the spotlight on my days off. :) I'm definitely a bit of an introvert, and I cherish my alone time. So my days off are usually spent at home with my pup Sadie, some delish delivery (I'm fairly certain I keep Postmates in business), and Netflix. :) I also LOVE spinning, so I try to take class at least 4-5 times a week (shout out to my Vibe Ride family in Grant Park!)

wanderlust ATLANTA: You’ve been in Atlanta for a few years now. What has been your biggest surprise about Atlanta? Has anything changed your mind, for better or worse, about Atlanta?

Rhyn Saver: I actually spent a lot of time in Atlanta long before I became a part of its incredible theater community. My sister has lived here for a long time, so I have many happy memories of various visits and holidays over the years. 

I think the biggest surprise (and greatest blessing) for me has been how head-over-heels in love I have become with the Atlanta theater community. I always knew I wanted to work here, but it has been such a beautiful gift to realize that Atlanta is a true home for me, both personally and artistically.

Jen (Rhyn McLemore Saver) in "The Cake" at Horizon Theatre Company

wanderlust ATLANTA: Just for fun, what’s your favorite kind of cake?

Rhyn Saver: Oh man...this is a tough one, mainly because I love cake. Period. If I *had* to choose? Red velvet. But only if it has cream cheese icing. Lots and lots of cream cheese icing. :)

wanderlust ATLANTA: I've said it dozens of times, one of my favorite parts of performances at Horizon Theatre--aside from the remarkable plays and musicals--is getting to meet, thank, and make photos wit the actors!

When you post your photos with the cast of The Cake, be sure to tag them on social media with #htcCAKE and #htc35.

Rhyn Saver and Travis Swann Taylor on the set of "The Cake" at Horizon Theatre Company

Playwright Bekah Brunstetter's intent here was to write a play that would offer hope and serve as a model of how we might begin to talk to each other. “You still have to love your family. You still have to reach across the table… Della is lovable because most of the time your family members are lovable… You have to give people time to change, reevaluate and change some more,” said Brunstetter.
Part of Horizon Theatre's 35th anniversary year, you can see The Cake, in its South-Eastern premiere, now through Sunday, June 23, 2019...

• Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 8PM
• Saturdays at 3PM & 8PM
• Sundays at 5PM

And there's a special matinee on Thursday, June 20, 2019, at 11AM.

My most sincere gratitude to Rhyn Saver for giving me this interview, and to Horizon for coordinating it, and I hope you've enjoyed it, too. Come out to see Rhyn and the rest of the AMAZING cast in The Cake!

The City of Conversation, Politics and Family

The City of Conversation, playing at Horizon Theatre through Sunday, June 26, is an epic story of the battle between gigantic life characters most of us know as political conviction, career ambition, love of family, shifting tides and the miracle of transcending opinions.

The City of Conversation | Horizon Theatre | Photo by Bradley Hester

The City of Conversation takes place in affluent Georgetown in Washington, D.C., in the home of influential Hester Ferris (Tess Malis Kincaid), a widow who hosts dinner parties where policy and elections are won and lost. And she's a mother.

The story stretches over 30 years and three generations. It starts at the end of the Carter Administration and concludes with the Inauguration of Barack Obama. If you're a politics aficionado, you're in for a treat. There are ample references to actual events and people on Capitol Hill throughout those 30 years—all of which I remember. If you're not into politics, you're still in for a brilliantly acted show. 

During during my nine years in Washington, D.C., I was in the record-breaking crowd on the National Mall the day of President Obama's Inauguration. It was a cold mid-January day, but there was a lot of excitement in the air!

The City of Conversation | Horizon Theatre | Photo by Amanda Cantrell

Anna Fitzgerald (Rachel Garner), Colin's fiance and later wife, is immediately recognized by Hester as ambitious, and that her ambition carries the force of 1,000 bulldozers that will knock down any and every roadblock in her way on the path to political influencer.

Anna doesn't want to possess a political office. She wants considerably more. She wants to be the hand moving the puppet, the force that directs change in the favor of her political party, and she's willing to stop at nothing.

Her political affiliation became openly apparent upon meeting George Mallonee (Allan Edwards), a Senator from Kentucky, who became her first Capitol Hill ally, while making her fiancee's mother her greatest nemesis. 

Carolyn Mallonee (Deborah Bowman) dutifully, if not without a degree of self amusement, encourages the Senator to take Anna under his wing. I'm guessing here, but that may have been the last time the Mallonee's were guests in Hester's home.    

The City of Conversation | Horizon Theatre | Photo by Amanda Cantrell

Hester is strong, intelligent, eloquent and a force not to be reckoned with. Has she met her match when she meets her son's fiancee, soon-to-be-wife and wannabe power-house on Capitol Hill? Both possess unequivocal tenacity. It's an edge-of-your-seat war!

Just remember that Hester is a force. She may not win every battle, but she's steadfast in her convictions and keeps her sights on long-term change, while the new kid on the block, Anna, is resolute to the point of being dangerous, but she's also susceptible of feeling deflated by defeat.

The City of Conversation | Horizon Theatre | Photo by Bradley Hester

When the third generation comes into the picture, young Ethan (Vinny Montague), hearts overflow with love and adoration...and hearts are broken. Ethan is playful, smart and knows what he likes, and evidently has lovely smelling hair—as boasted by his grandmother.

Ethan's Aunt Jean (Carolyn Cook), made a widow in World War II, is the first person you see in this play and while she doesn't play the lonely widow, she's the silent backbone, the unassuming infrastructure that supports Hester's home activities and eventually becomes a fellow activist with Hester.

The City of Conversation | Horizon Theatre | Photo by Amanda Cantrell

While Ethan is loved by his parents—by his father at least—his grandmother and her companion Chandler (Chris Kayser) and his Aunt Jean, he becomes the bargaining chip, the ultimatum that not only would affect a political appointment, it would tear a family apart for years to come. None of it was Ethan's fault, but he was the one who paid the price...the price of growing up without a grandmother.

The City of Conversation | Horizon Theatre | Photo by Amanda Cantrell

In the final act, grownup Ethan returns to his grandmother's Georgetown home with his friend Donald (Joshua D. Mitchell), a history major, on their way to two Inaugural Balls. The reunion is a conversation of discovery.

A family torn by commitment to political parties, the ending of this play doesn't come wrapped in a pretty bow. In fact, it had me in tears. Tess in particular pulled forth emotions I never knew I could have about any political conversation!

But it wasn't that...it was the resolute love for her grandson and the hollow place in her heart where Ethan would have been the previous two decades had it not been for an ultimatum that she could not give in to.

The final scene continues to bring forth tears, but those last few are tears of hope. As I wiped the tears from my eyes I recalled Colin's pleading to his mother, "You fight for things, you don't lose people!"



The City of Conversation is onstage at Horizon Theatre through Sunday, June 26. No matter your political affiliation, I believe that you're going to love this play! 

Horizon Theatre's Heartwarming Waffle Story

We went to Horizon Theatre in Little Five Points last night to see "The Waffle Palace." I'd met some of the cast last month when I went to The Waffle House Museum, where they were special guests, and have wanted to see the play ever since. 

The performance was phenomenal! The story is solid, the acting is superb, the set is clever...it was an overall incredible theater-going experience. I actually want to go see it again. 

The Waffle Palace at Horizon Theatre,
(Brandon Alexander, Maria Rodriguez-Sager, me, Marguerite Hannah)

If you've ever been to a Waffle House, you'll totally "get it." Beyond the fun they have with the Waffle House culture, there's a touching human story--that story is central to the show and evokes an emotional response, just as any good performance does.

The 2.5 hour performance, and a 10-minute intermission, kept my attention the entire performance...I didn't drift, think about work, wonder who had sent me a text...I was right there with the performers for the duration. 

After the show, practically the entire cast hung around to talk with their fans (which as far as I could tell was everyone in the audience!). They were all absolutely delightful!

The Waffle Palace at Horizon Theatre,
(front) Brandon Alexander, Maria Rodriguez-Sager, Marguerite Hannah,
Mary Lynn Owen, (back) Larry Larson

The show has been running since January 11 and even on a cold, rainy night, the theatre was practically sold out (it may have been, actually...perhaps the few unoccupied seats were those who didn't brave the rain). 

I have to mention the set...the brilliant set! It's designed to look very much like you'd expect a breakfast diner to look. Counter with swivel stools, juke box, open kitchen (grill), neon sign outside, tables with condiment trays and plastic menus, and booths. 

Some of the booths are unique in that a couple of them are front row seats, so the guests occupying those seats are actually on the stage! How much fun is that?!

The Waffle Palace at Horizon Theatre,
Post-performance Set

I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the kindness of the Horizon Theatre staff. They were super friendly, engaging, and enthusiastic about the fun we were about to have with the performance. I wish more business understood the extreme importance of first impressions...these guys get it! "Thank you" to all the Horizon Theatre staff for a great evening!

The concessions are some of the most reasonable I've see in a very long time! And they have GIANT cookies that seemingly everyone else was enjoying (they obviously knew something I didn't). Next time I go, I'm totally indulging. 

You've probably figured out by now that I think The Waffle Palace is fantastic...it's a brilliant show and I recommend it to anyone--from Buford Highway to Buckhead, from Conyers to Alpharetta, and anyone visiting from out of town, get yourselves to Horizon Theatre to see this show!

Horizon Theatre, Little Five Points