Meet our Make a Difference (M.A.D.) Fellows

Make a Difference > Meet our M.A.D. Fellows - Quinci Waller, Louisa Mascuch, Emma Levine, Allison Sugabo, Justine Law

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Justine Law

What was your first Shotgun Players experience?

Caught by Christopher Chen and directed by Susannah Martin. I didn’t know what Caught was about prior to going, nor have I ever seen the inside of Shotgun before that day. Needless to say, it was an immersive experience that took me for a ride with its many layers of façade. I’d originally gone to the show for a costume design class assignment, but it turned out to be so much more than that to me… it was the first time I’d seen a play that touched upon Chinese history, values, and the meaning and impact of art all in one. It gave me a connection to theater that no other show had before.

What made you want to be a MAD fellow? Why Shotgun Players?

When I heard about the fellowship, I was a fresh grad out of UC Berkeley who moved back home to the other end of the BART line. I knew I wanted to preserve and grow some more theater roots in the Berkeley area, and the MAD fellowship seemed like the perfect avenue for that. The more I learn about Shotgun’s history, the more excited I am about this opportunity. Also, I’d have been a fool to pass up even the slightest chance to work with and learn from Nina Ball.

What is your favorite (Shotgun) play and why?

Probably Caught. See above. I still think about it from time to time. I vividly remember fast-walking back to my apartment after the show that night, sending photos of the program with my short captions, via social media, to all my friends to go see it. Plus, it got me so wrapped up thinking about the purpose of art, led me into somewhat of an existential crisis (in a good wake-up call sort of way), and it got me so pumped thinking about all the powerful shows like that I could be working on one day.

What knowledge do you hope to gain from your fellowship?

I hope to experience how different people work and how the team at Shotgun approach problems together. That’s the stuff you can’t learn in a classroom - understanding how different groups of people approach theater, especially with Blasted being such controversial play with such heavy themes. I have also already learned so many useful tips and tricks in model building that I’m excited to add to my toolbox.

What is the one play you would love for Shotgun to produce?

Tribes by Nina Raine.

Why theater?

I’d caught (ha!) the theater bug not too long ago, actually. It honestly came from a place of frustration - I went to Cal to study fine art, but semester after semester of painting alone in the studio, the loneliness wore on me. Anyway, in my 3rd year, I took one set design class for fun, which became a couple scenic design assistant positions at school, then I got to design my own shows. Suddenly it was my minor, and now it’s taken over my life - in the most positive way possible. I’m not saying I don’t still often work alone in a small room, into the night, hunched over a desk sketching scenic designs and building models, but now I do it with real passion and purpose. I think for me, theater’s appeal is knowing that there are so many extraordinary collaborators working together in a huge effort to bring a story to life, one that exists in such a short yet magical span of time.

Bonus: Fun fact about you?

In 4th grade, I wrote in my yearbook that I wanted to play in the WBNA. Small girl, big dreams.