When Rhiannon Ragland first started out in the theater, she just wanted to be an actor. But then she started to discover other “roles” that not only interested her but challenged, inspired and elevated her creativity.
“Once you get in the professional world of theater you quickly learn that to survive and thrive you need to be involved in the whole industry and not just yourself inside of the industry,” she says. “I got to know and be around so many multi-layered and multi-talented people that you can start to see yourself being all that. They all brought value and you weren’t one thing or the other. I started paying attention to that and those people and finding moments to self-educate and try different things.”
Ragland’s latest role is off stage as the director of the brilliant new play by playwright David MacGregor, “The Antichrist Cometh,” now playing at The Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea through May 25.
Ragland realized pretty early on in the process that she wanted to direct this play.
“There are times you read a script and are really drawn to a character and want to be that person,” she says. “And then there are times like ‘The Antichrist Cometh’ where you read it and have a view and a vision that is more connected as a director. I really wanted to help tell this story instead of being inside of it.”
Ragland first walked into the Purple Rose in 2005 as an actor.
“I came here to audition and quickly learned that I was way out of my league,” she says, emphasizing that she’s not kidding. “That’s no joke. They had a way of working and a style of working that I immediately recognized and loved but I knew I didn’t know how do it yet. I had been in theatre since I was a kid and did it more of a hobby. I went there and did the audition and it was at that moment where I knew I couldn’t do it but I wanted to do it.”
Ragland started taking classes and got a call-back from the Purple Rose when they had to recast a role.
“I was involved in a very serious car accident and broke a lot of things including my neck and I thought there goes my chance,” she said. “They were very gracious and told me to go heal. But I figured out that by the time they would start production I would be out of my collar and I look back at that now as a real life changing moment.
“I really wanted to do what I loved to do and now wanted to do it professionally and everything really changed from that moment. I was a young mother at the time and it gave me a chance to show my daughter how to fight for something you really want to do.”
Ragland came in and auditioned – but her character was now wearing a collar.
“I think they let me come in because they just wanted to be nice,” she says. “I got my first part here as an actor in 2007 and have been here on and off ever since.”
The “off” dropped off in 2021 when Ragland was named the Purple Rose’s Artistic Associate.
“To get into a leadership position here was just lovely,” she said. “I’m so proud to be in a position to help bring back the Purple Rose to a safe, artistic and special home that it was for so long and to help keep this place going for so many artists who have fought so hard to do this amazing work. We are rebuilding and surviving and the audiences are coming back.”
Ragland has worked as a Director, Choreographer and Assistant Director since 2010 and has helped stage over 15 professional productions. PRTC directing credits include, “A Stone Carver” (Wilde Award winner for Best Play), “Vino Veritas” (revival 2017), and “Pickleball” by Jeff Daniels.
As an actor, Ragland made her professional debut at The Purple Rose with the show, “When the Lights Come On,” and continued her education with roles in 24 professional productions. Some personal favorites include: Consider The Oyster, Best of Friends, Some Couples May…, and FLINT. She was last seen in Diva Royale.
All performances will be held at The Purple Rose Theatre Company, 137 Park Street, Chelsea, Michigan 48118. Ticket prices start at $30 with special discounts for seniors, patrons 30 years or younger, members of the military, teachers, and groups (12+). For more information or to make reservations call (734) 433-7673 or go to www.purplerosetheatre.org.
In Review – Purple Rose: The end of the world couldn’t be funnier in ‘The Antichrist Cometh’
