From From now until opening night on Feb. 22, the Livingston Post will be profiling cast members of the Hartland Players MainStage production of “Apartment 3A,” an adult comedy by Jeff Daniels.
1. Biographical info: Name, age, parent(s) name(s), siblings, year in school, activities, hobbies, future plans.
Carrie Shrier, 41, has been married to Rob Shrier for 17 years (they are both 1996 Hartland High School alumni). They have four children who attend Hartland Consolidated Schools: Avery, 16; Isaac, 13; Ellery, 9; and Olivia, 7. Carrie has a bachelor’s degree in child development from Michigan State University, and works as a parenting and early childhood educator with MSU Extension. She credits her work as an adult educator for keeping her theater skills sharp these last two decades. She enjoys reading, writing, photography, spending time with her family and friends, and volunteering with local youth theater productions.
2. Character info.
Annie Wilson: Annie, the director of fundraising at a public television station, is newly single and trying to find deeper meaning in her life while avoiding a co-worker who is in love with her and trying not to fall in love with her neighbor.
3. How did you get involved with the production?
I have enjoyed volunteering with my children in Encore Youth Theater these last several years and have been looking for an opportunity to get back on stage. My schedule changed and suddenly I had enough space to make it work. I made a last minute decision to try out, not really expecting to get cast, but thinking it would be good practice to audition again. And here we are.
4. Have you been in any other theatrical productions? If so, what roles did you play?
As a teen I participated in both Hartland Drama Club and Encore Youth Theater productions including “Fame,” “Sherlock Homes,” “Meet Me in St. Louis,” “Les Miserables,” “Oklahoma,” and many more. I was last on the Hartland Musical Stage in 1993. I also minored in theater at Michigan State, but I haven’t been on stage in nearly 20 years!
5. What do you most enjoy about being part of the production?
It has been so much fun returning to theater. I enjoy the opportunity to build, explore and develop another character. As parents everywhere will understand, I have spent the last two decades immersed in building a career and raising children. Taking the time to get back to something I love, sharing laughs, and spending time with other fun theater people, doing something for me that I enjoy, has been incredibly fulfilling.
6. Who is/are your inspiration(s)? Why?
My grandmother, Betty Lichty, who graduated from high school at 16, put herself through college at Central Michigan and went on to teach high school, against the wishes of her parents, even returning to teaching as a busy mother of five who didn’t even know how to drive a car. She lived fiercely and fearlessly, right up to being kicked out of a nursing home in her 80s, in an era where women just didn’t do those things. My grandma always encouraged us to follow our dreams, to think big, and to not be limited by the world as we saw it, but instead to see the endless possibilities in front of us.
7. What’s your favorite part of the experience of being in the production?
The chance to literally step into someone else’s shoes and imagine what they’re thinking, feeling and experiencing is always one of my favorite parts of productions. Annie is a deep and complex character. She is struggling with her identity, the pain and hurt of being rejected, and the complexities of trying to find a path forward in a busy and often harsh world.
8. What can audience members expect when they see the show?
Audience members can expect to laugh, a lot, probably be a little shocked, learn more about polar bears than they ever expected to know, and leave with a smile on their face. This is a very funny show that highlights things as adults we all have wrestled with at sometime or another, questions of love, sex, faith and identity; finding value in your work; and deciding who, and when, to trust someone with your love.
The Hartland Players MainStage presents “Apartment 3A,” an adult comedy by Jeff Daniels, at the Hartland Music Hall. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Satuday, Feb. 22; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 1. Tickets are available at the door, or in advance at hartlandplayers.org.
