Mary Ann Rodgers
actor + director
ACTING REVIEWS
BUS STOP
"As Grace, Mary Ann Rodgers manages to walk the line between world-weariness and optimism with, yes, grace. This production provides one of the most pleasurable experiences I've had in a theater." - Patrick Thomas, Talkin’ Broadway
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
"She, Hippolyta (regal Mary Ann Rodgers), late of the Amazons, clearly would rather be somewhere else, probably with her sisters in that island in the 'Wonder Woman' movie...the royal couple are always compelling." - Theatrius
THE LADY'S NOT FOR BURNING
"In a wonderful, hilariously emotionally near-sighted performance, Mary Ann Rodgers stands out as the imperious but dizzy and controlling mother of the two feuding brothers." - John Agnell Grant, Berkeley Daily Planet
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
"Mary Ann Rodgers is amusingly flustered as Cecily's prim tutor Miss Prism." - Sam Hurwitt, San Jose Mercury News
DIRECTING REVIEWS
PERSUASION
"This Persuasion is a delight, sparkling with wit and emotion in a brisk staging by director Mary Ann Rodgers. - Sam Hurwitt, San Jose Mercury News
THE COCKTAIL HOUR
"It is not an easy play to direct, nor a simple one to act, yet in the Ross Valley Players' sweet-and-salty new production, director Mary Ann Rodgers leads her perfectly pitched cast through Gurney's comedy-drama with a light hand, beautifully sly misdirection and a clear sense of feeling for the themes that, in this marvelous and lovely show, makes Gurney's rough-hewn poetry look effortless and inevitable. …I can say that The Cocktail Hour is the best, most complete and satisfying RVP production this reviewer has seen to date."
- David Templeton, North Bay Bohemian
"Compassionately directed by Mary Ann Rodgers...The Cocktail Hour remains my most treasured and memorable theatrical experience of the year." – David Templeton, North Bay Bohemian Top Ten of 2008
THESE SHINING LIVES
“Mary Ann Rodgers’ direction skills shine…beautifully balanced, well cast… Productions like These Shining Lives should ensure the Company’s continued success for years to come…” – Mitchell Field, Talkin’ Broadway
RABBIT HOLE
"RVP presents a powerful Rabbit Hole. RVP and director Rodgers have a wonderful production underway, among this season’s best. - Barry Willis, Marin IJ
ANNA IN THE TROPICS
"Director Mary Ann Rodgers, who clearly knows her way around the script, has a fine cast and a good sense of how to move them through the action…It’s not Anna in the Tropics that 'transports' us – it’s the audience feeling the heat of the family action, the longing, and the push/pull between tradition and modernization.– Flora Lynn Isaacson, For All Events
ACTOR TESTIMONIALS
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR TESTIMONIAL
"Mary Ann is an actors’ dream. She’s always fantastically prepared, has a strong and clear vision - and being an actor herself - creates an environment where collaboration is not only encouraged but expected.
– Robert Parsons
"Mary Ann Rodgers creates a room that allows for an actor to bring more of their full selves into the space and into their work. She allows for inquisitiveness in a way that allows each actor to do it at their own pace, while always moving the production forward toward a richly layered, pulsing experience. The worlds she creates feel distinctive, deeply personal, and inviting; never a 'let me show you,' rather a hand held out and a warm voice behind it saying, 'come with me.'" – Neiry Rojo
"Mary Ann is a kind, insightful director who is always a pleasure to work with. I’d collaborate with her anytime!" – Steve Price
"I highly recommend Mary Ann Rodgers as both an actor and as a director. She has both the intelligence and training, plus the spirit and sense of humour, to create unique, engaging characterizations onstage. Both in the roles she acted and in the show she directed, the audience was able to engage with the characters' humor and passion. – Lisa Tromovitch, Livermore Shakespeare Festival