Meet Leigh Beauchamp also known as Claire in our production of "Proof" by David Auburn which opens on Aug 9th at The Court Square Theater.

Leigh Beauchamp has been an Augusta County teacher for 14 years, having spent most of her career in 5th grade before making the leap to teach 7th grade language arts. In her free time, Leigh loves spending time with her 7 crazy fur babies (2 dogs, 3 cats, and 2 bunnies!) and her very patient husband, Scotty! She is absolutely thrilled to return to the Valley Playhouse in "Proof" after thoroughly enjoying her time in "Lend Me a Tenor" last spring.

We asked Leigh a few questions and here are her replies.

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Q. What was your biggest challenge in playing Claire?

A. The thing that stood out most to me about every one of the roles in Proof is how beautifully human they all are. Each of these characters has moments of amazing love and wisdom that I find truly moving. At the same time, each of them has moments that aren't their best, too. (I can definitely relate to that last part!) I wanted to portray Claire as a real, fully formed person. A wise friend of mine once told me, "Everyone is just doing the best they can." I think that's true of Claire, too - she's doing the best she can. Sometimes, she's going to miss the mark, just like all of us do. But at the end of the day, she cares deeply about people, she's dedicated, and she has a good heart. She is beautifully human, and I hope I'm able to do right by her and show that in my performance.

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Q. What do you like most about the show?

A. I have to say that working with Valley Playhouse is my favorite part about this show. I came to Valley Playhouse last January, completely green to the Harrisonburg theater scene. I walked into my first audition shaking so hard, I had to cross my arms and hold them tight so no one would see how scared I was. But I was greeted with such warmth and positivity, that in under 2 minutes, I knew that this was absolutely where I wanted to be. I was ecstatic to be cast in Lend Me a Tenor, and I can't believe get to be a part of Proof, too. The thoughtful direction, incredibly hard-working crew, fantastic scripts, and wonderfully talented casts make every Valley Playhouse production a true joy to be a part of.

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Q. What differs in playing the role of Claire verses the roles you played in the past?

A. What I find so intriguing about Claire, and each character in this play, is the variety of choices you can make while you're performing. The script is crafted in such a way that the actor has a good amount of freedom to make decisions. For example, one performer might find a section of lines light-hearted, while someone else interprets them as more serious. There are a lot of moments like that in this play, and I'm so grateful to get to work with a script like this one - it tells a great story while leaving the actors plenty of room to experiment. I'm not sure I've ever gotten to play a role that's written with this much trust in its performers before. That is a real gift!

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Q. What can the audience look forward to in this show?

A. I think the audience can look forward to finding many true (and maybe even unexpected) connections with this show. I'm grateful that I have a 45-minute car ride home from rehearsal every night, because it gives me time to think about all the emotions and experiences that this play touches on. If I had to sum it up, I'd say that this show is about the connections we make during our time on this earth - how deeply we love them, how frustrating it is when they don't meet our expectations, and how fallibly (and lovably) human we all truly are, at the end of the day. I hope the audience members enjoy seeing this show as much as I've enjoyed getting to be a part of it!

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About the Show:

Dates : Aug 9-11 & Aug 16-18 Showtime at 7:30

Aug 12 & 19 Sunday Matinees Showtime at 3:00

Aug 16th Pay what you will night.

Location: Court Square Theatre 41-F Court Square Harrisonburg, Virginia 22802

Tickets: in advance $12, $10 seniors students and groups of 10 or more: at the door $14, $12 seniors and students

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THE STORY…On the eve of her twenty-fifth birthday, Catherine, a troubled young woman, has spent years caring for her brilliant but unstable father, a famous mathematician. Now, following his death, she must deal with her own volatile emotions; the arrival of her estranged sister, Claire; and the attentions of Hal, a former student of her father's who hopes to find valuable work in the 103 notebooks that her father left behind.

Over the long weekend that follows, a burgeoning romance and the discovery of a mysterious notebook draw Catherine into the most difficult problem of all: How much of her father's madness—or genius—will she inherit?

Author: David Auburn

Winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award for Best Play.

Director: Rebecca Rogers

"Here, those of us who want their dramatic characters to be real people need not feel excluded. (...) All four -- whether loving, hating, encouraging or impeding one another -- are intensely alive, complex, funny, human. (...) Out of this curious quartet, Auburn creates emotionally and intellectually enveloping music." - John Simon, New York

"...Veering gracefully from past to present and from reflection to confrontation, the playwright traces the development of his characters and plot with a scientist's preciseness and a poet's lyricism." - Elysa Gardner, USA Today

Proof features Makayla Baker, Leigh Beauchamp, Wil Browning, and Frank Dellorco.

The creative team includes Noel Levan (Lighting), Josh Mitri (sound), Michele Sullivan and Jonathan Mckinney (sets), Alyssa Partlow and Liz Miiller (Costume), & Marissa Plummer (Stage Manager).

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For more information and tickets, please check out our website at www.valleyplayhouse.com.