Meet the Cast: Chelsea Diehl

We’re pleased to introduce you to the actors in our World Premiere production of A FUTURE PERFECT.  The play centers on four friends whose relationships are put to the test when a pregnancy forces them to reexamine what they want from their lives and from each other.

Read below about actress Chelsea Diehl, who plays Elena in A FUTURE PERFECT.

How would you describe your character?

Elena knows what she wants and is consistent in her desires. She has a tendency to worry about what other people think of her, but in no way does that rearrange her goals and motives. She is a loving (albeit sometimes a tad controlling) wife who wants a family and the typical responsibilities that go along with that. She truly has a very big heart.

What parallels can you draw between yourself and your character?

Elena has two different sides of herself depending on who is around. At the office or with Claire, she wants to be taken seriously in her work and be respected. When with expectant mothers, she wants to fit in with that crowd and have something to bring to the conversation. I definitely find myself sometimes becoming a chameleon depending on who is in the room with me. If I am at my husband’s law office party, I’m much more apt to talk about my small business I run and hope I garner their respect. With friends who are also recently married and talking about the potential of having a baby, I find that I want them to see me as a loving wife and hopefully a good Mom one day. We both share the need to be successful and relevant in the many different environments we place ourselves in.

How has your experience been affected by having the playwright in the room?

It’s awesome. There’s no question of what he was really thinking when he put the words down on a page because he’s there to confirm or deny or offer suggestions on what his intention was. When you muster a laugh from him, you feel like you’re doing something right. It’s so fun to watch his reactions.

What is your favorite quote from the play and why?

“You don’t actually like me anymore, do you? You just decided.”

I love this. She spots and recognizes the exact moment in which Claire has made up her mind about how she feels about Elena. When I first read this, I thought about many moments in my own life in which one specific action or comment made by someone I know has dramatically altered the way I feel about them. In both a good and bad way. Everyone does it, maybe subconsciously.

When was the first moment where you realized that you were officially an adult?

Right after college – when I started to use a checkbook and would tear up each time I wrote a rent check.

If you were to create a playlist representing your character, what would be a song or two on it?

“Our House” – Crosby, Stills and Nash

And some Dave Matthew’s Band song