Beth Henley Quotes

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Beth Henley

Profession : Playwright

Birth : August 8, 1952

What I loved about the acting class was that you got to think all day long about a person that wasn't you, and figure out why they were sad and what they wanted, what they dreamed.

Beth Henley

Some really good things kind of swing both ways and I like to see people that can swing really, really, really sad and horrible and terrible and really, really, really beautiful and funny.

Beth Henley

The next thing I wrote was in a writing class at night school. It was about a poor woman who worked at a dime store and who was all alone for Christmas in Laurel, Mississippi.

Beth Henley

I did write a couple of original screenplays, but I'd rather write plays.

Beth Henley

I love writing for the screen.

Beth Henley

You can't just go in there and open your mouth until the cast and director feel comfortable with you.

Beth Henley

But here's the thing: what you do as a screenwriter is you sell your copyright. As a novelist, as a poet, as a playwright, you maintain your copyright.

Beth Henley

I grew up in Jackson, Mississippi, really in suburbia, so my mother was in community theatre plays.

Beth Henley

I just loved being divorced from my own wretchedness.

Beth Henley

I tried to start a theatre in LA and failed miserably, but I was probably not meant to raise money.

Beth Henley

I was just restless with being in school; so I went out to Los Angeles.

Beth Henley

In movement class, you had to lie on the floor and get your alignment in to pass the class.

Beth Henley

It was kind of enlightening to become a playwright.

Beth Henley

It's called Sisters of the Winter Madrigal. It was interesting for me to see it done after so many years; because I wrote it and I didn't realize what a rage I was in.

Beth Henley

It's really interesting that whenever you do something that is so out of character, like having an emotional outburst, that you don't get in trouble.

Beth Henley

My fault now is making my plays too short.

Beth Henley

My first few plays took place in the South and even The Lucky Spot was in the thirties but in Louisiana.

Beth Henley

Part of that is that New York has proved to be too much fun for me to live and work; I love New York so much.

Beth Henley

Plays are so much more special if they've never ever had a production, but I think you can really work on a play and make it better with each production.

Beth Henley

Somehow I got to be one of five or six actors that the directors would use as guinea pigs at this directing colloquium, where people pay to listen to and watch the directors direct.

Beth Henley