Author: susannahmars

That’s a wrap for Susannah Mars The pic above is from a movie I enjoyed working on, Cellar Door. You can stream it now, but only if you like scary suspense! Last week, I worked on another movie, In Spite of Ourselves. It’s a sweet movie about a young man who is trying to become … Read More

Wake up to loss October 8th was my darling momma’s birthday, and when I awoke, I felt the loss deeply. She had an artist’s soul; she passed that on to me. I feel grateful for my life. I’ve had the support I needed to be an artist. Despite tremendous talent, my momma couldn’t find her … Read More

Work smart As I rehearse Amélie, my world reflects on some of the dearest pieces of our heroine’s journey. I play Amélie’s mama, and my character presents an obstacle to her ability to connect with the world. She teaches Amélie that no two objects, including humans, can ever touch. I imagine that this mama struggled … Read More

The hive I skipped blogging in June and July. The days kept going by; that’s what days do, and the barrage of heartbreaking news events, coupled with my participation in Dis/Rep’s Evolving Our Power seemed to clog my creative writing arteries. In a good way. The question that emerged that made me question my desire … Read More

A picture is worth a thousand words Whether at a track meet or skiing at Mt. Hood, one of my biggest joys is hanging out with students from The Washington State School for the Blind. Another deep joy is acting, and I’m back at Portland Playhouse next week, gearing up for another month of the … Read More

Nurturing a garden My dear friend Sue Mach, who teaches at Clackamas Community College, invited me to read some plays that she had helped shepherd onto the page by her students. She is collaborating with fellow teacher Jessica Wallenfels, and these short works will be presented at Clackamas Community College by the acting students of … Read More

One of the places where I feel at home is working with Colleen Connor at Audio Description Training Retreats. In April, I’ll be moderating The Fundamentals of Audio Description, a 3-day intensive training via Zoom with instructors Colleen Connor and Liz Gutman. This class includes: There is an emphasis on practice time—this is an art … Read More

The show business My heart is full. I recently returned to Portland after a fantastic work session with Ned Lott, an inspiring and dear animated film producer. It took place in beautiful downtown Burbank. Long story short, the spot where we recorded is a Disney studio, where two walls are covered by the signatures of … Read More

Amblin’ into a new year, as one “Practice sharing the fullness of your being, your best self, your enthusiasm, your vitality, your spirit, your trust, your openness, above all, your presence. Share it with yourself, with your family, with the world.” ― Jon Kabat-Zinn, Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life … Read More

Amblin’ around Boston Toward the end of last month, I found myself in the Boston Central Library in Copley Square with my daughter, who enjoys uninterrupted studying there. I read one of its inscriptions as we walked up to that magnificent building. “THE COMMONWEALTH REQUIRES THE EDUCATION OF THE PEOPLE AS THE SAFEGUARD OF ORDER … Read More