Jennifer Childs unpacks life, laughter and her wardrobe in ‘She Gets Around’

Jennifer Childs is cleaning out her closet — and unpacking a lifetime of stories.

The actor, playwright, comedian and Producing Artistic Director of 1812 Productions returns to the stage this spring with her new solo show, 'She Gets Around,' where outfits spark a whirlwind of characters, memories and laughs pulled straight from her own life. Directed by longtime collaborator Harriet Power, the production ditches a traditional structure, letting the audience decide the order of scenes each night.

Childs recently sat down with Metro to discuss the show's inspiration, the challenge of unpredictability, and the stories — and clothing — we hold on to. 

In 'She Gets Around,' every outfit in your closet has a story to tell. Are these stories drawn from real-life experiences? Why did this idea feel right for a stage production?

All of the stories are drawn from my real life experiences. Some are personal narratives that share the story directly, and others are told through characters or through music and dance, but all contain kernels of my real life experience.  “Cleaning out my closet” in this context is a metaphor for looking back at who I have been and tried to be as I attempt to figure out who I’m supposed to be next.  Changing clothes and sharing characters through sometimes outlandish costumes felt very theatrical with lots of opportunity for visual comedy as well.  

You’ve created more than 20 original works with 1812 Productions. What draws you back to the solo format and what makes this piece stand apart from your previous solo shows?

I often say that making comedy is my way of transforming fear into joy.  That is never more true than with my solo work.  It allows me to grapple with big life questions and find the humor, light and joy in them with the audience as my scene partner.  The structure of this piece is very different than anything I’ve made before, as it is not linear and relies on the audience to determine the order of events.  

Audience members determine the order in which the characters appear each night. How do you think that will challenge or excite you as a performer?

I think the biggest challenge will be finding new emotional arcs every night no matter which direction the audience takes me.  Not to mention remembering all my lines when they are out of order! It will keep me on my toes and demand that I am really in the moment each night with the audience. That is exciting!

This piece explores the tension between “good girls” and “bad girls” through different moments in your life. Have your own definitions of those labels shifted over time?

Absolutely. My early elementary school definitions were very simplistic and binary.  Like, bad girls cursed and good girls didn’t.  As I got older, I realized that it’s a lot more complicated — there were plenty of “good girls” who may not curse, but are horrible human beings and “bad girls” who curse all the time, but are generous and compassionate. I’m also interested in how we define and judge our own and each other’s actions as good and bad.  The characters in the show explore all different kinds of “being bad” and “being good” from actually breaking the law to just eating too many carbs.  

'She Gets Around' is directed by your longtime collaborator Harriet Power. In which ways was she most helpful in sharpening or clarifying the piece?  

Harriet is a gifted dramaturg as well as director, so having her as a sounding board during the writing process as well as the rehearsal process is always valuable.  She is so smart about play structure and asking questions that get to the center of a scene or character journey.

Is there a character from the show that you relate to the most in real life?

Oh, that’s hard!  As I said, they are all a piece of me so there’s something for me to love and relate to in each of them.  There’s a middle-aged Little Orphan Annie who’s been sent back to the orphanage who is pretty close to my heart.  

Every closet has the one piece you can’t let go of — does yours, and what’s the story behind it?

I’m embarrassed to say there are too many — things that don’t fit me anymore, but I know they will once I lose that five pounds, or concert tshirts I hang onto for sentimental reasons, but never wear, or that pair of linen pants that still have the tags on them and I’m just waiting for the right occasion to wear them.  The one piece that comes to mind though is a burgundy dress I wore to the rehearsal dinner prior to my wedding.  It reminds me of standing on the precipice of an event that would change my life and be one of my biggest adventures.

'She Gets Around' runs from April 24 to May 17 at Plays & Players Theatre. Tickets are available at 1812productions.org.