June is here and “Women on the Fringe” are again onstage!
There is nothing quite like the buzz that’s created during the Hollywood Fringe. It is a time filled with risk-taking, courage, hope and independent artists creating new work by any means necessary. Each year, I ask women writers a new series of questions influenced by the Proust Questionnaire and Bernard Pivot’s French series, “Bouillon de Culture.” The goal is to understand the artist’s work and their full nature while allowing them a space to reveal their authentic self. It is a great gift and a true honor to introduce women who will be presenting work in myriad genres, exploring a wide range of topics that allow us to examine who we are as individuals and as a society.
Introducing Vee Kumari, who stars in and produces “Late Sunday Afternoon, Early Sunday Evening” written by Jean Lenox Todie.
Constance: Vee, can you share your background as an actress and producer?
Vee: Growing up in the south of India, I loved words and books and wanted to become an English professor, but went to medical school instead. At the UC Davis School of Medicine and the USC Keck School of Medicine, teaching neuroanatomy to medical students was my passion. But I continued to read fiction. Since my retirement in 2012, I have pursued writing and acting as careers.
I am also an actor and have appeared in TV shows, including Criminal Minds, Anger Management, and Glow. In 2019, I produced and was the lead in the short film “HALWA,” which earned the first prize for the directors in HBO’s Asia Pacific American Visionaries contest. In 2022, I was the Executive Producer and lead in the short film “YATRA: The Journey,” which finished a successful festival circuit, winning many recognitions. Currently, I’m working on a feature script based on my debut novel, “Dharma, A Rekha Rao Mystery.”
I live in Los Angeles near my two daughters and their families.
Constance: What do you hope audience members take away after experiencing this show?
Vee: Don’t stop dreaming! Your dream could come true if you put your mind to it with courage, determination, and passion!
Constance: What’s been your biggest challenge regarding your creation process?
Vee: Sometimes, working with only one other actor can be challenging. I believe my fellow actor and I did go through this process, but we worked our way through it to a bonding performance!
Constance: What are you enjoying most about your show?
Vee: I want to be able to act my age, respect older women, and never take anything away from their needs, wants, and passions!
Constance: What has been the most surprising discovery?
Vee: Originally, it was just a play, but the more we worked through it, the closer it became to real life. This could be my story of transitioning from decades of being a scientist and a professor to an actor and writer after retirement. I will enjoy this run as long as there’s breath in me because it’s a gift! My mom is gone, or I could tell her, “Look, Ma, I did it anyway!”
Constance: The work will be given away soon – How does that feel?
Vee: Great! We are ready to share our discoveries with an audience!
Constance: How long have you been sitting with this work?
Vee: For over a year!
Constance: Why Fringe? Why this year?
Vee: I did Fringe last year with an ensemble show, but due to COVID, I was unable to perform. I wanted to give it another try on a smaller scale. Fringe is tough to do!
Constance: Anything else that must be said – please add!
Vee: Enjoy this EPK: Go Here
For info and tickets visit https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/10684
