Little Foxes
Erin Floyd-Smith as Regina Giddens in Little Foxes — University of California, Irvine (2016)
Synopsis
Lillian Hellman's Southern Gothic drama follows the manipulative Regina Giddens as she schemes to gain control of her family's cotton mill fortune. Regina represents the ruthless capitalism and social climbing that characterized the post-Civil War South.
Impressions
Working on Regina Giddens with Don Hill challenged me to find the humanity within a character often viewed as purely villainous. Regina's manipulation and greed mask deeper issues of powerlessness and survival in a society that limits women's options. Don Hill's coaching helped me understand that Regina's cruelty stems from intelligence trapped by circumstance rather than inherent evil. The scene work required exploring how Regina justifies her actions and genuinely believes she deserves the wealth and power she pursues. This character pushed me outside my typical casting range, requiring confidence and ruthlessness that felt foreign to my natural personality. Working with Hellman's razor-sharp dialogue taught me about the precision required for playing truly intelligent characters who use words as weapons. Regina's relationship with her husband and brothers revealed the complex power dynamics within families corrupted by greed and social ambition. The experience enhanced my understanding of Southern Gothic drama and taught me valuable lessons about playing characters whose surface behavior masks deeper psychological complexity. Don Hill's direction helped me find Regina's vulnerability without excusing her destructive choices.
Company
Produced by University of California, Irvine (Wikipedia).