...An actor's dream.
Cheryl Hunter turns in a riveting performance in her autobiographical monologue about her disillusionment with acting and subsequent attempt to redeem herself by working at a home for the elderly. But her gambit runs afoul when she finds herself becoming emotionally invested in the very people she had hoped to use as a means to respectability and even "sainthood." The humorous tone of Twice the Child undergoes a drastic mood swing when one of Hunter's favorite wards dies alone and scared. This emotional shift poignantly registers in the performer's face as well as in the audience's response. The irony in all of this is that this story about letting go of fame and fortune may well win Hunter the attention of Hollywood.
by Marvin Read
A Pueblo-Rye girl leaves the area, models all over the world, eats at fine restaurants in locales as diverse and exotic as London, Paris, Milan and Tokyo, lives and works in New York and Hollywood, comes home and where does she want to eat?
"I'm anxious to get to Pass Key for one of those sandwiches," enthuses Cheryl Hunter, during a relatively brief visit to town in preparation for presentation of her self-authored, semi-autobiographical, one-woman play, "Twice the Child," in Creede in mid-June.
Hunter, who is professionally reluctant to discuss her age but easily passes for someone in her mid- or late-20s, is the daughter of pro cowboy-rancher Jack Hunter and granddaughter of longtime Pueblo car salesman Jess Hunter. (Click for full article)
Cheryl Hunter brings her life as a struggling actor who volunteers for the elderly into humorous, candid, and poignant focus in her intimate one-woman show Twice the Child. Refreshingly free of props, gimmicks or complicated lighting, Hunter tells her story simply, using her most valuable and accessible tool - herself. Reminiscent of Parisian cabaret story-telling, Ms. Hunter is so truly herself, it takes a few minutes to get to know her, but once you do, you're captivated by this ironic, bittersweet telling of her experiences. This is not to say that she doesn't vividly recreate her elderly charges, Anna and Evelyn. They are all present and distinct, but there is a part of her in everyone of these characterizations.
The harsh, yet often hysterical world of her interaction with women who are ninety-something brightly contrasts with her glossy, yet sad life as a rejected actress. In the age of "tell your own story" one-person shows, prompted by the success of Claudia Sheer's "Blown Sideways Through Life" - Hunter understands the humor, sadness, uniqueness, and ultimately the hopefulness of her own life. She is trying to do this, now, in her own lifetime, and her grandmother so aptly says to her, while playing a game of cards, "Don't worry about the hand you have been dealt, or the hand you are going to get - play on. Play on with the hand you have." Well said, Grandma.
Everything old is new again: Just ask Cheryl Hunter. The poor dear came to Los Angeles to be a famous actress, which obviously set her apart from the rest of the town, all of whom showed up to wait tables. Years later, she's had the good sense to work on her humor while waiting for that big break. She also discovered her altruistic side, and decided to do some volunteer work. That's where the fun begins. (Click for full article)
The partially autobiographical monologue samples selected moments from the lives of people who have influenced the actress. Employing humor and a healthy bit of pathos to move her stage vehicle, Hunter guides the action and the audience through her personal quest for meaning in life. "My hope is that the material relates to people, wherever they're at, Hunter said. "I think that search for the ideal in life, whatever that means to any individual, is a very common part of the human experience."
For Hunter, whose face has graced magazine pages and whose talents have contributed to films, television and stage productions in the United States and abroad, the search for significance has been both elusive and fruitful.(Click for full article)