Actor and VSC Lead Resident Artist Ryan Clemens is a familiar face to anyone visiting the Wells over the past few years. You’ve seen him in just about every role in A Christmas Carol, Mr. Wormwood in Matilda, Trinculo in The Tempest, Lieutenant Brannigan in Guys & Dolls, Vinnie in The Odd Couple, Mortimer in The Fantasticks, and as his famous relative Samuel Clemens in his one-man touring show Meet Mark Twain.

Ryan recently sat down with us to give us some of his favorite theatrical reads:

Favorite Play: Hmmm... Has to be “Fool For Love” by Sam Sheppard. (Also because that’s the show I was doing when I met my wife)

Favorite modern tragedy: “Desire Under the Elms” by Eugene O’Neil

Favorite modern comedy: “The Sunshine Boys” by Neil Simon and “The Foreigner” by Larry Shue

Favorite Classic Comedy: “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde

Favorite romantic classic: “Cyrano de Bergerac” by Edmond Rostand

Favorite Musical: “Something’s Afoot” by James McDonald, David Los, Robert Gerlach, Ed Linderman. Also “Five Guys Named Moe,” because Louis Jordan is the best. Oh! And “Avenue Q” is totally a Ryan musical

Favorite Shakespeare Tragedy: “Richard III” (especially if Ian McKellan is involved)

Favorite Shakespearean Comedy: “A Midsummer Nights Dream” but just for Bottom with an ass head and the Pyramus and Thisbe business.

Favorite Realism: “An Enemy of the People” by Henrik Ibsen adapted by Arthur Miller

Favorite Greek Comedy: “Lysistrata” by Aristophanes

Favorite Greek Tragedy: “Medea” by Euripides

Favorite Greek Theatre joke: “Euripides you Payfordees.”

Favorite Play that was a VSC Show: “Venus in Fur” by David Ives

Learn more about Ryan at clemensintwain.com and check out his many artistic talents on his instagram @raclemens.