Posted on Nov 17, 2006

Actress Salome Jens brought the poetry of Anne Sexton to the World Theater stage with her one-woman performance, About Anne, in November. The New York Times raved about the play, calling it "a magnificent moment of theater."

While on campus, she took the opportunity to share with CSUMB students the knowledge she's gained from a lifetime of acting.

Students in the university's Teledramatic Arts and Technology Department benefited from a question-and-answer session in which Jens advised them to "be outrageous when the desire comes. Don't sit on it. I've had the career I've had because of my commitment, not because I'm special."

Her long and varied career put her opposite Rock Hudson in 1966's Seconds and under a heavy layer of makeup as the "Female Shapeshifter" in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. She's also had roles on Melrose Place, MacGuyver, and even appeared in one episode of Tales from the Crypt. When she isn't performing, Jens teaches acting at UCLA and also gives private lessons.

Jens, who developed her craft at the Actor's Studio, emphasized the importance of finding the personal in every role to give each character a subtext. An alcoholic with 25 years of sobriety, she brings her personal understanding of the disease to the passionate confessions of Sexton's poetry.

The chance to address alcoholism - especially in the life of the artist - is important to Jens. "Through Anne, I can speak to the issue of alcoholism. It's important that students have the awareness as artists to know they need to be well."

This combined lesson on alcohol awareness and the craft of acting came through vividly in Jens' workshops and performance. "What's wonderful about doing Anne is it gives students the opportunity to see what we talk about," says Jens. "They can see what I'm doing. It's not just teaching, it's showing."

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