Spotlight On… Josie Guttman
MacGuffin Theatre & Film Company actress, Josie Guttman, has had quite an exciting two years. Since arriving at MacGuffin she made a splash in our Musical Theatre Camp 2 debut production of Really Rosie. She took a leading role in our 2016 main stage production of More Than Anything in the role of high school teacher Marilyn Bruce. Last summer she played the crafty Grandma Gunn in our musical production of The Witches. Last fall she revisited her role as Marilyn Bruce in the film version of More Than Anything to premiere in April 2018. She’s an actress on the rise and we’re so pleased to help her grow as an actress.
MacGuffin Questionnaire for Josie Guttman
- What was it like to make your first movie? It was fun but nerve wracking at the same time. There were a lot of times that I was nervous that I wouldn’t get my lines right. I was always nervous that I would ruin a shot, but it lead me to believe in myself.
- What was it like working with Scarlett Schneider and Evie Flander? Evie and Scarlett are both wonderful actresses. They have wonderful voices and wonderful personalities. They both were encouraging, and helped me get through the movie. When I was nervous, they would tell me that it will be alright. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without them.
- Tell us about your character/what drew you to this part. My character is a high school teacher and director of the theater program. She loves to do musical theater and wants to get the kids involved in the program. She believes that even though it’s just a high school musical, it should be a fun experience where you can make friends and learn not only about acting but about life. I was drawn to this part because Marilyn Bruce is sort of like me. We both love musical theater, and that is our passion. I auditioned for this part a second time because I believe I could do better than I did in the stage musical.
- What is your favorite word? My favorite word is love. I like the word love because it makes other people feel warm and fuzzy. Love is the closest thing we have to magic.
- What is your least favorite word? My least favorite word is shame. Shame makes other people feel bad and makes them feel ashamed of themselves.
- Relate a moment in your life where you feel you changed as a person. What was the event that caused it? The day I stepped foot into Abington Friends School for the first time, I really changed. It was the first time I felt like I had a strong close friend.
- What trait in others makes you crazy? I love it when people have a weird side to themselves but I hate it when other people are overly nice.
- What sound or noise do you love? I love the sound of a violin because it can be sharp and pointy or soft and sweet.
- What sound or noise do you hate? I hate the sound of the fire alarm at my apartment building because it sounds like people screaming and it scares me.
- What profession other than acting would you like to attempt? I would love to be a professional singer and tour around the world.
- What profession would you not like to do? I would hate being a hair-stylist because even though I like styling people’s hair and cutting it seems fun, it would put too much pressure on me and I wouldn’t want to mess someone’s hair up.
- Who inspires you – alive or dead? My sister inspires me everyday to be myself. Also, Jackie Burns and Amanda Jane Cooper inspire me because they are both amazing actors. Also want to be in Wicked and when I met Jackie Burns she told me I could be Elphaba when I get older and now that’s all I want to do. I don’t want to do it because she told me. I want to do it because she inspired me to be who I want to be.
- What is your favorite food and drink? My favorite foods are candy, chocolate, and ice cream. My favorite drink is a milkshake.
- What is your favorite color and flower? My favorite color is lavender and my flower is the Melia caribe tropical flower.
- What are your favorite names? My favorite names are Ocean, Blue, Elizabeth Rose, and Blake.
- What is your idea of happiness? My idea of happiness is where people aren’t afraid to be themselves. No one thinks they need to change who they are.
- What famous quote resonates with you? “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
- If you could come back as any person in history, who would you be? Even though I don’t think you should want to be someone else other than yourself, if I had to choose someone else to be, I would came back as Millie Bobby Brown because she is an amazing role in Stranger Things and is an amazing actress.
- Name something that you learned at MacGuffin. I learned that even if you think you couldn’t do something you should at least try.
Top picture: The teachers from More Than Anything – the Movie: Scarlett Schneider, Josie Guttman and Evie Flander
Middle picture: The Witches: Josie Guttman and Nat Buskirk
Bottom picture: More Than Anything – the Movie: Charles Watson and Josie Guttman