Laura Durant

Laura Durant is a triple threat of a different kind: a film and stage actor who also markets and photographs local theater productions. When she isn't onstage (as she was last month as Rosie the Riveter in Sentimental 1940s Journey at the Herberger) or appearing in films (most recently opposite Robert Wagner in Little Victim), she's promoting local theater with her Durant Communications, which markets plays and musicals and sends out audition notices. In her off hours, she provides production photos for local playhouses and dreams of working with Barry Manilow. Just don't ask her to dress like a Twinkie.

If this is Laura Durant, who took the picture?

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I knew I wanted to be in show business when I choreographed and performed a song-and-tap number for my kindergarten pageant. I played to an SRO crowd!

The worst thing about being an actor is pretending that you're not an actor while working at a desk job or a sales counter.

My worst audition ever was for the musical Company at Stagebrush Theatre. I sang a ballad (what was I thinking?!), then came back the second night begging for another shot. This time I did something upbeat/comedic and got cast. Shortly afterwards the music director moved in with me -- and he's still here nearly 20 years later!

The happiest day of my life was when I walked out of an office building for the last time and officially launched Durant Communications. It had been pouring rain all day, but suddenly the skies cleared and there was a double rainbow. I thought to myself, "Yep, there's definitely a higher power at work in all of this."

If I could be anyone other than myself, it would be a lyricist for Barry Manilow.

It's not entirely true, but I sometimes tell people that I'm a recovered Catholic -- when in fact no one ever fully recovers from Catholicism.

The fictional character I am most like is C.J. Cregg from The West Wing.

I am utterly terrified of falling ass-backwards -- camera in hand -- off a stage during a production photo shoot!

I laugh uncontrollably at Robin Williams and Jon Stewart.

The one thing I absolutely refuse to do on stage is nudity. Only two people get to see the full Monty: my hubby and my doctor -- and I have to pay my doctor!

Something I have never admitted to anyone before is that my first paid acting job was dressing as an eight-foot Twinkie and handing out samples in a mall. I scared the hell out of little children.

Currently I am reading True and False by David Mamet -- yet again.

The first time I got drunk I threw up. On my prom date!

Like my mother used to say, "Jealousy can break stones."