We had the good fortune of connecting with Adam J. Jefferis and Rynn Vogel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Adam and Rynn, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
Creating original theater is much more complicated than it might seem from a seat in the audience. There are many moving parts that all have to be coordinated to make everything seamlessly entertaining. There are sets to build, costumes to make, marketing materials to create and distribute–but first, you have to have an idea. The idea becomes a story and the story becomes a script. You then have to find talented actors to help you bring that script to the stage. Designers and builders to make the set, props and costumes. There’s also the very important role of the crew, headed by the stage manager, who will support in the creation and execution of the show. This is just the tip of the iceberg, there are many more people that help get things going and see the project through to the end. The devil is in the details, and with a theater production, all those details matter.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
It has been a trial by fire many times, but our experiences have helped us develop a set of standards that we bring to every project. Together, we strive to create a nurturing environment which allows everyone to feel seen and heard while we guide them through our creative process. Leading with kindness, always showing our appreciation and reenforcing an underlying joy that carries through from page to performance are important to us. We believe that making art should be fun and rewarding. Artists must always create, and we live by that credo.

Rynn continues to create, developing her skills and gaining more experience in many branches of the industry. She has produced a number of short films, and works as a stylist for commercials and films while writing screenplays and a novel that can be found on Substack under “Rynn’s Writings”.

Adam is a film and television actor who can be seen on a number of commercials and TV shows. Over the last 20 years he’s trained with some of the best improvisers in L.A. at iO West & Mi’s Westside Comedy Theater, Alexandra Billings & Steppenwolf West, MC2 Actors Studio, Megan Ketch Studio, and The Actors’ Gang. With The Actors’ Gang, he has toured across the globe and currently serves as the company’s Director of Education.

We are a team and look forward to collaborating with one another every chance we get.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We live within walking distance to downtown Culver City and have a number of favorite restaurants, so we’re going out to eat!! Akasha for their happy hour drinks and bites or Meet in Paris for some wine and mussels (ask for extra bread…you gotta soak up the sauces). We love a quick breakfast from Good Boy Bob’s–the Wisco Disco is not to be missed. We’re lucky enough to have two great sushi places to visit, K-ZO and Sake House by Hikari. And no trip to downtown Culver is complete without visiting our friends at Lundeen’s Gift Shop. We love where we live.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Big shout out to The Actors’ Gang! For the last several years, we have been a part of bringing productions at The Actors’ Gang to life. Both of us have found ourselves wearing multiple hats in one project or another, and through these experiences we have learned many of the skills needed to produce thoughtful and engaging shows, both on stage and screen.

Website: www.mustardcookies.com; www.adamjefferis.com; www.theactorsgang.com

Instagram: @mustardcookies; @ajamsgrams; @theactorsgang

Facebook: https://fb.me/e/2TJgWzOiQ

Other: Our latest collaboration is a 45 minute family friendly adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing mashed up with the lovable characters of Winnie the Pooh. Much Ado About Pooh is the 16th ‘Shakespeare in the Park for Families’ production of a tradition The Actors’ Gang has provided FREE for the community since 2006. The play is written by Rynn Vogel and directed by Adam J. Jefferis. Rynn is also the Costume Designer and Adam is playing Eeyore (Don John)…like we said, we wear a lot of fun hats! What: Much Ado About Pooh When: Every Saturday and Sunday in August (August 5-27) at 11:00am Where: Media Park, adjacent to The Actors’ Gang Theater (9070 Venice Blvd, Culver City CA 90232) RSVP at www.theactorsgang.com

Image Credits
Photographs provided by Ashley Randall Photography. Much Ado About Pooh Artwork by Elif Sezgin.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.