Here is what the marvelous Bill Rauch has to say about my work on the Edward M. Kennedy award-winning play, "Body of an American." Two actors playing 30+ roles with 20+ accents. What an honor it was to steward this show.

1. P.O. Box 158
15 South Pioneer Street
Ashland, OR 97520
541 482 2111
www.osfashland.org
December 18, 2012
To Whom It May Concern:
When I directed the world premiere of The Body of an American at Portland Center Stage
in September, 2012, Mary McDonald-Lewis worked as my voice and text director. I was
already familiar with her work on Cymbeline, a work debuting Original Pronunciation
Shakespeare on the West Coast, and on And So it Goes, a world premiere of a Kurt
Vonnegut adaptation by Aaron Posner, and I was looking forward to meeting and
working with this coach.
The Body of an American features two actors playing 34 characters of both genders,
varied sexual orientations and identification, all socioeconomic classes, and many
nationalities. It also includes a range of ages from children to elders, and “real” people,
like Mother Theresa, Sam Zell, Terry Gross and others. Dialects and accents: South
African, Somalian, Polish, Ghanian, Tutsi, Burmese, Albanian, Canadian, Inuit, Western
American, New York, and Chicago. Inuit Throat Singing, an esoteric, indigenous, and
elusive singing practice also plays a role in The Body of an American.
MaryMac, as she is known, approached the project with respect for my vision and the
skills to manifest it. She was open to input from and worked closely with the playwright
as well, which is critical when mounting new work. The “dialect plot” she crafted
organized and clarified our job, and aided our actors immeasurably in the huge task of
taking on these characters. Her teaching aides – audio and written material tailor-made
for the production – were strong, focused and helpful, and easily accessed via an online
folder system. She also produced a learning opportunity for the Inuit Throat Singing in
the show, presenting us with an Inuit tutor via Skype from the Northern Regions of
Canada – this, when the practice is rarely shared outside that culture.
MaryMac’s passion for research, breadth of knowledge and organizational skills are
matched by her human touch. As a coach, she is positive, gentle, firm, warm and
intuitive. This isn’t “one size fits all” coaching: MaryMac’s pedagogy allows her to reach
actors no matter how they learn, and achieve results. Intelligence, humor and wit are used
in her approach, and the room is a happy place when actors are working with her there.

2. Re: Mary McDonald-Lewis
Page Two
The Body of an American is performed by two actors but peopled by 34, and voice and
text director Mary McDonald-Lewis played a vital part of bringing this story to life. I
look forward to working with her again soon, and highly recommend her as v&t director
or dialect coach to any theatre, or film/television project considering her services.
Sincerely
Bill Rauch
Artistic Director
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
NB: As of this writing, The Body of an American is a finalist in the inaugural Edward M. Kennedy
Prize (EMK Prize) for Drama Inspired by American History. It is given annually to a new play or musical
of merit that, in the words of the prize’s mission statement, “…enlists theater's power to explore the past of
the United States, to participate meaningfully in the great issues of our day through the public conversation,
grounded in historical understanding, that is essential to the functioning of a democracy.” Ambassador Jean
Kennedy Smith created the prize to honor the life and legacy of her late brother, Senator Ted Kennedy.
Finalists were selected through nominations from a group of 20 theater professionals around the country.
The jury will meet at Columbia in early February 2013. The first recipient of the prize will be announced
on his birthday, February 22. The winning play will receive an award of $100,000, and will be honored in a
ceremony at Columbia on March 4, 2013.