Glen Ellyn woman's life 'breathes theater'

Glen Ellyn's Village Theatre Guild has undergone many changes over the past 50 years.

But as the group prepares to formally celebrate its golden anniversary next year, there's been one constant: Sue Keenan.

Her longevity with the guild is made all the more remarkable by the fact that in the 2011-2012 season she remains energetically involved with the troupe's Visiting Artist program, as a board member, and as director of John Kolvenbach's "Love Song," which opens March 23.

Keenan's life breathes theater. She once began a career in television in New York City and had what she emphasizes were "small parts" in several TV plays, now long extinct.

She studied under the famed Uta Hagen, a German-born actress and teacher who originated the role of Martha in Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf."

Keenan worked with many other aspiring actors as a "guidette" at NBC in New York.

"Those days of live TV were really fun, and the hours were great. We were all actors; we worked many different jobs," she says.

In 1962, Keenan came to Glen Ellyn with her husband, who worked for NBC, "with two small kids, a new job, a new home and a newcomers club."

Before long she was integral in establishing a group of theater enthusiasts who shared her verve for the stage.

"We talked about it at the newcomers club in 1962, and next we started reading plays at each others houses," she says.

"The idea kept growing about doing plays onstage until we actually put on our first production, a children's play, at Glenbard West."

Thus, the Village Theatre Guild was born. It got its official start in 1963 and the original group of 14 members grew to more than 100.

Keenan's passion for the theater began early in her life. Her parents often took her to plays.

"In junior high I was assigned the task of adapting three chapters of David Copperfield for a radio show in English class," she says. "I wrote lots of narration, assuming I would be a narrator. Instead, the teacher gave me the part of the nursemaid and I realized acting was fun.

"Later, in high school, we had a wonderful theater department and I landed parts in a lot of plays, which encouraged me."

Keenan, a native of Buffalo, N.Y., graduated from Bennett College as a theater major. Over the years, she learned the crafts of both acting and directing, and of nurturing and mentoring.

She claims, at one time or the other, to have done every job there is at the guild, save lights and sound.

But Keenan's love is in directing.

"The actor's job is to interpret the author's words in a truthful way, to bring these characters to life," she says. "But the director's job is to present the story of a play in a clear and evocative way to the audience, to give them a complete theatrical experience.

"She creates a collaborative team of actors and designers to work together, each bringing their creative talents to the table."

What keeps Keenan coming back?

"I have passion and a great respect for the talent it takes to enrich people's lives with new thoughts, laughter, tears, love … starting with the playwright," she says. "I love directing ... creating this wonderful experience for the audience, actors, and crews."

She has favorite plays she has worked on, including "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," "Our Town," "Dinner with Friends," and "The Dining Room."

But she's eager and willing to tackle new and edgy works such as "Love Song," her current project, which was first produced in 2006 at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago.

"Love Song" will run weekends, March 23 through April 14. Friday and Saturday performances are at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees March 25 and April 1 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $18 and may be purchased in advance by calling (630) 469-8230 or ordered online through villagetheatreguild.org.

The Village Theatre Guild is near the northwest corner of Park Boulevard and Butterfield Road in Glen Ellyn.