Just one week after she submitted her first audition tape for a professional show, sophomore Ruby Spencer found herself at a callback at Olney Theatre Center in Olney, Maryland. She was later cast as Cassidy in the play “Appropriate,” which won three Tony Awards for its 2024 Broadway run. The show ran from March 18 through April 26.
Ruby has been performing in school, camp and external theater program productions since she was eight. She felt like a professional role would allow her to take her love of theater to the next level.
“I’ve gotten to learn so much on this show, and I’ve definitely improved my craft and everything I’m doing,” Ruby said. “And I just love learning everything about professional shows, because it’s so different from school productions or camp productions.”
“Appropriate” is a family drama about a group of siblings who return to their father’s plantation house following his death. Throughout their time preparing for an estate sale, they discover various family secrets, including a past of racism that leads them to question what they truly knew about their father.
The audition for “Appropriate” was an open call, meaning anyone could submit a video. Ruby heard of the opportunity because her mom, Alexa Spencer, had previously been involved with directing at Olney Theatre Center.
“I was sent the announcement that they were looking for someone who could play 13, and Ruby looks young, so I thought, well, I’ll just see if she’s interested in auditioning,” Alexa said. “ … I sort of thought, well, it’s a long shot, so why not just go for it?”
When Alexa learned that Ruby got the role, she immediately contacted her to tell her she was Cassidy, and the part was double-cast, meaning Ruby would be working alongside Kirsten Cocks, a seventh grade student at Glenelg Country School in Glenelg, Maryland.
Throughout the rehearsal process, Ruby and Cocks spent a minimum of three hours, six days a week practicing scenes so each actor could get a feel for the part. They learned from each other and began taking pieces from each other’s performances to build their unique versions of Cassidy. Cocks said that she and Ruby became close friends throughout rehearsals, developing an almost sisterly relationship.
“I like seeing her every day, and sharing the same dressing room is so fun because we write jokes on the [white] board, and then I see them every day when I come in, but I just love her vibe, and having her as a double,” Cocks said.
Because of the intensive rehearsal schedule, Ruby had to work hard to stay on top of her schoolwork, studying during her rehearsal breaks. JDS allowed Ruby to have two study halls so that she could stay on top of assignments in her core classes.
“It’s really about commitment,” Ruby said. “That’s what really makes the show keep going and what really draws the audience in. I’d say everybody in this show fully commits to everything they’re doing.””
Alexa appreciates the accommodations made for Ruby, and admired Ruby’s drive to prioritize her school work so she could later focus on her performance.
“We really have been overwhelmed by the support of JDS in the rehearsal process,” Alexa said. “I think five of her teachers came this weekend, and having that kind of school support is not a given. We don’t know if she would have been able to do this if she was still in her public school from last year… We’re really happy that the school saw this as a great educational opportunity.”
Once the rehearsal process was over, the play went into a week of previews. Despite her nerves for her first professional performance, Ruby felt extremely rewarded after completing her first show.
“The best part of opening the show was just leaving and being in the lobby and hearing people come up to me and be like, ‘That was just such an amazing show to watch,’” Ruby said.
Ruby said that the experience of being in a professional show is unlike anything she has done before. As Ruby intends to participate in more professional productions and eventually work as an actress, she has taken a lot away from her first opportunity to be in a professional show.
