By Adanna Moriarty, Ojai Valley News
Today’s world premiere of “Bless Your Heart,” written by Richard Camp, Artistic Director of the Ojai Art Center, is loosely based on his life. Set in the 1990s south, the play centers around religion, science, Elvis Presley, and family. In the heart of it, all is the matriarch Martha, played by Susan Kelejian.
Twenty-five years of teaching, performing, coaching, and her own production company (A Muse on Fire), has brought Kelejian to this production in which she shares the experience with her son Chance, who plays her onstage son John David.
“I had read a scene from ‘Bless Your Heart’ at the Art Center preview. I was interested in playing a role that is much different from me to learn from it, and also it was an opportunity to work with my son. I like supporting original plays as well.” Kelejian said. “This play was about working with my son and supporting Richard’s new work.”
“I think there are only a few roles from other playwrights which I may like to do while I’m still above ground and my memory intact. But the writing needs to be there, and the character should be interesting and something I haven’t done before,” she said. “I prefer small to medium size character roles these days. (Lady Bracknell from the “Importance of Being Earnest,” comes to mind). I think after my son goes off on his life, I may explore regional theater again. However, I am mostly excited and focused on creating my own work as a playwright and directing/teaching/producing/mentoring others in what I call “my sacred space, my church” which is for me, the theater.”
“Bless Your Heart” fills these needs for Kelejian, a discordant family dynamic, the challenges of playing a role that has never been performed, and one so different from herself. All the while, making the audience laugh and delivering socially relevant material.
“I see ‘Bless Your Heart’ as a dysfunctional family play, with the underlying theme of the emotional disagreements that lie in the fear and rigidity of core beliefs. This is certainly relevant today. Chance and I have discussed how people have a hard time changing their core beliefs, and the amount of influence religion has with individuals and groups, how it can bleed into politics, psychology, and war. How it has been part of the culture, how ritual and traditions play a significant role in society, and how having the consciousness of knowing that we die can be the underlying cause of why religious beliefs of any kind have been formed to offer an explanation of the purpose of life. “