A Playwright Who Recognizes the Benefits of Sleep to Her Work
Anna Fox is a playwright, performer, teacher and astrologer. She is a graduate of the Master of Fine Arts program at UCLA, where she has taught playwriting. Her plays are published by Samuel French and have been recorded for soundplay.media’s Bare Wire Theater Podcast. Her work has been performed at a wide array of venues from coast to coast. A fan of Down Etc's bedding, Anna promotes a good night's sleep as critical to taking care of herself in a busy career in the arts.
Who are you and what do you do?
I’m a playwright, astrologer and educator. I write lyrical and darkly comedic stories about Jewish women, women dealing with illness, and the seedy underbelly of digital wellness culture.
What work do you most enjoy doing?
I love learning new languages and uncovering family history, so it’s always a joy when I can imbue my work with both. I’m Ukrainian and Italian, and have recently been working on a couple of plays which incorporate some Russian and Ukrainian dialogue, and have thoughts brewing about one with Italian. There’s also a type of astrology called astrocartography where you see which places in the world are most impactful to your individual astrology, so I’m beginning to look into that as well. I really love to travel too. The HBO show “White Lotus” majorly inspires me on that front.
What was your favorite thing about collaborating with Down Etc?
I love the idea of promoting art through getting a good night’s sleep. Sometimes, especially in the theater, we run ourselves ragged and sacrifice the rest we truly need, so I’m all for promoting relaxation and rest in combination with hard work and creativity.
What was your favorite thing about Down Etc?
Every Down Etc product I’ve tried has been wonderful. The pillows, sheets and comforters are so soft. I also love all the other products. I have a Down Etc winter hat, notebook, and exercise band. It’s an out of the box and inventive company, which I enjoy.
Why art?
Art has the potential to affect us on an emotional level. A lot of life appeals to people’s brains and intellect, but art can change how we see things, and what we know about them. I learn and remember the most from impactful art I’ve seen/read.
What superpower would you have and why?
Invisibility
Why?
I’m fascinated by human behavior and would want to see how people act in varying situations when no one else is there, or if they didn’t know I was there specifically. (Not to be creepy or spy on people, I promise!)
What is your dream project?
Recently, I’ve been conjuring up an idea for a site-specific theater piece set at a laundromat, where the audience brings a load of laundry to wash and receives a loaded laundry card with their price of admission. While they wash the laundry, they get to see a short play performed for the length of the specific cycle they choose.
Why do I believe sleep is important?
Without a good night’s sleep, our bodies don’t function properly. I do my best work and am my best self when I’m totally refreshed. Sometimes I also come up with dialogue for my plays in my dreams, so that’s an added bonus!
Learn more about Anna:
The venues where Anna's work has been seen include The Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Sam French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival, The Last Frontier Theater Conference, Fusion Theater Company, Live Girls! Theatre, Theater Masters National MFA Playwriting Competition, and more. Her plays have been recorded for soundplay.media’s Bare Wire Theater Podcast, and are published by Samuel French, The Dionysian, and Bare Fiction Literary Magazine. She has been awarded artist residencies in a variety of recognized programs, including an upcoming residency at Djerassi Resident Artists Program. She also adapts foreign films and television for Netflix and Disney+ via Horseless Cowboy, VSI, and Roundabout Entertainment.
Websites: Writing www.annapfox.com Astrology Foxstrology.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArthurPigeon/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annabananaphone90/
https://www.instagram.com/foxstrology90/
We wish you a great night's sleep filled with inspiring dreams!
The Team at Down Etc
