RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH CAST OF WOMEN IN THEATRE NASHVILLE’s MS HOLMES + MS WATSON-APT 2B
Get ready for quick wit, sharp minds, and a touch of mystery! With Women in Theatre Nashville’s (WIT Nashville)’s upcoming production of playwright Kate Hamill’s clever reimagining of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s world, Ms Holmes + Ms Watson – Apt 2B, directed by Diane Bearden Enright, brings the famous detective duo into the modern age — where friendship, intellect, and a few absurd surprises are the ultimate clues. Ahead of the show’s opening at Darkhorse Theatre (Friday, October 24 through, November 1), we sat down for a round of Rapid Fire 20Q with the production’s scene-stealing cast — Elyse Dawson (Sherlock Holmes), Beth Henderson (Ms Watson), Skyler Cole (Lestrade, Elliott Monk & others), and Nashville newcomer Jen Houghton (Irene Adler, Mrs. Hudson & others) — to talk character quirks, comedic chaos, and why this twisty mystery is one you’ll want to solve for yourself.
Let’s dive in — no magnifying glass required!
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RAPID FIRE 20Q WITH THE CAST OF WIT NASHVILLE’s MS HOLMES + MS WATSON – APT 2B
RAPID FIRE WITH BETH HENDERSON, JOAN WATSON IN MS HOLMES + MS WATSON
JHPENTERTAINMENT: When I began researching in preparation of chatting with you and your co-stars, I found it interesting that the playwright, Kate Hamill played Watson, not Holmes in the world premiere production of this piece. Does knowing the playwright in essence created this role for herself inspire you to approach the role any differently than other roles you’ve played?
BETH HENDERSON: I know! When I found that out, I was pretty intimidated. But, I haven’t really approached it any differently than I have any other roles. I honestly just try not to think about it. Ha!
JHPENTERTAINMENT: In this adaptation of the classic, Watson—an American now living in London post pandemic and post-divorce—seems eager for a fresh start. If you were to relocate and start anew, where might you end up and what career path might you choose?
BETH HENDERSON: Oooohhh, good question! I think about that a lot, because I plan to retire out of the country one day. But, whereas I’ll retire somewhere warm and sunny, my answer for relocation and starting over in a career sense would be different. If I was younger and had the funds and actually permitted to move there, I would move to Scotland and own my own little bookstore.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published his first Holmes and Watson story more than 130 years ago. What is it about this unique pairing that still holds an audience’s attention?
BETH HENDERSON: I think it’s the whole opposites attract, odd couple, yin and yang idea. People like to see two very different personalities work together to create balanced solutions.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: When Holmes and Watson first “re-boot” their detective partnership post-pandemic, what is the one gesture or moment you think defines their new status quo?
BETH HENDERSON: Well, in this production, Watson is new to the crime solving business. She is brought into it simply because she’s there. But, I think Sherlock brings Watson into the biz to form this duo because Watson provides an emotional element that Sherlock lacks.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: What trait of Watson’s do you find most relatable—and what about her do you admire most?
BETH HENDERSON: I can definitely be a bit neurotic and all over the place like Watson is, and I really understand her emotional struggles. I think the thing I admire most about her is what you referred to earlier, her courage to move somewhere new and just start all over without a safety net.
RAPID FIRE WITH SKYLER COLE, LESTRADE, ELLIOTT MONK & OTHERS IN MS HOLMES + MS WATSON
JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s the trickiest part of stepping into Lestrade’s shoes?
SKYLER COLE: The balance of competence to incompetence. He is a cop and knows protocol, but his imagination can lead him down a wild goose chase for sure.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Lestrade, you often stumble or say the “wrong thing.” Which particular gag or line do you relish most, and what slight twist will you put on it in performance?
SKYLER COLE: I have a certain moment with a bug where I very quickly go from joy to fear. Love any moment some physical comedy can be added in.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: Who in the cast would Lestrade secretly admire (or envy) and why?
SKYLER COLE: Character? Watson for sure. You may even see some of that admiration on stage…
Cast? Elyse (Holmes) because she loves Lady Gaga and Lestrade also has a thing for pop music.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: As Elliot Monk (the tech billionaire villain), you mask ambitions with slick confidence. In the moment you reveal (or hint) your vendetta, how do you calibrate that betrayal moment?
SKYLER COLE: A character can only beat around the bush for so long before they have to address the problem head on. Monk would probably want to live in the bush if he could, but sometimes ambitions speak louder than a scary bush.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: In the dance of masks (Lestrade vs. Monk vs. public persona), which of your roles is your “default” internally, and how do you switch physically or vocally among them?
SKYLER COLE: I would say Lestrade is my default as I play him most of the show. All my characters have different dialects and physicality with how they walk/carry themselves. I actually worked with a dialect coach to make sure my British dialects sound different enough for the different characters so as not to confuse any of the audience (hopefully). Switching physically is all about knowing where the energy of the character lies. Lestrade is mostly near his chest, Monk is wide taking up space, and others…well you will just have to come and see for yourself!
RAPID FIRE WITH JEN HOUGHTON, IRENE ADLER, MRS HUDSON & OTHERS IN MS HOLMES + MS WATSON
JHPENTERTAINMENT: How do you shift between characters like Irene Adler and Mrs. Hudson—what’s your internal “switch”?
JEN HOUGHTON: Because I go back and forth between several characters so many times, and each one has a completely different dialect, age and physicality, I go through a little multi-step ritual before I enter each time.
1. I set my feet in a specific stance, which triggers my brain-body-memory into that character’s center of gravity
2. I adjust my shoulders & posture, which helps me remember each character’s age and physicality
3. I quietly say a silly tongue-twister so I remember which dialect to use.
It all probably looks quite ridiculous, but it helps!
JHPENTERTAINMENT: Which role gives you the greatest freedom to play, and which challenges you most?
JEN HOUGHTON: All three roles leave room for a lot of play, which is what makes this project so much fun. Mrs. Hudson is a lot closer to roles I’ve played before, so I probably found the quickest freedom to play with that character. Irene Adler is a VERY different “type” than I’m used to playing, and she really challenges me to face some major insecurities, so that feels like quite a gift of an experience.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: If Mrs. Hudson had a hidden past, what would you imagine it to be?
JEN HOUGHTON: I think Mrs. Hudson was a bit of a wild-child in her younger years. Maybe she spent a bit of time performing as a lounge singer on a cruise ship where she loved the life of travel & trysts. While that chapter of her life may be over, she’ll always remember her days of frivolity with fondness.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: In a fictional “Adler + Hudson crossover moment” (not in script), what would you imagine Mrs. Hudson saying to Irene about Holmes and Watson—and how might that line reveal a hidden relationship?
JEN HOUGHTON: I think Mrs. Hudson fancies herself a bit of a matchmaker, and we know she loves American cinema, so I think she would tell Irene to go for it with Holmes, because “The heart wants what the heart wants, and sometimes ya just have to carry the watermelon, dear.”
JHPENTERTAINMENT: Which of your characters would you want to “hang out” with for a day, and what would you do together?
JEN HOUGHTON: Haha, well, since my choices are a narcissist, a sociopath and a sweet sassy landlady; for my own safety, I’m gonna have to go with Mrs. Hudson. I think we would probably sing & dance while baking some delicious sweets.
RAPID FIRE WITH ELYSE DAWSON, SHERLOCK HOLMES IN MS HOLMES + MS WATSON
JHPENTERTAINMENT: What can you tell me about your Sherlock Holmes, as conceived by the playwright Kate Hamill and now under the direction of Diane Bearden-Enright as you’re playing her?
ELYSE DAWSON: This is a version of Sherlock that allows her to be messy and flawed. When we meet her she’s having a bit of an identity crisis as she feels unmoored without a case to entertain her busy brain. Then, throughout the show Sherlock gets to prove her prowess repeatedly but we also see her struggle in the face of some difficult mysteries and characters that throw her off balance.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: What’s one non-logical, emotional thing your version of Holmes secretly does when no one’s watching?
ELYSE DAWSON: Sherlock most definitely shares her most intimate thoughts and feelings with Mr. Bones (the skeleton that resides in Apartment 2B).
JHPENTERTAINMENT: Do you have a favorite detective in TV, film, or literature (besides Holmes herself)?
ELYSE DAWSON: I grew up an avid reader of The Boxcar Children and the Bailey School Kids series. I think reading them as a kid, I found something really empowering about children who have such little control over their circumstances taking matters into their own hands to make sense of the world around them. I see that reflected a lot in Sherlock. She gets her sense of security from organizing and understanding facts very deeply. Oh and of course the Mystery Gang from Scooby Doo. I love how each member brings their own strengths and weaknesses together to solve the case.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: In the “process is the point” monologue , which phrase do you lean most into in performance, and why?
ELYSE DAWSON: In that monologue, I lean into her explanation of the process being the point. She describes it as “The joy of the chase, not control of the hunt”. This particular monologue really resonates with me as an actor. It’s easy to get fixated on a final product: the show that’s presented to the audience; but I find the most joy and freedom comes from the exploratory rehearsal process. Sherlock is the most in her element when she’s on the case.
JHPENTERTAINMENT: What do you hope audiences take with them after having seen WIT’s production of MS HOLMES + MS WATSON-Apt 2B?
ELYSE DAWSON: I hope that audiences leave with a renewed sense of wonder and curiosity. One of the big themes in this show is the marvel of the human mind. Isn’t it incredible that we have the capacity not just for extraordinary reasoning and logic but also infinite access to imagination without having to rely on technology or externals? I hope they are also reminded of our shared necessity for human connection and vulnerability. Holmes and Watson both start this play with the idea that they are on their own individual journeys but by the end, it’s made very clear that much more can be accomplished when they connect, shortcomings and all.
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This Rapid Fire 20Q might have concluded, but rest assured the game is afoot! Don’t miss WIT Nashville’s production of Ms Holmes + Ms Watson – Apt 2B, directed by Diane Bearden-Enright, running October 24 – November 1 at Darkhorse Theatre. Tickets are $25 and on sale now — CLICK HERE to get yours before they vanish faster than a clue at a crime scene!
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