Victoria Zajac on Directing "The Roommate" for Actors Collaborative Toledo

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The Roommate Arrives in the Glass City

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A recent divorce. A mysterious new roommate. A friendship neither woman saw coming. The Roommate by Jen Silverman transforms an unlikely living arrangement into a sharp, funny, and surprisingly moving story about reinvention.

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Actors Collaborative Toledo (ACT) will present the Northwest Ohio premiere of the play at Trinity Episcopal Church, May 15–17.

The production stars Thea Grabiec as Robyn and Jennifer Nagy Lake as Sharon, and is directed by Victoria Zajac .

Zajac, a Toledo native, earned her bachelor’s degree in theater from University of Toledo and has long been connected to the local theater scene. After graduating, she worked in Cleveland before moving to Los Angeles, where she earned her MFA in acting from California Institute of the Arts. After spending time working in Los Angeles and later in Chicago, she eventually returned home to plant roots and start a family. “I’m now reintegrating into the Toledo theater community,” Zajac says, “which has been so fun. It feels very homey, and I’m excited to be back.” When asked about selecting the play, Zajac explains, “ Jen Silverman is one of my favorite playwrights. They’re someone I studied extensively in graduate school. I actually wrote my senior thesis on contemporary American Playwrights , and they were the artist I chose to focus on. I even had the privilege of interviewing them about their work and reading their entire body of plays, which was incredible.” This production has been on her bucket list for some time. “I’ve known for a long time that I wanted to direct this piece. It’s one of my favorites. The actor playing Sharon, Jennifer Nagy Lake, is also a personal friend, and I’ve wanted to collaborate with her on this play for years. It’s really been about finding the right moment—the right cast and the right venue. Finally, the stars aligned. It’s been a long time coming.”

The show is sometimes described as Laverne & Shirley meets Breaking Bad. “Definitely. I also like to call it ‘the odd odd couple,’” Zajac says. “It’s a really interesting inversion of expectations. The play is often described as a comedy or comedy-drama, and I think it walks that line in a distinctly Jen Silverman way. It’s very funny.Deeply funny, but also grounded and genuinely moving. That balance may surprise audiences in a really pleasant way.” Through both comedy and drama, Zajac reflects on what she hopes Toledo audiences will take away. “I hope the heart of the story comes through. The heart of these women. This is such a rare opportunity for what the industry often calls ‘women of a certain age,’ which we could talk about for hours. These roles offer far more nuance than what is typically available.” She continues, “It’s a beautiful exploration of intimate female relationships in all their forms—platonic, romantic, and everything in between. It also examines transformation later in life. We tend to think of major change as something that happens when we’re young, but there are so many opportunities to reinvent yourself at any stage. What does that look like? I hope audiences leave thinking about that question, about identity, change, and the idea that it’s never too late. When you come see the show, expect the unexpected, and come ready to laugh.”

The Roommate

Presented by Actors Collaborative Toledo (ACT)
May 15–17
Trinity Episcopal Church
316 Adams Street, Toledo, Ohio 43604

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/cleveland/article/Interview-Victoria-Zajac-Directs-THE-ROOMMATE-for-Actors-Collaborative-Toledo-20260506)._