When Greta Oglesby’s phone rang this past fall, she wasn’t expecting it to be about a role. However, just two days from the beginning of rehearsals, the Guthrie lost an actor in their upcoming “A Christmas Carol” show and needed someone they could trust to jump on board.
That person was Oglesby, an accountant-turned-actress, who has been a staple of the Twin Cities theater community since the early 2000s. She’s performed several times at the Guthrie in productions such as “Into the Woods,” “The Sunshine Boys,” and “Caroline, or Change.”
While Oglesby has worked on several Guthrie productions, this would be her first time working on the annual “A Christmas Carol” show. She was cast in the role of the Ghost of Christmas Present, an integral character in the age-old tale of Ebeneezer Scrooge, a wealthy curmudgeon who detests Christmas and whose greedy choices put him at risk in the afterlife.
Many of the actors in the production have returned to the show over the years, with this year being the show’s 49th year at the Guthrie. Oglesby expressed how welcome she felt when joining the rest of the cast in rehearsals.
“I’m the newbie coming in, but they’ve really rallied around me and they’ve welcomed me into this really wonderful warm family,” she said. “I like to call them repeat offenders, but in such a good way.”
The show utilizes an intricate choreography as performers waltz and sing across a rotating platform on the Wurtele Thrust Stage. Oglesby seemingly glides about the room as she takes Scrooge, played by Matthew Saldivar, in hand through his present-day life.
In her performance as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Oglesby wears a sweepingly large white and green dress with puffy shoulders and furred wrists. The gold and silver details on the dress and her jewelry drew even more attention to her presence on stage as she donned a festive-themed crown.
Despite appearing to move with ease, Oglesby stated that her dress was hefty. “It’s such a gorgeous dress. It’s stunning to look at, but it’s super heavy. It’s got to weigh a good 50 or 60 pounds,” she said. “I always feel like I’ve lost weight when I take it off.”
According to Oglesby, a team of about three people get her in and out of the dress each night. She also has to use an elevator to make her way onto the stage due to the outfit weighing her down. Notwithstanding all of these challenges, she expressed her gratitude for playing a part in a show that has become a holiday tradition for many in the Twin Cities.
Oglesby has performed locally at the Penumbra Theatre and Mixed Blood, and has traveled across the country for shows. She even served as an understudy on Broadway for Phylicia Rashad in the production of “A Raisin in the Sun.” Just taking a glance at Ogleby’s resume would lead many to believe she was a classically trained actress who sought the bright lights of theater from the beginning. But that wasn’t the case.
Having gone to school for finance, Oglesby worked as an accountant for the City of Chicago. It wasn’t until one fateful day in 1993, while she was reading a copy of the Chicago Sun-Times, that she ever considered stepping into the spotlight.
She saw an ad searching for vocalists to be in a musical called “Mens” at the Chicago Theatre Company. Aside from being a member of her church choir, Oglesby had no formal training, but once she sang at her audition, she nailed the role.
Nearly a decade later, Oglesby brought her talents to the Twin Cities when her husband, Rev. Dennis Oglesby, received an appointment at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church in 2001. From there she went on to star in several live productions and has landed on-screen roles in shows such as “Chicago P.D.” and films like “Queenpins.”
Oglesby said that she’s not alone in being able to work so often as a performer. From her experience, it’s possible to make a living as an actor in Minnesota. “It’s kind of a little well-known secret in the acting community.
“Most actors think that you’ve got to be in L.A., New York, Chicago, or Atlanta to make a living as an actor, and that’s so not true, especially if you are a theater actor.”
Oglesby is already preparing for her next role as she’s set to take the stage in late January for the debut of her play “Handprints” at the History Theatre in St. Paul. The show will run from Jan. 27 to Feb. 18 and is based on her autobiographical book “Mama ‘n ‘Nem, Handprints on My Life.”
The coming-of-age story began as a one-woman show, but through workshopping it, Oglesby stated that it became a “two-hander.” She also wrote original music for the show. Sanford Moore is the music director and Richard D. Thompson will serve as the show’s director.
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