100 Women We Love

by Melody Wells, editor

July 9, 2007

Sonora Chase
Chase is redefining theatre stereotypes. "If I had the choice I would do queer work all the time," says the actress, who specializes in sketch comedy and Shakespeare. Queer and lesbian roles are limited in theatre, and Chase now considers working in straight roles in all-straight casts to be her greatest activism. She's appeared on Chappelle’s Show (as the obstetrician to deliver Dave and Oprah's love child) and in numerous commercials and off-off-Broadway productions including Parallel Lives: The Kathy and Mo Show (as Mo) and Powder Puff Sketch Comedy. Chase is also creating a professional queer casting database that will revolutionize the market for queer (and queer-seeming) actors. It will allow casting directors to find the queer actors who are so often not represented by agents "because agents think they can't get you work if you seem queer," Chase says. Look for that in about a year. –NS