Mom and daughter are acting together

Growing up, Amy Dewberry Hancock loved theatre, especially musicals. She performed in her high school musicals, occasionally stepping onto the community theater stage.
“Then college and getting married and raising kids happened, and there really wasn’t much time for it,” she said.
When her daughter Lauren was old enough and joined a youth theater group, Amy helped with costumes. They both discovered a passion that they could share together.
“Lauren asked from the time she was really little to find her some acting classes or shows she could be in.  As soon as she was old enough, we signed her up and she’s loved it ever since,” said Amy.
“She loved it and I ended up becoming more deeply involved. I can’t even begin to describe how proud I am of her. Seeing how hard she has worked with some incredibly challenging roles and circumstances has been amazing.”
Lauren’s first stage role was Beast in a school production of “Beauty and the Beast.” It was an exciting experience, and definitely nurtured her interest toward the arts. She’s since performed in a number of local productions and was selected to participate in the Young Voice program for emerging playwrights under 18 at Players by the Sea. Her original script “Winter and I” was developed into a one-act play that will be produced along with “Barry Bianchi: Baltimore’s Best Bondsman An American Tragedy” written by Worth Culver June 7-16 on the Players’ studio stage.
“This play has been in my head for years now. When I was 11, I even wrote a novel centering around one of the main characters. When I heard about this program, I decided to try my hand at playwriting and found the format to be ideal for the concept of my story,” remarked Lauren, who is thrilled to bring her vision to life.
“Working with Players has been an eye-opening experience as I’ve learned to appreciate the complexity and sheer dedication it takes to bring a script from my mind and onto paper. I’m beyond grateful to have had this program’s help in molding my fictional world.”
When mother and daughter were both cast in the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, they were excited to perform together for Amy’s return to the stage. “We were so excited to do a show together,” recalled Amy. “I was a nervous wreck to perform again after so long and she was always my rock and mentor. She helped me so much. We’ve also been fortunate enough to do a couple of TV commercials together.”
Unfortunately, Lauren sprained her ankle and that prevented her from doing the show but she provided the same support for her mom that she’s given her through the years. “The first time I saw my mom onstage was actually last year in Curious Incident. I was so proud of her for doing what she’s always wanted to do.”
Even when they’re not directly involved in a show, they listen to scores in the car and talk about what’s coming to Broadway. Said Amy, “I think we’ve helped each other learn that we’re capable of so much more than we might think sometimes. It’s something we often remind each other.”