Patricia Kerrigan: Finding the essence of a character

Actor Patricia Kerrigan says that listening is a huge part of her role as Elizabeth Proctor, which she finds challenging because it’s hard to stand up on stage and listen. She believes that finding the essence of a character involves stripping away rather than adding; she allows her character not to explain herself too much at the start of the play but to let her follow her journey through Acts 3 and 4 where the audience gains a better understanding of Elizabeth.