Such idealism also comes with a practical side. Having begun ballet lessons at age 3 while growing up in Middlesex, N.J., she knew by age 4 that she would have a life in the theater. During backstage moments, she was always curious how any given theatrical mechanism worked, who did what, and how much it cost. With her position in Actors' Equity (which she will relinquish), she learned how to negotiate contracts. She's aware that PTC has sometimes been used as a trial ground in collaborations that can involve other regional theaters, as well as New York producers. "But I would choose my partners carefully," she says.