Interview with Lisa Haas

Lisa Haas is an actor and comedy writer from New York City. She recently starred in the hit lesbian film Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same which has toured the country and was seen at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Lisa Haas took a few minutes to talk to Lesbian Life about what it’s like to play a lesbian who falls in love with an alien, how she got her start in writing and acting and all about Doris Anderson, the character she created who has taken on a life of her own.

Lesbian Life: I recently saw you in Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks the Same. What a fun and quirky movie. How did you get involved?

The director and screenwriter of “Codependent,” Madeleine Olnek, is also a playwright. I have been in several of her very funny plays over the last ten years or so. So, I was thrilled when she asked me to be in the film!

Your character is kind of a romantic idealist who lives in her own reality. How much are you like her?

I admire Jane – in some ways, she is the kind of person I wish I really were. Even when a dark cloud is following her, she still soldiers on. In real life, my idealism gets crushed pretty fast. I think Jane is in a much better place than I am.

Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks the Same has gotten some great reviews and was even a selection at the Sundance Film Festival. Did all the attention surprise you?

Yes and no! I have seen several other short films by Olnek, which were Sundance selections: Hold Up and Countertransference. Both of these films are wickedly funny and performed by a fantastic ensemble of actors. I find the way Olnek chooses to unfold a story to be utterly captivating. On a personal level though, it’s been completely thrilling that the film has screened at Sundance and so many other film festivals around the world.

It appears this is a very low budget film. Was it really, or is that just part of the quirky effects?

It is a low budget, independent film, which certainly lends itself to capturing the look of a 1950’s sci-fi B movie.

You’re a comedy writer and actor. How did you get your start?

I was a theatre major in college and was interested in developing new material for live performance – so I ended up having to actually write that material. I love comedy because when something makes me laugh it’s usually because it’s a surprise. So much of our entertainment media (TV, film, etc.) follows a very specific and predictable pattern in terms of storytelling and I find it hard to be surprised, interested or entertained by that. So I at least want to be able to laugh! Plus, when people laugh, their defenses drop, which is an opportune time in story-telling to share a piece of information that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Tell us about some of your other projects.

I am part of a creative team and we have developed a twisted-queer comedy for live performance titled “In Heat.”

I follow Doris Anderson on Twitter and am a friend of hers on Facebook. I just realized Doris Anderson is a character created by YOU! What can you tell me about her?

Funny you should ask because Doris Anderson is the character I created for “In Heat.” Doris is a lesbian in her early 60’s who has taken stock of sexual and gender evolution and revolution that has been taking place in the last several decades. She has realized that within the upcoming generation, no one wants to be just a plain lesbian anymore. Consequently, she is the founder of The Self-Identified Lesbian Community Center, which is a cultural hospice for the last of the lesbians. Everyone should friend her on Facebook! She has a lot of great advice to dispense.

What are you currently working on? What’s next for Lisa Haas?

The next show I am working on with my “In Heat” team is, “Doris Anderson: A Second Life.” Our team is based in NYC, but please let us know if you want Doris Anderson to come to a city near you. We can arrange for her to reach out to your group, university or community.

For More about Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same, check out the Facebook page.