Fill Us In: Robin Frohardt

Welcome to Fill Us In, our rapid fire fill-in-the-blank Q&A inspired by the famous Proust questionnaire where we take a peek inside the minds of Carolina Performing Arts’ artists.   

In this edition, we’re talking with artist, director, and puppeteer Robin Frohardt, who premiered Plastic Bag Store at CURRENT ArtSpace + Studio as part of her CPA/Mellon DisTIL Fellowship in 2018.

Carolina Performing Arts: What is the best way to start your day?
Robin Frohardt: Coffee.

CPA: What is the worst way to start your day?
RF: No coffee, no access to coffee, and no information on when there might be coffee.

CPA: What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever given someone else?
RF: Don’t waste your youth trying to be an adult.

CPA: What is your idea of a perfect day?
RF: A long breakfast followed by surfing or cycling, then several hours in the studio kicking ass followed by a fun dinner party with friends that goes way too late and turns into a dance party with, like, five people in a kitchen.

CPA: How do you hope others describe you in three words or less?
RF: Tall, loyal, hilarious.

CPA: What would the title of your memoir be?
RF: “Cardboard, Plastic Bags, and Best Friends –– The Robin Frohardt Story”

CPA: What smell can transport you back to your childhood?
RF: Old library books.

CPA: If you had a motto, what would it be?
RF: “Be Brathe,” something I used to say as kid before I could pronounce the word brave. It mostly applied to falling down and skinning my knee, but I find it useful in my day to day

CPA: What is your favorite meal?
RF: A perfectly ripe peach.

CPA: What thing is necessary for you to make art?
RF: Time. Lots of time.

CPA: What person do you most admire?
RF: My mother.

CPA: If you weren’t an artist, what would your profession be?
RF: A comedian.

CPA: What do you splurge on?
RF: Art supplies and plane tickets.

CPA: If you could transform into an animal, what animal would you be?
RF: An Australian magpie.

CPA: Ocean, pool, or bathtub?
RF: Ocean!

CPA: What advice do you have for artists just starting out?
RF: Just keep going, keep making. It might take longer than you think.

The Spark with Tift Merritt featuring Robin Frohardt originally aired on Thursday, May 6, 2021.