Leighton Sosebee interview

Friday, October 29, 2021 – 4:30 p.m.

Leighton Sosebee is the costumer for The Yoknapatawpha Players.

Detectives Beckwith and Magee talked to her at the Yoknapatawph County Sheriff's Department.

Participants

• Detective P. Beckwith
• Detective J. Magee
• Leighton Sosebee

Detective Magee: Would you please state your name and address for the record?

Leighton Sosebee: Leighton Sosebee. When I'm not living at the theatre, I live at 1311 Beanland Drive.

Detective Beckwith: Are you sometimes homeless?

Leighton Sosebee: No, no. It's just a little joke. I spend a lot of time…uh…never mind.

Detective Magee: What's your affiliation with The Yoknapatawpha Players?

Leighton Sosebee: I costume the shows.

Detective Beckwith: All of them?

Leighton Sosebee: Yes.

Detective Magee: Are you employed by The Yoknapatawpha Players?

Leighton Sosebee: No, I'm an independent contractor. I own a costume shop, and the theatre company is one of my clients.

Detective Beckwith: Do you spend a lot of time at the theatre?

Leighton Sosebee: It depends.

Detective Magee: On what?

Leighton Sosebee: On what show is being produced. On whether I'm doing fittings or running rehearsals.

Detective Magee: Do you run rehearsals?

Leighton Sosebee: Dress rehearsals, yes. And by run, I mean dress the actors, quick changes backstage, that kind of thing. I sometimes train crew members to help backstage, and sometimes I'm backstage for the performances.

Detective Beckwith: Do you attend production meetings?

Leighton Sosebee: Yes.

Detective Magee: Are you close friends with anyone in the theatre company?

Leighton Sosebee: Well, yeah. Mostly crew. Not too many actors. Actors are a pain in the ass, and we crew members have a close bond.

Detective Beckwith: Who are you close to?

Leighton Sosebee: Cammy, and Scott, and Woody…uh…so, I guess now just Cammy and Woody. Cammy and I work together to make sure her makeup design and my costume design are in sync. But for the actors, Naboa's cool, and Nathan and Kyler, but I wouldn't say we were close. So, yeah.

Detective Magee: What about Woody?

Leighton Sosebee: What about Woody?

Detective Magee: Was my question confusing to you?

Leighton Sosebee: Well, no. Not confusing. Just…like…I didn't know what you were asking.

Detective Magee: Well, let's see if I can clear that up. You were telling us about your close relationships with people at the theatre company, and you mentioned that you were close to Cammy and Woody. You gave some specific information about Cammy, but not Woody. I'm asking you to be more specific about your relationship with Woody. Better?

Leighton Sosebee: Sure. Yes. I'm sorry, yes. Uh…well…absolutely. He and I are the last ones out of the theatre during production week. Like when we're running tech. So, we've become close. I mean, naturally, right? He helps me clean up the costumes, and I help him clear out the props. Like…you know…put stuff away.

Detective Beckwith: What about Anna? Are you close to her?

Leighton Sosebee: Yeah, Anna. Of course, Anna. I mean, she's awesome. I don't know if she'd say we were close, but we are friends, and we have similar artistic sensibilities.

Detective Magee: How so?

Leighton Sosebee: We both like to put on really theatrical productions. It's the point of live theatre, right? I mean, why bother with something ordinary? A billion theatres are producing ordinary work. I don't understand why she got so much flack about it.

Detective Magee: Flack from whom?

Leighton Sosebee: Mostly Cherie, but the other board members didn't always jump to Anna's defense. I can't imagine what everyone's afraid of. Even if Cherie took her money and went home, so what? There are other ways to get money that aren't soul-sucking.

Detective Magee: Are you not a fan of Cherie's?

Leighton Sosebee: To put it mildly, detective. She's a backstabbing, conniving piece of trash, always sniffing around for information to screw Anna. Always looking for a patsy to do her bidding.

Detective Beckwith: What makes you think that?

Leighton Sosebee: Cherie's methods are blatant, almost laughable. She isn't too subtle about asking. Beware the seemingly casual, "Hey, so, you…me…Vine and Swine? I'm just dying for a virgin mojito, but I hate to drink alone." That's Cherie-code for, "Hey, so I'm gunning for Anna, and I think I may be able to manipulate you into helping me do something crappy to her."

Detective Magee: You've seen her do this?

Leighton Sosebee: To me, personally. And to Cammy. And I'm sure to other people, but Cammy's the only person who's vented to me about it.

Detective Beckwith: Thank you. That's all for now. We'll be in touch if we need anything further.

Leighton Sosebee: Thank you, detective.

Interview ended – 4:44 p.m.