From Reston’s Community Stage to the Big Screen

by Ellyn Wexler, Staff Writer

Schreiner benefited from growing up in the Reston art community. Photo courtesy of June Schreiner.

June Schreiner’s journey from local theater to leading roles in film and television has been anything but ordinary. Raised in Reston, Schreiner discovered her love for performing at a young age. She honed her craft on community stages before heading to college. Now, with her movie “When I’m Ready,” available to rent on Apple TV and Spectrum, hometown audiences can see her work.

Schreiner grew up in a family immersed in the artistic life. Her father, Bill, had a career in theater and television before transitioning into technology. Her mother, the late Dana Andersen, played an integral role in fostering her artistic growth, driving her daughter to rehearsals and immersing herself in the Reston Community Players [RCP], which Schreiner calls her “artistic home.”

"Sometimes I thought they only cast me in shows because they wanted my mom around," Schreiner joked. "My dad is the best director I’ve ever had—he helped me work through tricky moments, both artistically and in the business side of acting."

At age 8, Schreiner was inspired to try acting when her cousin landed a community theater role. She soon found herself on stage at RCP, the McLean Community Players, Arena Stage, and Synetic Family Theater, performing throughout her high school years at The Madeira School. Her breakout role came in “Oklahoma!” at Arena Stage, where she played Ado Annie, earning praise from critics.

The influence of her family remained strong as she pursued acting. Meanwhile, her older brother, Quinn, took a different path, working as a systems engineer in Northern California. “We like to say I followed my dad’s first career in the arts, and my brother followed his second career in tech,” she said.

Still, Schreiner emphasized, “My parents never pushed me; they told me, ‘Be careful, it’s a hard life,’ but they supported my choices because they saw the joy acting gave me.”

After graduating from Tulane University, Schreiner returned to acting. She earned her Screen Actors Guild card with a one-line role on the TV series “Bosch” (2016), and later appeared in TV’s “NCIS” (2017) and the critically acclaimed film “Voodoo Macbeth” (2021).

Her role in “When I’m Ready” is significant, both professionally and personally. She plays Rose, a young woman navigating a journey of self-discovery in an uncertain world. "From my first read of the script, I knew Rose required a delicate balance of playfulness and despair," Schreiner recalled. "She moves between feeling silly and feeling somber, often in the same breath."

The film’s tight 19-day shooting schedule across 22 locations forced Schreiner to trust her instincts. "We were constantly filming, saying lines for the first time while the cameras were rolling. It was a lesson in trusting the prep and allowing the character to come through naturally," she said.

The role also had a lasting personal impact. "I struggle with acceptance the same way Rose does," Schreiner observed. "Experiencing the pain of resistance and the relief of acceptance through her helped me build that pathway for myself. We learn from our characters by letting them inside of us. We judge them, love them, misunderstand them, and if we’re lucky, they help us see things we alone could not."

One of the film’s most emotional aspects is a scene featuring her mother. "They were looking for someone to play my grandmother, and I recommended my mom. She was cast, and she’s the best part of the movie," Schreiner said. "That scene is incredibly special to me. I will cherish having this experience forever."

Schreiner is expanding into directing and producing. She recently assistant-directed a play at Brooklyn’s Adult Film theater company and directed a documentary about the making of a six-meter-tall art installation for the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Colombia. She’s also working on a passion project, guiding creative meditation workshops.

As for what’s next, Schreiner will star in the film “Paradise,” a drama set in a West Virginia coal town that is slated for release later this year. "My director describes my character as ‘made of gravel’—she’s a scrappy mountain mama who fights for her family," she said.

Schreiner also hopes to explore a wider range of characters: "I really want to inhabit more wild women--women of the earth, women who make daisy chains, who run barefoot, who fight for their kids, and who wonder about the galaxy. Maidens, mothers, crones, and everything in between."

Through it all, Schreiner remains grateful for the foundation Reston gave her. Her advice for young actors? "Get curious about everything. Appreciate your parents. Be a good friend. Your humanity is the foundation of your acting—protect it, nurture it, and let it grow alongside your craft."