What gets you excited about returning to work at Vermont Stage again after THE QUARRY?
Vermont Stage offers a completely professional and collaborative theater experience for all modes of theater artists. The production teams are first-rate and their efforts create a rehearsal environment anchored in trust and support, which allows for actor vulnerability and experimentation with bold choices. Once a VSC show opens, the smart and appreciative audiences, including the loyal season subscribers and dedicated board members, fill the seats and offer their participation in the collaboration, completing the circular flow of energy between actor and audience.
What character are you playing and how would you describe him to someone?
I'm playing Spike, an attention craving, aspiring actor. He's very loving, but not all there. There's a Seinfeld episode where Elaine dates a guy that Jerry calls a "Mimbo"...a male bimbo. That's Spike. Women, fitness, and food motivate most of his day-to-day decisions and he brings chaos into a room whenever he enters.
How have you been preparing to take on this role?
One of the requirements of the actor who gets the opportunity to play Spike is to have a believably fit body. So, in addition to my usual script analysis and character exploration, I've been training hard at Crossfit TT in South Burlington, and eating a high protein, low carbohydrate diet. As Spike says, "If you got it, flaunt it", so I've made a great effort towards that demand. My approach to character work generally starts from a physical place. Once I get the sense of a character in my body, their motivations and active choices are more intellectually accessible to me. With Spike, in particular, I've discovered that I personally connect with his athleticism and I can use that as a way into understanding the decisions he makes. It also gives me the opportunity to highlight the strong physical aspects of him in the performance.
What is your favorite line in the show?
There are so many great lines in this show. They're funny out of context, and even funnier in context. You should definitely see this show for the full effect, but in this specific moment, I guess my favorite line is, "No, I can just strip to my underwear...see you later babe, I'm gonna go cool off in the pond." Haha...soooo Spike.
What would you like the audience to be thinking about after the show?
I would like the audience to be thinking that their jaw and abs hurt because they couldn't stop smiling and laughing for the previous two hours.
Vermont Stage offers a completely professional and collaborative theater experience for all modes of theater artists. The production teams are first-rate and their efforts create a rehearsal environment anchored in trust and support, which allows for actor vulnerability and experimentation with bold choices. Once a VSC show opens, the smart and appreciative audiences, including the loyal season subscribers and dedicated board members, fill the seats and offer their participation in the collaboration, completing the circular flow of energy between actor and audience.
What character are you playing and how would you describe him to someone?
I'm playing Spike, an attention craving, aspiring actor. He's very loving, but not all there. There's a Seinfeld episode where Elaine dates a guy that Jerry calls a "Mimbo"...a male bimbo. That's Spike. Women, fitness, and food motivate most of his day-to-day decisions and he brings chaos into a room whenever he enters.
How have you been preparing to take on this role?
One of the requirements of the actor who gets the opportunity to play Spike is to have a believably fit body. So, in addition to my usual script analysis and character exploration, I've been training hard at Crossfit TT in South Burlington, and eating a high protein, low carbohydrate diet. As Spike says, "If you got it, flaunt it", so I've made a great effort towards that demand. My approach to character work generally starts from a physical place. Once I get the sense of a character in my body, their motivations and active choices are more intellectually accessible to me. With Spike, in particular, I've discovered that I personally connect with his athleticism and I can use that as a way into understanding the decisions he makes. It also gives me the opportunity to highlight the strong physical aspects of him in the performance.
What is your favorite line in the show?
There are so many great lines in this show. They're funny out of context, and even funnier in context. You should definitely see this show for the full effect, but in this specific moment, I guess my favorite line is, "No, I can just strip to my underwear...see you later babe, I'm gonna go cool off in the pond." Haha...soooo Spike.
What would you like the audience to be thinking about after the show?
I would like the audience to be thinking that their jaw and abs hurt because they couldn't stop smiling and laughing for the previous two hours.
