Talking About Theater

I had another post lined up for today, but I think I probably need to sit on it instead. Depression appears to have come back full force this week, and I'm not sure that what I wrote was constructive or useful in any way. So instead, I'll be answering one of the last few remaining questions from my last round of blog requests at Ask.fm!

This question is actually a whole series of questions about acting in plays, so let's dive on in and answer!

What was your favorite play you've ever acted in?

Well, let me say this first -- I definitely prefer directing to acting. I can act all right, but it's sometimes more stress and effort than it is rewarding. It's a very vulnerable task, and that can be difficult. So, honestly, I really enjoy being in the ensemble. It lets me be part of the cast and spread the joy without having as much pressure put on me directly. Plus, then if there are dancing numbers they can quietly put me in the back and my crappy dancing won't be so obvious. :-)

So I really loved being part of a busy ensemble in Beauty and the Beast and the Christmas revues we did at Huntington. Individual roles I liked playing were generally in smaller shows -- an overly melodramatic actress in the one-act play The Actor's Nightmare, an elderly man in the one-act play The Bear, a soap opera parody in one of my favorite NLDC skits.

First play you acted in?

The first one I remember that wasn't just made up by me and my siblings (I acted in those all the time) was a Christmas play at our church. One of those shows where every kid had a line. I don't remember my line, but I do remember that I also did some sort of square dance.

I played an angel at the very end of the show, when everyone was in some sort of nativity costume, but apparently I got bored singing all the Christmas carols I already knew. If you watch the video we have of the play, there's one part where I am making up my own hand motions and gestures to go along with the lyrics. The girl next to me turns to see what I'm doing and I immediately stop and just sing normally.

Play or role you wish you could act in some day?

Gosh. There are a lot of roles I'd love to play, but very few of those are parts I'd ever realistically get. But what the heck, I'll dream big. As far as musicals, I'd love to play Veronica in Heathers, Cathy in The Last Five Years, the wicked fairy in Sleeping Beauty Wakes, and Tracy in Hairspray. For straight plays, I'd choose Laura in The Glass Menagerie, Vivian in Wit, one of the aunts in Arsenic and Old Lace, and Agnes from Bug.

Would you ever act in a movie? 

If the opportunity came up, sure. I think acting in movies is way less scary than acting on stage (although also less interesting). I'd like being able to do it multiple times in the moment until I got it right. I'd probably never watch my own movie, though. Watching myself act is weird and uncomfortable.