How long have you been involved in theatre? I started doing theatre when I was 6 by doing drama camps with the St. Albert Children's Theatre. I also performed in several shows with them and found a love for performing. I graduated from Victoria School of Performing and Visual Arts where I did several more shows and gained some directing experience. Currently, I am exploring my play writing side and writing several plays. I have co-founded an improvisational comedy group called Beerprov that performs bi-weekly at Avenue Theatre, and have also co-founded the Kazoodles, an emerging theatre for young audiences group that aims at telling stories to children through songs, play and empowerment. With regards to Walterdale, I have been fortunate enough to act in three shows: The Mail Order Bride, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and The Threepenny Opera.What are you doing in this show? My role for this this production is Bob the Saw and I also play a Beggar. Bob is one of the criminals in Mackie's (Mac the Knife) Gang. Bob is one of four gang members that is "employed' by Mac to carry out his dirty work. Bob is a pickpocket who has very little talent. As such, he is a bit of an underling int he gang. He tries to fit in but can't quite reach the same level of intimidation as the other three gang members. He is also quieter and looks up to Matt, the second in command.
Why did you come out for this show? I auditioned for this show out of curiosity. I had heard a lot about this musical and how dark and gritty it was and wanted to see if the team would want me to be a part of it. Most musicals I have been a part of have been very ritzy and jazzy and I was curious about how different this show would be. Another thing that drew me to this show was the team. I had worked with most of them before and really wanted another chance to work with them again.
What has the work been like for you? I love trying to portray lower-class cockney. It's so gritty and raw in its execution that I love trying to speak like these criminals do, interact with others like these criminals do, and sing songs like they would. At the same time, trying to speak in a consistent cockney accent has been the hardest part of the show! It's so specific with it's regions that I have struggled with not letting it slip into another region or even another country!
What do you think audiences will take away from the show? I hope the audience will get a chance to peek at a sector of society that they do not think of often. The lives these characters lead are not lives of typical Canadians, and as such, the mundane activities and encounters these characters deal with on a day to day basis may surprise audiences. That to me is a very important part of theatre. It's important for us as humans to glimpse at other lives than our own and feel sympathy, be moved and even reflect. Ultimately that is what I hope the audience gets out of this play. That and hopefully a few laughs!
We would not take our own lives so seriously if we focused on this one line from the show:
A kick in the pants is just another kick in the pants!
* Photo: Douglas Dollars Stewart
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