What is your role in this production? In the musical I play an FBI agent and a Sailor, but mainly I'm a part of the chorus. My character is flat, and as shallow as they come, drooling over whichever lady comes close enough for me to see. (Especially Erma)What brought you out for this production? This is my first musical theatre production. It was recommended to me by a friend of my wife's as a good way to get my feet wet in the musical theatre world.
What is your background in theatre? A computer geek by trade, and a chess nerd in my spare time, the majority of my theatre experience has been acting in church Christmas productions over the years. Musical theatre, as stated above, is entirely new to me. I have sung in choirs and quartets before, and even sung in a choir in plays that also had music, but I wouldn't really call them musicals. And I have never tried to dance, sing, and act simultaneously! This is also my first experience with the Walterdale. If the words 'charming' and 'quaint' did not have a patronizing feel to them, I'd use them to describe the Walterdale. But they do, so I won't, and so I cannot quite put to words the feelings I get in such a beautiful old theatre.
My biggest challenge? I love to surprise people, but I cannot in this instance. Not and be honest. I have a hard time walking and chewing gum at the same time, so tapping while singing is a very big stretch for me. It is a stretch, however, that I have very much enjoyed! I so appreciate the level of patience others have shown with me as I stumble through, sometimes getting the steps right, and sometimes getting the notes right, and sometimes being fully immersed in my character. Just not all three at the same time yet. I'm getting there, though!
How true is Anything Goes about me? What a deep philosophical question. It deserves a deep, philosophical answer. But you'll just have to take what I can come up with. I believe that everyone draws 'moral' lines somewhere. (I suppose sociopaths are an exception). I think the reason that the "Anything Goes" philosophy manages to stand out without being rejected by society is that it pushes the envelope really far in the lyrics, but only just far enough to be a little shocking in practice. So it ends up being humorous rather than rebellious. Don't believe me? I think you would if I showed up in a state of undress to our next practice… (Don't worry I won't) I think it an excellent practice for everyone to think deeply about what moral lines they have drawn, and where they come from!
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