Okay, we're recording now, but act like we're not recording.
We're not recording. This is my natural voice. Its FREE!
So how are you feeling, right now, in this moment?
I'm feeling good. I'm in a place where I'm ready to work harder than I've been working. Not that I haven't been working but its like "okay and now its the next step", which is a good place to be.
What are you working on right now? Because I have no idea. Its not like I live with you or anything.
I'm trying to explain if you just...PLEASE?! [laughs] This is gonna be a terrible interview, you're going to have to cut a lot of it. What was I saying?
I asked you what you're working on right now.
OH! [in a funny voice] I'm doing a production of Twelfth Nigh?t by Shakespeare? Its really be been interesting process![regular voice] No umm..
It hasn't been an interesting process?
No I just need to calm down and answer these questions. Maybe a little bit of this in it is okay but definitely not all of it. PAUSE. I'm playing Malvolio in Twelfth Night. And I've been working on two monologues and a scene. AND a devised piece that we're going to perform on the common next to the main stage.
Whats the monologue you're doing?
I'm working on Hamlet's first soliloquy. Its a pretty intense soliloquy. Its been a challenge but I also think its been rewarding. Its like "I'm being confronted with things I need to deal with" as an actor.
Why got you here? How did fate bring you to Wellesley, Massachusetts for the CSC Apprentice Program?
Well I attended a workshop from Commonwealth and I really just enjoyed getting to work on my piece, really getting to work on it in a way I've felt like I've never been able to work on things. It was with Adam Sanders - Adam Sandler.
I actually had professor who told us that Adam Sandler was coming to our school to do a workshop.
They must've been disappointed. Well actually they'd probably be more disappointed if it was Adam Sandler.
Yeah, I feel like Adam Sandler wouldn't give good advice for performing Shakespeare.
Yeah, like he's great and all but...but yeah I don't know, I just really enjoyed the experience and he advertised a little about the program and I was interested and I applied and I got in!
What did you audition with?
I auditioned with Edmund's bastard speech from King Lear which is funny because they're doing King Lear now. Mine was a different interpretation though (laughs).
Well now that we're like two thirds into the program, what's been your favorite moment so far? Or two moments? Three is pushing it.
That's a great question. This has been a great experience overall. I don't want to leave anything out so its hard to pick my favorite. I've really just enjoyed creating relationships with people here. I feel like I'm learning how to do that onstage and I'm learning how to do it in real life. And its great to meet people who are not only just as serious as you are about all this but who are also fun to hang out with and talk about weird stuff with.
I see you're growing out some facial hair.
Oh no! I'm doing this for my character, Malvolio. I don't if its appropriate for the role but I decided to do it because I intuitively felt I needed facial hair to play this role. Initially I wanted it to be mutton chops but now I'm just going to let it be what it is. I'm not going to pretend its something else. So yeah, I'm making some bold hair choices both facial and top of head.
Can you elaborate more on that?
No. I will not. Come see Twelfth Night, its a fun show.
What got you into theatre?
I didn't really start doing theatre until this one summer I went to a sleep away camp and I took a rock climbing class and I was just very unhappy in that class. You know I just felt like I really didn't want to be rock climbing, mostly because of the physical activity that was involved. And I remember crying to my friend and being like "I don't want to do rock climbing, I just want to be in a play" because I knew they were doing a play but I didn't go to the auditions. And she was like, "why don't you just ask them if they'll let you do it" and so I did. And after that I slowly starting doing a little more serious stuff and it all just kind of escalated since that point.
What do you do to prepare for a performance or a rehearsal?
What I try to do, and I don't always stick to this, but I think its better to have prepare whatever I need to have prepared the night before. So when I'm first getting to the theatre I'd rather be in a place where I can just get energized and not have to worry.
Can you describe yourself in three Shakespearean characters?
No. NO! I don't think I can.
Okay.
No wait, let me try. Who would I be? I'm not Malvolio am I? I don't think so. Not completely but kind of...
No, I know what you mean because when I was asked that question I just wanted to say the three past parts I'd played because those were the ones I was most connected to.
Yeah! Also I at the same time its like I really don't want to connect with Malvolio. In life that's NOT who I wanna be. I don't know what my three characters would be. What do you think?
Umm...for you? Hmmmm....WAIT! No! This is your interview, you've got to answer the questions!
Just give me one.
[Thinking] Well now I've got to go through all the plays I know and think of all the characters in each of them...
Get out the complete works...
Read all the plays...
[pause]
Yeah, Lets move on we can get back to that.
Do you have a favorite play? If it would make it easier you can give me a Comedy, History, and a Tragedy.
That's a lot. I'll say I've always really liked Macbeth. I feel like even though the character of Macbeth is written so specifically he could really be anyone. Every single person could say those words and mean it and they would be Macbeth. I'm so excited to see the all-female Macbeth. From what they've told me they've explored so many different sides of the story.
If you had to pick between playing M or Lady M, which would you pick?
How dare you? Lady M.
What do you enjoy about acting Shakespeare opposed to modern text?
I feel like I've learned a lot more about acting in general through acting Shakespeare.
Okay so for this next question, you've built the first time machine and you use it to go back to the 1590s/early 1600s, but the time machine works only for a few minutes and you get to ask Shakespeare one question. What is your question?
I'd probably ask him what he meant by his work in terms of performance.
So you'd ask him to coach you on a monologue?
Yeah. No, I would just be like "Shakespeare, get out of here. This is my theatre. Who do you think you are?"
Well put. Well that's about it! Is there anything you'd like to add? Anyone you'd like to complain about or someone you want to praise? Or...
I didn't eat a lot today.
What did you have for dinner?
I didn't have dinner.
Aaron!
What did you have for dinner?
I went to the dinning hall and had some chicken parm and then I had some ice cream. Is that it?
Yup.
Alright! The end.
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