Posts with the label interview
Showing posts with label interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label interview. Show all posts
Tuesday 12 September 2017
In Conversation With... Marta Jorgensen | Donny and the Sun King | Interview
I am all about helping new writing because who doesn't want something fresh? So when Marta Jorgensen contacted me about her show which she has written and is currently trying to raise funds for, I was very intrigued and excited to talk to her about her process and what she's trying to do...
What got you into writing?
In my thirties I was married to a songwriter who ran off with his songwriting partner. In the beginning the urge to write was spurred on by wanting to get even. But as time goes by, one realises that revenge is a dish best left in the ice box. I was ready to throw it out and just write. Screenplays, songs, a lot of political writing and opinion pieces.
I found it nice to be published until… well you know, then you get a rebuttal. I ran for political office in the US and wrote extensively for that. Sustainability, Straight Talk and Citizen Activism. Politics is like theatre and that inspired several songs about politics and media. From those songs came the play.
Has it always been a passion of yours?
No, but singing has been since watching tiny Michael Jackson onstage at a young age singing like an adult. I wanted to be on stage at six years old. I caught a fame bug.
Can you explain what Donny the musical is about?
Donny is done as a play within a play or a kind of Metatheatre. I use this literary device; it is Rhoda’s inner workings, her mind and her thoughts, her emotional state. Freud talks about the dream within a dream and Shakespeare used it with success. The play talks about itself and is aware of itself. In the story she brings her family into her imagination, they sing about it, she sings about how she wants to write an ending she can live with. Rhoda in her dialogue calls attention to the plot and how it is not going her way. Characters give advice to her about what others should do.
Rhoda Haynes, a quirky New York playwright has a grudge against Frenchy King and his lying King Media Empire. Rhoda and her family are suing King Media over fake stories written about them. She can’t do anything or say anything to jeopardise it. But, she wants to get even. Hubert, Rhoda’s husband tells her to write and get it off her chest. So Rhoda, sitting at her desk, starts banging away on an old fashioned typewriter. She starts a play called “Donny and the Sun King”. Here is the story as she creates it - inserting herself and her family members, husband Hubert Haynes, daughter Blaze Haynes, as themselves (Rhoda Haynes, a playwright, Blaze Haynes, Rhoda’s daughter, a famous singer and Hubert Haynes, a Congressman). Just like in real life, the character family debates with Rhoda about plot issues involving them. Rhoda wants an ending she can live with so she tries to write one.
What made you write this show?
From the 80’s to now media has evolved and taken over our lives to an extent that we have lost control of it. Standing at the checkout counter you see name after name splashed there about some affair or travesty they had, then later you read the paper got sued for writing a fake story. Now everyday it’s on the Internet. I started this play three years ago with just that in mind. Now it’s done and we have Mr. Trump in office and all anyone talks about is fake news. So I have tapped into the zeitgeist of the times. But to tell you the truth, I have a fascination with the tabloid world. I love headlines like I married Bigfoot; Aliens are Living in my Basement. Frenchy King sings about these kinds of stories.
The subject is extremely relevant, what made you choose it?
The subject chose itself. How can you not write about it? It is today’s reality. How else can you write about Perry’s Poorhouse, Rhoda’s concept of Hell, a combination of Don Giovanni and Married with children and get away with it. Tabloid media lends itself to fanciful worlds and situations.
You’re raising the money for a score through Hatchfund, can you tell us a little about that?
Yes, Hatchfund is an arts crowd funding organisation. You have to submit to get accepted. They give you an account manager who baby sits you through the crowd funding process. They have a 75% success rate. I am raising money to hire a studio in Santa Barbara CA, Hidden City Studios and its owner, Elliot Lanam, to help flesh out the play songs and other music.
It’s a long process and the biggest part of producing a musical of course. I need $4000 to $5000 to meet my goal by October 31, 2017. There are 19-20 songs with names like My Story, Ratings R Us, Donny’s Lament, Hope and Pride, Perry’s Poorhouse, Babel, Ball and Chain, What’s in a Word, Lower Slobovia. The music is a mix of styles, kids have their sound, the media upper class have their sound and the Rhoda and her family have a sound of their own. All pulled together by a thematic through line.
Did you model the characters on anyone you know?
Well yes, but I might not be able to divulge that. LOL. I don’t want to be sued. That would be too much like the story acting out itself.
But I have to say there is a lot of Rhoda Haynes in me. If you want to know what parts you will have to read the play and donate to the cause. Then I might reveal it.
If you could sum the show in 5 words what would they be?
Beware of writers with grudges.
Hilarious, satirical and very entertaining.
What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring writers?
Go to school and learn it right. Treat writing like a job but be yourself. Or if you are not yourself, after you write for awhile you will find yourself. Then maybe you might want to lose yourself.
Listen to the small still voice in your head at 5 AM saying get up I have a scene I want to work on. That’s the muse. Or it could be the TV. Most of my work comes while walking in nature. Writing is channeling the universe. A wise man once said that and I find it to be true.
Sunday 3 September 2017
In Conversation With... Stacey McClean and Stevi Ritchie | Sword and the Dope | Interview
Sword and the Dope is a musical retelling of the story of King Arthur, written by a dyslexic who can not read or write music but wrote the show as a bet/joke with a friend. It has now gone out for over 150 shows at three different venues prior to this run. Sword and the Dope stars Stacey McClean and Stevi Ritchie who sat down with Rewrite This Story to talk all about the show.
Can you both give a brief overview of your career and what your highlights have been?
Stacey: I was once a member of pop band S Club Juniors. Highlights from my time in the band were probably performing a Wembley and for the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Also getting down to the final 24 and performing for Kylie in Dubai when I went to the judges houses for X Factor.
Stevi: I started performing at the age of 15 at my high school in Grease the musical and played Kenickie. I've always loved performing but got many knock backs. But 2014 I entered the X Factor and since then life has changed.
You’re both musicians, how has the transition to concert performances to musical theatre been?
Stacey: In ways it is very different. Put me on stage with a mic and a band and I can do it with my eyes closed, but theatre is a little more challenging for me. It's a lot more intense, there is a lot of preparation involved and a lot more a stake.
Stevi: For me it's been amazing and I've always loved musical theatre I trained at LSMT. Playing a prince in this show is great and taking me out of my comfort zone but I love it.
Can you explain what The Sword and the Dope is about?
Stacey: Sword and the Dope is a comedy musical with a politics edge. Think Monty Python, Black Adder and politics in a way you have never seen!
Stevi: A sideways telling of King Arthur with a modern day political twist. One review said British humour at it's best with great musical numbers, for me that sums it up well.
What drew you to the production? Are your characters anything like you?
Stacey: I play Sir Lancelot, a Knight who is a huge fan of the Green Party, so nothing like me really as I'm not into politics in the slightest. My character reminds me of Hermione from Harry Potter, slightly irritating, bit of a know it all who no one wants to listen to. The script was what sold it for me initially, I laughed my head off when I first read it.
Stevi: I loved the script and especially the songs they are amazing. The character is similar to me it's cheesy and he loves singing.
The Sword and the Dope is a retelling of the story of King Arthur, if you could retell any story which would you choose?
Stacey: Amy Winehouse, now that would be a fantastic role!
Stevi: I would retell the story of maybe Bruce Lee or Elvis Presley or Freddy Mercury.
Can you sum up the show in five words?
Stacey: Funny, ridiculous, offensive, rude and camp!
Stevi: Witty, camp,cheesy,Funny,eccentric.
Is there a play or musical you’ve seen recently that you loved?
Stacey: I have been to see Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour at the Duke twice now I loved it so much.
Do you have any dream roles?
Stacey: Dream role would probably be Sophie in Mamma Mia, the lead vocal in Thriller and anything Disney!
Stevi: Yes, Thenadier in Les Mis or Kenickie in Grease.
Whats a fun fact people might not know about you?
Stacey: I was one belt away from a Black Belt in Taekwondo when I was 7 but I gave it up because I wanted to sing!
Stevi: Think everyone knows everything about me due to the press and being in the public eye.
What’s your best piece of advice for an aspiring performer?
Stacey: You have to have a thick skin in the industry otherwise you won't survive. The amount of times you get knocked back is not necessarily a reflection of how good you are, and that's something you have to be prepared for. I'm a firm believer that you get out what you put in.
Stevi: Just keep going and be you.
Thank you Stacey and Stevi for this interview. The Sword and The Dope is on at Waterloo East Theatre from Tuesday 5th September until Sunday 1st October.
Interview by Olivia Mitchell, Editor
*this is a sponsored post*
Interview by Olivia Mitchell, Editor
*this is a sponsored post*
Tuesday 29 August 2017
In Conversation With... Louis Dempsey | The Weir | Interview
Louis Dempsey has an extensive list of credits to his name including film, television and theatre. He will soon be starring in the English Touring Theatre's production of Conor McPherson's, The Weir which opens on September 8th at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester.
For anyone that doesn’t know, can you explain a little about your career and highlights so far?
I trained with Cygnet Training Theatre in Exeter. I've appeared in numerous stage productions including the original West End production of Stones in his Pockets, Romans in Britain at The Crucible, Sheffield, Taming of the Shrew at The Globe, Juno and the Paycock at Bristol Old Vic, Some Voices at The Young Vic, Brothers of the Brush at Liverpool Everyman. I've also appeared in another Conor McPherson play, The Seafarer, at The Lyric Theatre, Belfast.
On screen I've appeared in films such as Troy, Cloud Atlas, Shooters, Revolver, Grabbers, Six Bullets, Omagh, The Last Drop. I've also popped up on tv screens in Holby City, Waterloo Road, Sea of Souls and, of course, The Bill.
Highlight of my career so far? Hmm. Probably Troy because it was an amazing experience to be part of a huge Hollywood blockbuster movie with all that entails.
Have you always aspired to be a performer or did you have a different career path in mind when you were younger?
I never had any ambitions to become an actor. Where I grew up in Dublin your ambitions rarely went further than getting a job and a drink! I loved films as a child but I always assumed that actors came from Planet Actor. The idea that I might one day be up there on screen myself seemed utterly ridiculous.
What drew you to the role of Finbar in The Weir?
I don't know if one could say I was drawn to the role. My agent called, asked if I was interested in taking a meeting for a touring production of The Weir. I knew something of the play and having done The Seafarer (also by Conor McPherson) I was curious. When I read Finbar I kind of got where he was coming from but only in a very rough way.
When people come to see this production of The Weir they can expect to hear the best story they will hear all year! No doubt at all.
Can you sum up the show in five words?
Hmm. Funny. Poignant. Scary. Moving. Uplifting.
How is the 20th anniversary production of The Weir bringing something new to the modern classic?
Well I have never seen a production of The Weir so I cannot compare but I will say that The Weir is such a complete story, with so many layers and revelations about life, love, sadness, joy, heartbreak and happiness that I don't think it is even accurate to describe it as a modern classic. The Weir is simply a classic, regardless of when it was written or set.
What’s a fun fact people may not know about you?
Prince Charles once asked me to have a drink with him. I did. It was fun.
If you could go back to any era, when would you go to and why?
Well, I'm not a big fan of the past. I suspect that if I did travel back in time to a bygone era, people there would say "What the hell are you doing here??!! There's no email and toilets haven't been invented. Are you crazy???”
What’s your best piece of advice for an aspiring performer?
You have two eyes, two ears and a mouth. Use them in that order.
Thank you so much Louis for taking the time to do this interview. The Weir starts touring on September 8th and continues through to November 25th
Interview by Olivia Mitchell, Editor
Interview by Olivia Mitchell, Editor
Wednesday 16 August 2017
In Conversation With... Emma Kingston | Fiddler on the Roof | Interview
In my opinion, Emma Kingston has one of the absolute best voices on the West End. I've been fortunate enough to see her in a number of shows and concerts, including Les Miserables, In The Heights and most recently, the stunning Fiddler on the Roof at the Chichester Festival theatre. Emma was kind enough to sit down and discuss Fiddler, After Anatevka, her hidden passion and more...
Have you always aspired to be a performer or did you have a different dream when you were younger?
I've always wanted to be a performer. I used to sing Les Mis and Anything Goes with my dad all the time.
Have you got any hidden passions you’d like to pursue?
I love Psychology! As an actor I love getting inside a characters brain. I studied Psychology at A Level and I would love to further my understanding of why people are the way they are. Furthering my study's would interest me as well as it being useful as an actor.
What drew you to the role of Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof- are the two of you alike in any ways?
I'm jewish, so growing up Fiddler was always being quoted around the house. I used to watch the film with my grandma. Also, ‘Far from the Home I Love’ was the first song I ever sang in a singing lesson when I was 11.
How is this production bringing something new to the well-loved musical?
We are so lucky that our production in Chichester has amazing new orchestrations by David White and new choreography by Alistair David, bringing a fresh take on the brilliant musical.
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| Sam MacKay (Usnavi) and Emma Kingston (Vanessa) in In The Heights |
Do you feel any extra responsibility or pressure playing one of the few explicitly Jewish female characters in musical theatre?
I feel a responsibility to show the traditions in a way that people of other cultures can relate to. I want to show people that Judaism is a way of life as well as a religion. The community aspect for me is so important.
What’s your research process like for each role you take on, has After Anatevka helped add a new dimension to your portrayal?
For Fiddler I dived into researching about Russia pre 1905 and Russian attitudes towards jewish people. Also looking at Jewish culture in shetles in Russia. My paternal grandparents were children of immigrants from Lithuania and Oddessa, so I had lots of family history to draw on.
After Anatevka I am enjoying so much, especially now I understand so much more about Hodel. I’m loving reading her journey after she leaves home, and how Alexandra has filled in the parts of Fiddler that we don't see in the musical.
If you’d written After Anatevka would you have given Hodel the same after story?
Alexandra's story has portrayed so many aspects of Hodel's life during the Fiddler story and after that I thought about a lot. Especially the way she highlights her relationship with her sisters and Perchik. As I'm reading, I feel that the story all completely slots into place and I can't imagine her next journey any other way.
Tradition is obviously the central theme in Fiddler. Do you have any family traditions?
My family traditions are the Fiddler traditions! Every Friday night my family and I get together for a shabbat meal. We celebrate Jewish festivals like Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement), Passover and many others.
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| Emma Kingston (Hodel), Simbi Akande (Tzeitel) , Rose Shalloo (Chava) in Fiddler on the Roof |
How do you keep your voice healthy? Do you have any vocal rituals?
Drink endless amounts of water and concentrate on centring your breathing.
If you had a magic wand, which show would you do next?
After Fiddler, I'm playing Eva Peron in the Hal Prince production of Evita, international tour and I can't wait! My mum is Argentine, so it's a huge bucket list role, much like Hodel in Fiddler is!
Whats a fun fact people might not know about you?
One of my first words was Archemeaies (the owl from sword in the stone) my parents were so proud haha!
What’s your best piece of advice for an aspiring performer?
Don't compare your journey to anybody else's. Be original. I read a quote by Steve Martin "Be so good they can't ignore you”, to me that means work as hard as you can on being the best you can be.
Thank you so much Emma for taking the time for this interview. Fiddler on the Roof runs until September 2nd.
Read my review of After Anatevka here and keep an eye out for an interview with Alexandra Silber and a giveaway!
Interview by Olivia Mitchell, Editor
Interview by Olivia Mitchell, Editor
Monday 14 August 2017
In Conversation With... Kirsty MacLaren | Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour | Interview
I'm back with another Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour post (see my recent interview with Karen here)! Today I bring you a chat about all things Our Ladies with the lovely Kirsty MacLaren who plays Manda!
For anyone that doesn’t know, can you explain a little about your career and what your highlights have been so far?
For anyone that doesn’t know, can you explain a little about your career and what your highlights have been so far?
Well, for me, doing Our Ladies has been the highlight. I’ve covered so many career goals on this job, from working with National Theatre of Scotland, performing at the National Theatre, touring internationally and now working in the West End. Plus originating a role is a pretty special experience. It’s been the job that has kept on giving, to be honest.
Before I started Our Ladies, and during the breaks we’ve had, I’ve been lucky to do some really diverse work where I’ve learned so much. I’ve worked at Pitlochry Festival Theatre for a year, played Lulu in a series of radio dramas and performed with companies like the Royal Lyceum in Edinburgh. These experiences give you the chance to really learn what it is to be an actor.
Were you born wanting to be a performer or did you have another career path in mind when you were younger?
I always has lots of energy as a child and was sent to dance lessons to tire me out. I come from a musical family so was always exposed to different types of music, although I didn't really know anyone who had acted professionally. I loved doing amateur dramatics and going to acting classes when I was little, but I had always wanted to be a lawyer until I sort of fell into doing the arts. I went to a Knightswood Secondary, which has a performing arts school attached, and knew then that I had to go down that path.
Our Ladies is just epically brilliant. When you first started working on it did you know it was something special?
I think that we were all so excited with this piece we had made that we weren’t really thinking about how much of a hit it might be. We certainly couldn't have imagined the success that we have had over the 2 years of doing it. The team that are on it are amazing and we were having such a good time creating this piece of theatre that was totally different to anything anyone had done before. But the reception that we got on our first night at the Traverse is something I’ll never forget.
I saw the show at both The National and at the Duke of York and it didn’t lose any of it’s intimate feel or charm. Does the way you work and rehearse change for different venues?
The show relies so much on story telling so whether you are in a small 100 seat venue or an 800 seat venue, that principle stays the same. What changes is how much you have to project in each venue, but as long as you think about telling the story to the person at the very back or top of the theatre, you can’t go wrong.
There are so many styles of music in the show. Does this come naturally or did you have to learn to sing different styles?
I’m trained in different vocal styles, but rarely do you have to mash them together in one show. It’s tiring on the voice, but once you build up the stamina, it becomes much easier.
How do you keep your voice healthy? Do you have any vocal rituals?
We always do a big group warm up together before the show which gets you ready. It’s really important to rest when you can. I’ve also got a vocal steamer helps stop your voice drying out.
Besides yourself, who would you like to see play your role?
I’m a big fan of Morven Christie. She’s seen the show and tweets about it a lot. I think she’d fit right in with us girls.
Can you sum up Our Ladies in five words?
Bold; life-affirming; hilarious; heartbreaking; female
Have you had any funny onstage or offstage mishaps in the show?
Often! We are always laughing at each other on stage. I remember going on with my mic on the outside of my clothes. The other girls didn't tell me until quite a bit through the show. I didn't know what they were laughing at until I eventually realised, and by that point, it was too late.
Is there a musical or play you’ve seen recently that you loved?
I’ve been able to see quite a lot of theatre this summer while I’ve been in London. I loved The Glass Menagerie and Half a Sixpence - both very different, but both brilliant.
Whats a fun fact people might not know about you?
I work as a fitness instructor in my spare time. Its a great job when I’m not acting as its flexible, plus I can fit classes in during the day when I’m working in a show.
What’s your best piece of advice for an aspiring performer?
Every opportunity is a good opportunity. Whether you're at youth theatre, am-dram, drama school or a professional show, you can learn from every experience. Listen to any advice you can get and never be scared to ask for help.
A huge thank you to Kirsty for doing this interview!
Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour runs at the Duke of York's until September 2nd 2017
Interview by Olivia Mitchell, Editor
Interview by Olivia Mitchell, Editor
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