|
AG: You studied at USC and have appeared in film, on television, and on stage. Which do you prefer?
HR: Well, I have been acting on stage since I was four years old. So that is where I am most comfortable. I did do one student film when I was five, but I don't so much remember that! I also love that theater gives you instant feedback.
With film and TV, your performance can be altered by so many factors. I once did a film at USC for a friend that was supposed to be a horror film where I was at home and kept hearing noises next door, and in the end my roommate gets killed. As the director was editing it, something happened to the film, and she lost almost everything she had done. Instead of re-editing it the same way, she changed the entire premise of the film and was able to make it look like I was the killer! That showed me early on what power editors have... and how anything you do on film can be changed.
AG: It's widely accepted that female actors are subjected to a different set of physical standards than men. What does it mean for women like you who are well above average height-wise? Does your height help or hinder you, or have you noticed a difference?
HR: Being 6'2'' definitely gets you noticed! That's for sure. I have always been tall, so I am used to being cast in "charactery" roles. I am rarely the ingenue, and that is okay with me. I mean, it definitely hinders me in some ways but makes me really right for others. That's part of the reason I started producing, to help create more opportunities for myself.
AG: You're originally from Connecticut. Which coast's lifestyle do you prefer? Is living here a necessity or preference?
HR: Well, I was actually born out here, and we bounced around a few places before ending up in Connecticut. It's funny: in Connecticut, I was always the California girl, and here I am the Connecticut girl. I loved going to prep school on the East Coast, but there is no way I could do what I do there. LA is an incredible city, becasue most people here are working towards a common goal, dream. Everywhere you go, you meet like-minded people. That's pretty cool.
AG: The East has a different theater atmosphere than here. And major cities like Chicago and New York have obviously thriving theater communities, but LA seems to have a lesser scene because most actors have screen ambitions. Is that simply a misconception?
HR: I think it is. I think theater get done out here for different reasons, but there is a lot of theater always happening in LA! It's a means to an end in some cities, but here it's to get cast in the next big thing.
The AEA 99-Seat Plan really helps to promote small, independent theater in this city. I don't believe NYC and Chicago have that, but they do seem to have a lot more larger-scale productions that we have. We mostly get the tours.
AG: What is the AEA 99-Seat Plan?
HR: It allows Equity actors to appear in theaters under 99 seats for something like seven dollars a show. It means you can have a small budget but still have great actors, something that I appreciate right now as a producer!
AG: How does an actor actually make the leap to producer?
HR: I started producing because I was tired of sitting and waiting. Also, I am lucky enough to have a lot of terribly talented friends, so I decided to get pro-active and start making my own projects.
AG:
For those not in the business, what responsibilities are tacked onto a (stage) producer?
HR: There are a lot of responsibilities as a stage producer. Finding space and the money is always the hardest thing if you are not a part of a company! But just keeping the wheels in motion can get really exhausting. At least in theater, as opposed to film, you are only ever dealing with one location.
AG: Did you also handle the casting?
HR: Yes, that is one of my favorite things to do. It is so interesting to be on the other side of the table. You watch people making the same mistakes you know you make... but when they are good, it's so exciting.
AG: How do you approach casting? You mentioned that you have a lot of talented friends, so did you just know who would be right for some roles? Do you have a logical set of tangible criteria to determine who's appropriate?
 HR: For this show, I had a few friends who I thought would be perfect for a few of the roles. The first person I cast was Andrew Schark, who was at Company of Angels with me. He has been working on the show since our first read-through. As soon as he read "Mike," I couldn't really see anyone else in that role. One guy, Pete Monro, a fellow USC alum, stepped in when we had to fire an actor. He really stepped up to the plate and is doing an incredible job. The girl who plays "Trixie," Rachel Germaine, studied at Steppenwolf West with me. We've worked together before, and I just thought she would be perfect. She came in to audition and just blew us all away. Tina Preston, who plays "Mama," came recommended by a friend of Chris Nelson [the director]. We are so lucky to have her in the cast, as she has workshopped many plays all over the world and brings so much to the table.
I had a few other friends I tried to cast, but sadly for me, they couldn't commit to the run. So I used LACasting, a great website, and found Matt Mitchell, who I now adore as well.
AG: It's sounds from your press that the script was the catalyst for helming this production. Why were you so attracted to Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!?
HR: Because I had read a lot of what was out there, and it was pretty disappointing. Awhile back, I put an ad on Craigslist looking for unpublished works that would be mostly for 20-something actors. I got a ton of submissions but only had the desire to read about 11. Most of them were really not theatrical -- they were like movies for the stage. I don't know about you, but when I go to see a show, I don't want to sit through 25 scene changes in the first act alone.
Steve's play was very different. It reminded me of Sam Shepard, actually. I never forgot it, even though it was over a year until I was able to start working on it. I find it to be extremely haunting... in a good way.
AG: Well, you have said that Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! has the "depth and poignancy of some of the great American masters." Can you draw some specific parallels? Is it about the style of dialogue, or the traits of the characters...?
HR: Oh, now were getting to the good stuff! Yes, Steve's [Steve Lohse] dialogue is completely modern and American without ever feeling cliché or like a bad WB show. (Laugh.) Not that there is anything wrong with that. (Laugh.) Also, his characters and stories are never too hip or cool. They are real people dealing with real problems. I think they are beautifully relatable.
You wouldn't believe how many scripts I read that were all about getting laid. After awhile, you just stop caring. I mean, normally I like that sort of thing, but it just got trite.
AG: You didn't just see the script and start producing it, though: You spent a year corresponding with the writer... what did you discuss?
HR: Well, I think my first email just kind of gushed. I asked to read more of his work, and Steve sent me a bunch of things. I knew I wanted to bring some of the stories to life, but I had some trouble finding a venue. And unfortunately, I am not at the stage of my life financially where I can just put up a play whenever and wherever I want! When I joined Company of Angels and learned that they have "Members Projects," I knew what I wanted to do.
I finally met Steve when he came down last weekend. It's funny, because when I was casting for the role of Ted, I had a very spesific image in my head. I really wanted a tall, lanky guy. On my casting breakdown, I put a minimum height requirement of 6'. When I met Steve for the first time, he was exactly that. It blew my mind.
AG: Will he be attending?
HR: Definitely!
AG: Has he ever seen his work performed?
HR: Yes, an earlier version of Sunday! was performed in his hometown of Bellingham, Washington. I believe some of his one-acts have been done too.
AG: Does it put pressure on you to know the playwright will be watching? Do you try to respect the work but still have your own touch on it, or do you want it to be a straight representation of his words?
HR: Well, that really isn't my decision. That is our director Chris Nelson's job. I do, however, think we honor Steve's words while putting a bit of our own spin on things. Also, just with the nature of the workshop process, we have affected it in certain ways. But yes, I did freak out a little bit before Steve came down. I really wanted him to be okay with everything, and he seemed to be. I think it has been a positive experience for all thus far. At least that is what people tell me!
AG: You mentioned Member Projects. Can you expand?
HR: Members Projects are a really cool feature of Company of Angels. They basically let members put up their own productions with a small budget on off nights. After a project is approved, you pretty much have complete artistic freedom within the confine of our theater.
AG: How do you "join" Company of Angels, and what are their hallmarks?
HR: I joined as an actor. They have auditions twice a year. They also have directing members, writing members, and tech members. They are LA's oldest rep company, so they have really been a part of forming the LA theater scene. I think during its lifetime, the company has received every theaterical award possible in LA. It's definitely a company rich in history.
AG: Wow. So you audition as an actor, and if you're invited to join, you have a great support system for producing your own projects... is that repertory atmosphere rare?
HR: Yes, the support system is really great; in fact, that is how I can produce and act in my own show. Rudy King [another member] and I were watching a show in December, talking about wanting to do Member Projects. We both had shows that had parts for us, so we decided to produce together. It has really worked out great, because she has my back and I have hers. And after a four-hour rehearsal, that is very necessary. I think finding a place where lots of people have your back is rare no matter what industry you are in.
AG: Of course. And presumably, with its long-standing history, Company of Angels has veterans to guide you through the ins-and-outs of the process...
HR: Yes. One member, Glenn Hendricks, has been there 36 years.
AG: So what do you think the LA audience is looking to see on stage?
HR: Obviously, people anywhere want to be entertained. They want to see good acting, and they want to be invested in what they are watching. What's cool about seeing theater in LA is one night you can see an actor on stage, and the next night, they are guest starring on Lost.
AG: Yes. Irecently saw an improv show in which I recognized half the cast from television... it is a strange but pleasant sensation.
HR: I kind of love it, especially when they are really good. Nothing makes me happier than seeing a really talented actor succeed.
AG: Live work requires different skill and elicits a response that can effect the whole audience. What do you hope people who come to see Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! will get from the experience?
HR: Well, I hope that they discover a new playwright, great actors, and a great theatrical venue. I would like to see all three continue to flourish. As for the play itself... I think it's really about examining your effect on other people. Everything has a ripple effect. I think our society needs to be more aware of that.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Steve Lohse's Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! opens March 6, 2006 at Company of Angels Theater, 2106 Hyperion Avenue in Los Angeles (90027). Tickets are $12; gated parking is $2. Student group rates are available. For more information, visit the official Company of Angels website.
|
|
