1)   Who are you playing and what excites you most about performing this iconic role?

I am playing Ouiser. I have played MyLynn and Clairee in previous productions. Growing up in a small Southern town , I relate to all of these ladies.

 

 

 

2)   What’s your first memory of Steel Magnolias?

When I saw the movie I felt like I was back in my hometown.

 

3)   What do you think is the important message of Steel Magnolias and why does it still resonate with audiences today?

I think the bonds of friendship and love these women have for each other and their resilience in the face of great loss touches so many people who have had similar experiences.

 

 

4)   There are so many famous one-liners from Steel Magnolias. Which one is your favorite and why?

“I love you more than my luggage.” – Clairee to Quiser

 

 

5)   If your character had to distinguish between whether something was “Blush” or “Bashful”, what would their response be?

“I think I’m going to throw up.”

 

6)   Please share your thoughts on performing with an all female ensemble.

I grew up going to the beauty parlor (Rosa Lee’s) with my mom. There was always a pot of coffee, sweet tea and soup going in a back room. This feels the same and those same friendships are there. Laughter on and off stage. Poking fun at each other and sharing our daily lives in the dressing room. What memories we have!

 

 

Performances of Steel Magnolias run March 8th – 24th at the Historic Dock Street Theatre. For tickets, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1)   Who are you playing and what excites you most about performing this iconic role?

I am playing the role of Truvy, and I am thrilled to dive into a role I’ve always wanted to play. I saw the movie Steel Magnolias when I was a kid and I remembered being mesmerized by the relationship between the women. I wanted friends like that. In college, I discovered it was a play. I about fell out after reading it. There were even more wonderful moments and connections! And Truvy leapt off the page. She is a true romantic who loves everyone (faults and all) and works to be the rock her friends can depend on. I mean, who doesn’t want to be that kind of person on stage and off stage?

 

 

 

2)   What’s your first memory of Steel Magnolias?

I watched the movie with my mom. We laughed and cried. It was one of those moments where I understood the power of stories in the human experience and knew I had to be a part of it. Oh goodness, does that mean Steel Magnolias is the reason I became an actor? I think so!

 

3)   What do you think is the important message of Steel Magnolias and why does it still resonate with audiences today?

It shows us the power of our relationships in our every day moments as well as the worst days of our lives. It reminds us how the tiny, mundane, routines of our relationships are what make us strong and that it’s important to cultivate and nurture those relationships that are dearest to us. It reminds us that we actually do need each other. It reminds us to get out of our own lanes and share time with other people because humans need humans. And it resonates with us because we humans enjoy being reminded of our humanity and our need for relationships–we especially like this reminder through laughter.

 

 

4)   There are so many famous one-liners from Steel Magnolias. Which one is your favorite and why?

I can only pick one?!?!? From Ann Boleyn’s fingers to one-armed paper hangers, there are just too many. But today, in this moment, I will have to say, “Honey, there’s so much static electricity in this place that I attract everything but boys and money” It’s just one of those perfect one-liners that reminds me of my bestest friend in the whole wide world, Emilee. She can always turn a phrase.

 

 

5)   If your character had to distinguish between whether something was “Blush” or “Bashful”, what would their response be?

Oh honey, I never was good at figurin’ out complicated things like this, but you can and that makes me smile and love you more, you sweet thing.

 

6)   Please share your thoughts on performing with an all female ensemble.

The opportunity to play strong, iconic women with women I love and respect in our community is truly a dream come true. There is a magic that happens when women get the opportunity to collaborate and create. When you couple that magic with a wonderful script and a clear vision from the director, it becomes an artistically fulfilling experience. I am rediscovering the passion that drives me while sharing space and time with these women, and I am forever thankful for that.

 

 

Performances of Steel Magnolias run March 6th – 24th at the Historic Dock Street Theatre. For tickets, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Where did you grow up? Were there any activities you did as a child that led to your passion for the arts?

I grew up in Midlothian, VA, a suburb of Richmond. I did all kinds of things as a kid, but I would say girl scouts probably had the biggest influence on leading me towards a career in the arts.

 

Q: Where did you receive training? How did this prepare you for your work in the theatre world?

I did my undergrad at Longwood University, a small liberal arts college in Farmville, VA. Though a small school, the B.F.A. program for technical theatre was pretty intense. It put me on the prop path. I continued my training at Ohio University where I earned a M.F.A. in Props Technology and Costuming Crafts. With all my formal education I was propelled into some high quality circles of theatre.

 

Q: What is your full-time position with Charleston Stage?

I am the Properties Master here at Charleston Stage. Basically if it’s part of the structural set, and an actor isn’t wearing it – it’s a prop! For all of the shows I am collecting, altering, and building from scratch to enhance the show.

 

Q: Please discuss your design process and what was involved with designing props for The Curious Incident.

With any design process, the main goal is to achieve the director’s and designers’ vision, while creating props that are functional and actor friendly. Working on Curious Incident was a process centered around cubes and a model train. The cubes were the first and most important props to nail down. They function like furniture pieces and storage bins, and they shift and transform the location for each scene. As for the moment involving the model, the design was a product of functionality and story telling. This moment literally represents a journey for our protagonist, so we had to make it special. I connected with The Charleston Area Model Railroad Club and they were able to collect track pieces and an English-style model train. It’s always cool when we can collaborate with members of our community. Furthermore, with the set angled on a rake, which is visually stimulating for the audience; however, it presented science-related challenges that we needed to overcome.

 

Q: What are you most excited about that audiences will experience with your designs for The Curious Incident?

I’m very excited about having the opportunity to share this show with the community. My youngest sister is autistic and I think this show really highlights how hard it is to be a person who doesn’t have the ability to communicate the way everyone else does and also how straining it can be on family members. I think all of the design elements, not just scenic and props, combine to give the audience a glimpse into what things are like for Christopher. I hope the audience walks away feeling moved, empathetic, and wanting to learn more about it.

 

Q: Tell us a little more about yourself.

I’ve lived in Charleston for 2 years, I have a toddler that lights up my world, and I play roller derby for your local Lowcountry Highrollers.

 

Final 4 performances of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time run Feb. 21 – 24 at the Historic Dock Street Theatre. For tickets, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

Q: What is your position with Charleston Stage?

I am the Resident Sound Designer and Audio Engineer at Charleston Stage. This position encompasses two jobs, one of which is primarily creative and the other primarily technical. As the Sound Designer, I am responsible for everything you hear in a show. I find, create, and arrange sound effects. I compose incidental music for most of our non-musical plays. I am also responsible for designing the physical sound system – what microphones are used, how they are used, where speakers are placed, etc. As Audio Engineer, I implement that design. I program the computer that plays back the sound effects. I prepare, set up, and maintain all of the microphones and speakers. And I set up, program, and operate the mixing board. I also teach a sound design class for high school students as part of our TheatreWings program.

 

Q: Charleston Stage has officially moved into the West Ashley Theatre Center. What are you most excited about that this new facility offers?

I am excited that we are able to bring a performance and rehearsal space of this size and capability to West Ashley. We are able to provide the space and technical capabilities for community groups of all types to present performances that they may not have been able to do before, at least not easily or affordably. More than that, I am excited for the opportunities this space gives us to expand our educational offerings. The education program is one of the main things that distinguished Charleston Stage for me during the job search that brought me here. In this building, not only do we simply have more space for everything, we have a fully functional theatre space that will allow me to give my students direct, hands-on experience with the kinds of theatrical sound equipment that is in use throughout the professional theatre world.

As a Sound Designer, this new space has allowed me to have my own office/studio where I can compose and create sound effects in a comfortable, professional environment without bothering my coworkers! In the past, all of my work had to be either at home or in the office using headphones. Now I have all my equipment, including keyboards, microphones, and high-quality monitoring speakers, in one place with a door I can close.

 

Q: You are also the Original Music and Sound Designer for The Curious Incident. Please discuss your process and what is involved with writing music for a production such as The Curious Incident.

My main goal with the sound design and music for The Curious Incident is to help the audience understand how Christopher, the main character, experiences the world. The first challenge with this, of course, is that I personally don’t have the same experiences that someone like Christopher would. Fortunately, the script and the novel both give ample clues in their descriptions and writing styles.

Christopher is very talented in math, and in large part he uses math to interpret the world around him. When he begins to get overwhelmed, he calms himself by reciting complex sets of numbers like primes or “the cubes of the cardinal numbers.” As a composer this gives me the opportunity to highlight the math that is inherent in music, in particular through complex rhythms created from many simpler patterns set against one another.

Christopher is also very interested in science, technology, and computers. To reflect this, not only am I using largely electronic instruments but there will also be certain aspects of some of the music that are computer generated. In particular, I have created a computer program that converts text into chord progressions. I can give the program a line or two from the script and it will convert the letters into numbers. From there, the numbers are fed through an algorithm, or set of rules, that generates a series of chords that follow traditional Western compositional guidelines. I can then use those chords as a base to build upon. For all of this I am also drawing on inspiration from a number of artists such as Radiohead, Aphex Twin, Olafur Arnalds, and Boards of Canada.

The sound effects design for The Curious Incident will be integrated tightly with the music. It mainly consists of atmospheric sound that will give the audience a sense of what Christopher’s surroundings are. The realism of the surroundings will be slightly heightened to reflect Christopher’s hyper-awareness of everything around him. When Christopher gets overwhelmed, I want the audience to experience the same thing. To achieve this, there will be speakers placed all around the theatre for true immersion in Christopher’s world.

 

Performances of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time continue running Feb. 14 – 24 at the Historic Dock Street Theatre. For tickets, click here.

 

 

 

 

Putting the Mind of a Brilliant and Challenging 15 Year Old On the Stage

By Director and Scenic Designer, Julian Wiles

 

The wonder of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is that the story is told from the perspective of Christopher Boone, a brilliant, but socially challenged 15 year old. He loves order, numbers, math, (or maths as the Brit’s say) and yet, he finds the ordinary everyday world chaotic and difficult to navigate. Showing this order and confusion became the first issue to consider when I began work on the set design. And in many ways, the set is a representation of Christopher’s mind and how it works in the most interesting and curious ways.

 

 

Often a design begins with a really rough pencil sketch. Above is what I sketched out for The Curious Incident. The floor is an ordered grid and as you will see. The grid lines light up. The set pieces are mostly cubes and are rearranged by the cast to represent everything from chairs to seats on the London tube to a spaceship! One of the real challenges of this script is that often, within seconds, we jump from one location to another. This precluded the use of realistic furniture and set pieces. In the end however, this design mirrored the ordered but often imaginative and abstract way in which Christopher’s mind works.

 

Though Christopher is at home in the world of numbers, but often lost in verbal and written communication, I surrounded the set with a sea of floating numbers and letters—generously created by Southern Lumber and Millwork Corp, one of the show’s sponsors. Interspersed among the letters are dozens and dozens of bare light bulbs representing stars. Christopher loves astronomy, and of course, the show begins with a curious incident in the night-time so these seem to make sense. They also will be used later to show how Christopher sometimes experiences anxiety and meltdowns from sensory overload. The sensory overload comes from crowds, too much noise at train stations, or just from a simple touch of someone. At that point, these and other lights become a firestorm, much like neurons firing in the brain.

 

 

And so from a simple sketch, we have this completed design. Making this sketch into a reality fell to our terrific production crew. Cody Rutledge, our scenic artist created a scale model of the set, did all the drafting, and supervised the actual construction. All of the wooden blocks and cubes and a wonderful desk were created by Courtney Gomez Odom, our Properties Master. Many elements were finished by Alex Odom, our new Master Carpenter. Jamie-Brooke Ruggio took charge of creating the “star lights” as well as the floor lighting for the grid. And Joshua Bristow assisted in creating the projections that appear on the screen upstage throughout the show.

 

 

In the end, we have a wonderfully realized, imaginative set. Contrary to popular belief, we’re not given the set design from the playwright nor the producers in New York. But that makes it fun to create our own inventive take on each show we produce. The Curious Incident was a challenge, but in the end, one of the most rewarding sets I’ve had the privilege to design.

 

Performances of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time run Feb. 6 – 24 at the Historic Dock Street Theatre. For ticket, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: You are no stranger to the Dock Street Theatre stage. What are a couple of your favorite past roles that you’ve performed with Charleston Stage?

I’ve been with Charleston Stage for nearly two years now and my favorite role would definitely have to be Ethan in Helium. This was my first role with Charleston Stage and it was a really great learning experience and all around great time! I made a lot of strong bonds with the cast and crew and I gained a home away from home. I also had the privilege of playing Albert in Bye Bye Birdie which I had a great time with because I love musical theatre and all music in general. My time with TheatreWings has also provided me with a variety of roles and growth opportunities.

 

Q: Where are you from? Are there any special subjects you are studying or activities you do that fuel your passion for the arts?

I am from Goose Creek, South Carolina, and I am sixteen years old. I attend Goose Creek High School. I am majoring in Theatre with Berkeley County Center for the Arts and this definitely fuels my passion for the arts because I am able to do what I love every day.

 

Q: You are playing the iconic role of Christopher Boone. How would you describe this character and what is your favorite part of performing this role?

Christopher is a highly intelligent kid with a beautiful mind full of creativity and brilliant ideas. He has a great passion for the things he loves and he is very brave. My favorite part of performing this role is the accent because it really helps me stop being myself and go into the character of Christopher Boone. Some challenging elements of this role would be staying true to Christopher himself and not falling into the clichés that people have about people on the spectrum. Christopher is a unique person and doesn’t fall under any labels. He is his own person and that person is magnificent.

 

Q: What has drawn you to this story and what are you hoping audiences will take away from this production?

This is such an incredible story about the world and how people see it and take it for granted. I want audiences to see the world through the eyes of Christopher and see the many things in daily life that people might not think about and may glance over.

 

Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?
In my spare time I like to play my instruments and practice music. I love music! I like to hang out with my friends and spend time with my family.

 

Performances of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time run Feb. 6 – 24 at the Historic Dock Street Theatre. For tickets, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Were there any activities you did as a child that led to your passion for the arts?

I grew up in NJ around the Seaside Heights area. As a kid, I loved dancing so that is where I really formed my passion for the arts. As a teenager, I learned to sew and I loved all kinds of creative work but I had no idea that being a Costume Designer was a job that even existed. My only experience with theatre was being thrown into musicals as an ensemble member dancing in the background and pretending to sing!

 

Q: Where did you receive training?

In college, at the College of Charleston actually, I found my way into theatre because I asked for a job sewing in the costume shop to help me pay my tuition. Once I was in that world I learned about all the amazing jobs theatre has to offer and that being a Costume Designer would combine my love for art, history, fashion, dance, music, and building clothing. I went on to get an M.F.A. in Costume Design at the University of Virginia and then moved to NYC where I worked with Martin Pakledinaz and on numerous Broadway shows, opera, dance, and more, and was able to work as a costume designer on my own as well. I have continued working as a freelance designer along with now teaching at the College of Charleston as the Costume Design Professor and chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance.

 

Q: What other companies have you most recently designed for?

I recently designed for the San Francisco Ballet and am currently working on our production of Urinetown coming up in April at the College and on The Great Gatsby for Trustus Theatre in Columbia. I am also the Resident Costume Designer for PURE Theatre where I am currently mentoring some of my students on design work for upcoming PURE productions.

 

Q: Please discuss your process as the Costume Designer for The Curious Incident.

I spent a lot of time on this play just trying to understand how Christopher sees the world. My assistant, Laighton Cain, and I did a variety of different research from reading to watching movies, videos, and gathering visual research to allow us to have a better understanding of someone who would take in the world in as much detail as Christopher does. Our plan was to use that to help establish a color palette that was increasingly vivid as more information is presented to Christopher. We thought about colors and textures and things he might like and dislike in all the decisions we made. So much about these characters is not revealed in the play. More about them is found in the book but for this production who the individual actors are, and what the director is finding in the rehearsal process, is key. We’ve had to be flexible and think about how to support the pace of the play and the idea of trying to create a world for the audience that gives a glimpse of how Christopher perceives things.

Q: What are you most excited about that audiences will experience with your designs for The Curious Incident?

Honestly, I hope they don’t think much about my design. I know that sounds weird, but it is so important to support the story and not have the costumes stand out but for them to just seem right in a way that allows the audience not to notice them. We have really tried to choose the right looks for these specific people in these roles, paying attention to what is happening in the rehearsal process. For the actors, we tried to include clever things like using the colors Christopher dislikes on characters he doesn’t like, but the audience probably won’t notice those things.

Q: Tell us a little more about yourself.

I am the Costume Designer Professor and Chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance where I have worked for 13 years in addition to continuing my work as a freelance Costume Designer. Working at the College is amazing since I get to be part of seeing current students find their passion for theatre and dance and work to help them develop as artists. My husband is in the theatre business as well. He works as an actor and carpenter and is currently also working on a production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time for Trustus Theatre in Columbia. We actually met in theatre when we were both working on a production of My Fair Lady at the Flat Rock Playhouse in NC five years ago, and now we have an amazing 3 year old son who already is showing his acting and singing abilities!

 

Performances of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time run Feb. 6 – 24 at the Historic Dock Street Theatre. For tickets, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SC THEATRE ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME INDUCTION FOR JULIAN WILES
NOVEMBER 9, 2018, Anderson University

On November 9, 2018, Julian Wiles was inducted into the SC Theatre Association Hall of Fame at Anderson University. Below are the opening remarks by Derek Pickens introducing Mr. Wiles as the inductee. Julian Wiles’s acceptance speech is also included below.

INTRO BY DEREK PICKENS, SC THEATRE ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBER

 

 

Good evening everyone. My name is Derek Pickens, I am the South Carolina Theatre Association Theatre for Youth Division Chair, and it is my great honor to introduce to you our next/final inductee into the South Carolina Theatre Hall of Fame – Mr. Julian Wiles.

 

Julian Wiles is the Founder and Producing Artistic Director of Charleston Stage, the resident theatre company of the historic Dock Street Theatre. Julian founded the company in 1978, and 41 seasons later, he has directed and designed more than 200 productions and penned 27 original plays and musicals for the company, including the boy who stole the stars, Nevermore!, Helium, and the Christmas classic – Fruitcakes. (which has 9 different productions being produced this holiday season across the US, and even 1 in Canada.)

 

I first met Julian in 2011 when I moved to Charleston to be a part of the Resident Acting Company at Charleston Stage. Each year, Charleston Stage takes in a handful of young actors and actresses from across the country, fresh from college or grad school, and that year I happened to be one of the lucky ones chosen. During that short year, I not only had the pleasure of being directed by Julian, but also got to originate a role in the world premiere of his play Inga Binga, which chronicles the true stories a young JFK in the Lowcountry. After finishing my contract, I moved back home to Washington, DC – but I felt incomplete there. I longed for the home that I had created in Charleston and at Charleston Stage. So about a year later, I packed up my stuff and moved back to Charleston, where Julian welcomed me back with open arms. If it were not for Julian and the legacy he has created, I would have never found my home, my purpose, or even met my husband (who I happened to meet at Charleston Stage).

 

I, however, am just a small speck in comparison to the amount of lives that Julian has touched across the Lowcountry and the whole state of South Carolina. When he founded Charleston Stage, Julian decided that he had to focus on education and making sure that all young people in the Lowcountry had access to high quality theatre. Now, over 22,000 young people in the Lowcountry are reached each year and Arts education is a cornerstone of Charleston Stage’s mission. Education programs include special low price performances for over 19,000 school students each season, an after-school Theatre School program, which provides theatre training for over 350 students each year, a pre-professional theatre training program for outstanding high school students, and Art Reach Workshops, led by members of Charleston Stage’s Professional Resident Acting Company.

 

Please help me in welcoming to the stage, Mr. Julian Wiles.

 

 

ACCEPTANCE SPEECH BY JULIAN WILES

 

 

I want to thank the South Carolina Theatre Association for this special honor and would like to accept this recognition on behalf of everyone who has worked at Charleston Stage over these past 41 years. Today Charleston Stage plays to over 60,000 patrons. Our education programs, which are the heart and soul of so much of what we do, reach over 22,000 students each season. Started as a youth theatre, Charleston Stage today is one of the largest professional theatres in the region. We have a staff of 25 theatre professionals, a fulltime acting company, and a budget of over $2.7 million dollars…not bad for a company that started with a staff of one and a $20,000 budget.   What we didn’t have in dollars, we tried to make up in imagination. In that very first year we produced a skateboard musical atop a parking garage—17 year old Thomas Gibson of Criminal Minds was in the cast. Later this show was invited to tour youth theatres in Great Britain where we flew over with a cast of 30 and a skateboard ramp and performed around the country.

 

For me it’s been quite a journey. I was raised by a wonderful Mom and Dad on a cotton farm in rural Fort Motte, SC. In fact, my amazing 90 year-old Mom is here with me here tonight, along with my wife of almost 40 years, Jenny Hane. I would not be here without both of their wonderful love and support. Actually Jenny married me, despite the fact that in College I tried to direct her in the play, called something she did “stupid,” and she stormed off the stage and ended her theatrical career. She forgave me eventually and became a very fine teacher and provided wonderful and never-ending support to me and my work in the theatre.

 

The fact that a little boy raised on a cotton farm in rural South Carolina could grow up to have a career in the theatre is nothing short of remarkable. At the time, there were no drama classes at my school and the closest theatre was the Town Theatre in Columbia 40 miles and a world away.

 

I spent my freshman year at Clemson, which at the time had no drama program. Yet today it has a very robust theatre department.

 

When I transferred to the College of Charleston there was a fledging drama program there under the direction of my wonderful mentor, the late Emmett Robinson —a department that has grown into one of the leading drama programs in the state.

 

There was only one theatre when I arrived in Charleston 45 years ago. Today there are more than a dozen producing a wide range of work.

 

In those early days there were few drama classes in any schools and certainly no arts-infused elementary or performing arts high schools in the state. Now there are many.

 

This remarkable growth in theatre and theatre education in South Carolina over the past 40 years of my career is all because of the work and commitment of people like you. Make no mistake about it, through your work in the theatre, you make a real difference in the lives of so many young people and adults every single day.  I know this work is hard. I know it has its challenges, but you and I are lucky to be a part of a profession in which we get to celebrate the human spirt every single day. How many folks can say that?

 

And so I feel it’s important that we honor tonight, not just my work and that of my fellow inductees, but your incredible work as well. In my mind each and every one of you are already members of this Hall of Fame. Thanks for the great work you do.

 

On behalf of myself and everyone at Charleston Stage, may I offer my most heartfelt thanks and appreciation for this special honor.

 

Thank you.

Julian Wiles

Founder and Producing Artistic Director

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Where did you grow up? Were there any activities you did as a child that led to your passion for the arts?

A: Technically, I grew up in Northern Kentucky, only 10 minutes from Cincinnati, Ohio. So, it is just much easier for me to say I am from Cincinnati, even though many of my friends here like to give me grief about it, haha. I know it’s confusing but… tomato-potato, am I right?Anyway, I grew up very blessed to be in a thriving arts community. So by the time I was 8, I was acting in shows and I haven’t looked back since.

 

Q: Where did you receive your training?  How did this prepare you for your work in the theatre world?

A: I went to school at Western Kentucky University. There, I got a B.F.A. in Performing Arts with a concentration in Acting. I also double minored in Musical Theatre and Performing Arts Administration. My time at WKU really exposed me to many different styles of performance and gave me many opportunities to explore my craft. I am very grateful for how they prepared me.

 

 

Q: You are playing the iconic role of Lennie. Please discuss the challenges/rewards of performing this character and what are you hoping audiences will take away from your performance?

A: Lennie is definitely one of the more challenging roles that I have played. With his given circumstances it has been quite the exploration to find the story I want to tell through him. I think so many times Lennie is seen as an iconic role because of the cognitive barriers he struggles with and the challenges he faces. However, I think he’s so much more than that. I want audiences to take away that Lennie is so much more than the label society tries to put on him. Instead we should think about his loyalty and his compassion for others and his zest for life. Those are the things he should be defined as.

 

 

Q: Why is “Of Mice and Men” still relevant for audiences to see? How does this classic story inspire you?

A: I think this show is still relevant today because it discusses so many different issues we are still facing in America. The show looks at racism with the mistreatment towards Crooks, sexism with the glorification and dehumanization of Curley’s wife, and ableism with the remarks thrown at Lennie. In a time where we are seeing so much discrimination towards minority groups, a story like this needs to be told. This story inspires me because even though it doesn’t have the happiest of endings (Spoiler Alert!!! But honesty not really because if you haven’t read this book by now then what are you doing….) we still see those on the outs find comfort with one another and they show the power than coming together can create.

 

 

Q: You are also a Resident Actor this season. What are some of your duties and what is one of your favorite things about being a part of Charleston Stage?

A: I am a Resident Actor with Charleston Stage and boy what an incredible time it has been so far. Along with performing in the company’s season, one of my main duties is to teach as a part of the education program. I teach two classes with one of my incredible fellow Resident Actors every week, and a Performance Troupe class with the always wonderful Marybeth Clark. I sometimes also travel to schools in the area for in school workshops. It can be busy at times but is incredibly rewarding. One of my favorite things about working with Charleston Stage would be a tie between working on “Of Mice and Men,” because it has been a blessing to perform a dream role right out of graduating college, and the class I get to teach with Marybeth every week. She is an incredible educator and every week I learn so much just from teaching alongside her.

 

Q:  What other roles will you be performing with Charleston Stage this season?

A: After “Of Mice and Men,” you can see me in “A Christmas Carol” as the Ghost of Christmas Past and Herb in “Junie B.”.  After the new year I will also be in “Number the Stars,” “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time,” “The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley,” and “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” where I will be playing LeFou!

 

 

Performances continue running Oct. 19 – Nov. 4 at the Historic Dock Street Theatre. Ticket sales available online by clicking here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: You are playing the iconic role of George. Please discuss the challenges/rewards of performing this character and what are you hoping audiences will take away from your performance?

A: George is a very multi-faceted character. He can be seen as short-tempered and mean, but considering the fact that he took care of a person with special needs (before we really knew what this was), unrelated to him, is kind of remarkable. He is a very kind person, deep down, and he really wants what’s best for Lennie and himself. He wants a place of their own, for his own reasons, of course, but if they did have a place to themselves, he wouldn’t have to worry about public perception of Lennie. No one could fire them. They could live a simple life. I think a challenge is letting George’s compassion for misfits shine through his hard exterior. Also, his struggle with the “final decision” about Lennie is quite a challenge. How do you put down a horse that’s sick when that horse is a part of you? When you love that horse? You know that horse is suffering and you know the alternative to you peacefully ending its life is much worse. Breaking down his hard exterior and letting the light shine through is the biggest challenge. The greatest reward? Getting to be friends and travel along with Lennie–a pure soul.

 

 

Q: Please explain the relationship between George and Lennie. Why do you think this friendship exists and what are the challenges within this duo?

A: George and Lennie are a wonderful pair of opposites bringing out the best in each other. George is pretty sharp, Lennie is not. Lennie is super strong, George simply gets by. In the end, though, they just want a peaceful, simple life. I think they really need each other for balance. George is so serious all the time, but Lennie brings out the “play” in George’s life. George grounds Lennie and keeps him out of trouble. And when Lennie does get in trouble (quite frequently, actually) George is right there to get him out–but scolds Lennie about it anyway. They need each other or life isn’t any fun–it’s just a routine. One might say that Lennie needs George to survive, literally. George needs Lennie’s kindness, purity, and friendship just as much, if not more. Life is really bleak without Lennie. (Probably why there isn’t a sequel.)

 

 

Q: Why is “Of Mice and Men” still relevant for audiences to see? How do the words of John Steinbeck and this classic story inspire you?

A: “Of Mice and Men” will always be relevant.  Friendship and the bonds that unexpected characters can form are so meaningful, and this story lets you see the good in people. We are in a difficult climate where sometimes being “different” is synonymous with being “bad.” We don’t take the time to understand each other’s differences and love each other in spite of them. We don’t give people second chances as much as we should. We outright judge people by the way they look, or talk, or laugh before really trying to see who that person is and what they stand for. George shouts at Lennie, but keeps Lennie by his side because, even though they’re polar opposites, they’re there for each other. This is a story of love and ultimate sacrifice. It’s simple. It’s beautiful. I think the world can use stories like this and learn from them.

 

Q:  What other roles will you be performing with Charleston Stage this season?

A: I will be Marley and several other characters in “A Christmas Carol.” I will also be directing Steel Magnolias and Number the Stars.

 

 

Performances of “Of Mice and Men” run Oct. 17 – Nov. 4 at the Historic Dock Street Theatre. Ticket sales are available online by clicking here.