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Showing posts from October, 2014

The Rocky Horror Show - meet cast member Matt Liptak

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Tell us about your character. What do you find appealing about your character and this show?   I play Riff Raff, the eccentric and unhinged assistant to the mad scientist Dr. Frank N. Furter. In the original stage production as well as the movie he was played by the show's creator, Richard O’Brien, and is best known for singing "The Time Warp." With that in mind, I hope to both play homage to that original interpretation and also add a great deal of my own flare to it. The role of Riff Raff, like all the roles in this show, are so iconic, that our main goal has been to find that balance between the film's portrayals and our own staging and style…with an emphasis on the latter. I think with my interpretation of Riff Raff, audiences will still get to see the odd, slow-speaking, borderline-sadistic alien they know and love, but (hopefully) they will also get to enjoy the new level of crazy I'm trying to bring to him. Playing such an iconic character and adding you

The Rocky Horror Show - meet cast member Richard Fiske

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Tell us a little bit about your character. The Narrator provides orientation and context during the show, and provides commentary as the situation devolves.   And he has his own secrets as well...   What have you learned about yourself in playing this role in The Rocky Horror Show? First and most importantly, I found that I belong in musicals only in non-singing roles.   Watching the way our cast picked up songs and dances, going from a dead stop to full out, professional execution in a matter of minutes, was astonishing.   Also, my monologues are generally short and with the guidance of director Kristopher Kauff I’ve come to more fully appreciate that delivery is as important as text in creating a picture and mood for the audience.   What do you want the audience to take away from this show? I hope that the audience gets caught up in the fun of parodying B-movie science fiction clichés; that they lose themselves in the absurdity of the show and, later, find that maybe t

The Rocky Horror Show - meet cast member Paige Taylor

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Tell us about your character.  What do you find appealing about your character and this show? I play Magenta.  She is an alien and one of Frank's servants.  She is a character I have always wanted to play because I like complicated people.  Part of the enjoyment and allure of acting to me is the creative process and the work that goes into developing a character.  I never want to play a role that is one dimensional and boring.  I had ideas as to what I wanted Magenta to be before I even got cast, but she has become so much more.  When you do a show like Rocky Horror, it's really easy to just create a love letter to the movie and to bring the audience the same thing they already know and love, but why be in the arts if you are only copying what someone else has done before you?  I feel it's my job as an actor to always create something new and bring something fresh to the table, and that's why I feel so lucky to be a part of this production. What do you want the audie

The Rocky Horror Show - meet cast member Stella Giapitzeli

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Tell us about your character.  What do you find appealing about your character and this show? I am one of the Phantom Ushers and we are the tough ones!  I have never had this kind of character before and I am not tough at all....I love it because it is a challenge!  Our role is to yell at the actors with offensive quotes.  They hate it!  I would hate it too if I was in their shoes.  We also guard the audience and protect our actors on stage from having things thrown at them!  WE DON'T WANT THAT!  You don't want to know what the people of Transsexual Transylvania will do to you! What do you want the audience to take away from The Rocky Horror Show? The Rocky Horror Show is such a distinctive play!  It is a comic, offensive, sci-fi, horror story and for me, a totally new exciting experience.  First of all, this show will be different from what we are all used to!  It has a new and fresh approach and I love it because we don't go by the book!  The crew has really built the

The Rocky Horror Show - meet cast member Tahara Robinson

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Tell us about your character in The Rocky Horror Show. I am one of the six Phantoms for this show.  The opportunity to feed off the other actors and create a personalized Phantom is something I find very appealing about this character. What have you learned about yourself in playing the role of a Phantom? I have learned that I can actually sing, harmonize, dance, count, and do a sexy "B-line" when needed... all at once without dying! What do you want the audience to take away from The Rocky Horror Show? I would like the audience to get a sense of the cast's unity as one body and to experience the wholeness of the show.  It's a full body story created with the need of each character.  Everyone brings something different to The Rocky Horror Show, which makes this show amazing. It's always amazing to work with people you connect with on and off set.  I think it brings the best out of your character and the show. How long have you been acting and what made

The Rocky Horror Show - meet cast member Patrick M. Doneghy

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Tell us about your character. Dr. Frank N Furter is a man of science and the heart.  He comes from another world, so he has literally searched all over the universe to find love to no avail.  So he had decided to do what any other mad scientist would do; he is going to make his perfect mate.  Frank is magnetic, commanding, stylish, and hard to resist. What have you learned about yourself in playing the role of Frank? Playing Frank N Furter, excuse me, Dr. Frank N Furter (the mad didn't spend all that time in alien medical school for nothing) has taught me that sexy can live outstide the box, sometimes.  It doesn't have to be what the masses consider sexy.  Sexy can go against the grain. What do you hope the audience takes away from The Rocky Horror Show? I hope the audience has fun!  Lots and lots of fun! How does this show differ from other shows you have worked on? This show is a love letter to a lot of old horror movies and I would really like the audience to see i

The Rocky Horror Show - meet cast member Allie Cesena

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Tell us about your character in The Rocky Horror Show. I play Columbia who is amazing!  She's so full of energy and optimism.  We have a lot in common and it's fun finding ways to connect with the character. What do you want the audience to take away from this show? I really hope the audience just has a great time and leaves wanting more! What makes The Rocky Horror Show different from other shows you have worked on? I've never worked on a show that has this kind of following and I have never been yelled at while one stage, so the call backs will be a lot of fun!  It's a very unique experience. Tell us about your past theatre experiences.  How did you get involved with LTA? I've been acting since childhood and have always loved the theatre!  Living in Alexandria, Virginia, The Little Theatre of Alexandria was the perfect place for me to keep doing what I love. What advice do you have for others regarding theatre? I would tell them to never give up!  Yo

The Rocky Horror Show - meet cast member Zack Walsh

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Tell us a bit about your role in The Rocky Horror Show. I play a Phantom Usher.  My job for the shows is to pretty much do all the yelling back and audience participation stuff, which is fantastic because I'm such a Rocky Horror fan! I do this kind of thing already at screenings of Rocky Horror on weekends, so doing it for the real show is awesome!   What have you learned about yourself while working on The Rocky Horror Show? Well, I've learned that I hate wearing lipstick!  All kidding aside, I've really become part of the team with the other Phantom Ushers. Coming up with what we're yelling back, when to do it, and all that. The whole cast has really embraced me, even though I'm the youngest by far (I'm 18, while everyone else is... actually an adult). What should the audience expect from The Rocky Horror Show? The audience should expect a hell of a lot of fun! Both fans of the movie and new audiences will be thoroughly satisfied. There's