Rumors- meet cast member Mike Rudden!

Tell us a little about yourself. What are you doing on Rumors? I’m playing Ken Gardner, which is a role I also performed ten years for Vpstart Crow in Manassas. This was when I first moved to Northern Virginia from Michigan, and was way too young for the part. I’m excited to be Ken again when it’s a bit more natural. While this is my first show with LTA, I’ve done a lot of acting all around NoVa and DC, and I’m currently the treasurer for the board of directors of Dominion Stage. During the daytime, I teach high school mathematics for Fairfax County Public Schools, and try to keep up with our one-year-old daughter, Cece.

What is it like being back in the theater after the long Covid-19 hiatus? Did you do any theater during the Covid-19 shutdown? I was in a staged reading of Stop Kiss at LTA in August, which was a surreal experience, with the cast performing in face shields and keeping six feet away. I’ve also helped Dominion Stage with several of their online productions. I’m very excited to get back to a more normal form of theater, especially since I haven’t performed a full show in three years!

How does this show differ from other shows you have worked on? My comfort zone is usually in character-driven dramas or black comedies, so doing a fast-paced farce is stretching my muscles a bit, but it’s fun to be back in that mode. It’s also a great challenge to work with such a hilarious and experienced cast.

What made you get involved in theatre? How did you get involved with LTA? I started acting in high school for fun, but really got into it in college, when presented with more challenging and engaging material. I’ve been a fan of LTA’s productions since I moved to the area, but never had the right opportunity to work with them until now.

What do you want the audience to experience/take away from this show? We could all use a laugh right about now.

What advice would you give others who are interested in working in theatre? Volunteer--help is always needed--and no part is too small.

 


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