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.

 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

LTA kicks off 2023/2024 season with Freaky Friday

Image
(June 27, 2023) The Little Theatre of Alexandria jump-starts its 90th season with Freaky Friday, a musical based on the celebrated novel by Mary Rodgers and production by Walt Disney Motion Pictures.   In this hilarious American classic, a mom and her teenage daughter magically swap bodies and they have just one day to put things right again before a big wedding. “The journey of this mother and daughter in discovering who the other really is can be recognized by anyone who has ever been in a relationship, whether it’s with family, friends, or lovers,” says director Joanna Henry.  “In Freaky Friday , a mother and daughter really see what it is to be a family and experience each other’s lives first-hand, if only for a day.  How would we treat each other if we truly had the chance to walk in one another’s shoes for a day?” The cast members of this witty production include:      Sofia Cruz as Ellie Blake ·        Kristina Friedgen as Katherine Blake ·        James Campione as Flet
Read more

The Odd Couple (Female Version) - meet cast member Natalie Fox

Image
Meet Natalie Fox, playing Vera is LTA's upcoming The Odd Couple (Female Version). What did you find appealing about your character and this show? I love that Vera is funny without meaning to be because it really makes her an entertaining character to form and play.  This is a really witty and fast paced show with Vera sometimes used as a way to break tension or to change gears.  She's full of random, non sequitur remarks that jar the other characters away from their nostalgia discussion for a moment to marvel in her vapidity.  That being said, she is also well-meaning, helpful and kind person who genuinely adores her friends and loves being around them. How long have you been acting and what made you get involved with theatre? I have been acting for as long as I can remember.  Since the time I could walk and talk, I've been putting on skits and shows.  Later in elementary school through middle and high school, I was in several productions and on competitive improv tea
Read more

The Winners of LTA's 46th Annual One-Act Playwriting Competition

  Thanks to the LTA One-Acts Play Reading Committee! Thank you to the amazing LTA One-Acts play reading committee, who read nearly 90 scripts over the course of eight weeks, and completed a full weekend to select the three winning shows: 1 st Place : North  by Bruce Bonafede 2 nd Place: The Fengolonian Fiasco by Vicki Riba Koestler 3 rd Place: The Dollar General  by Keely Herrick   The LTA One-Acts Play Reading Committee  Vero Autphenne Lori Barringer Ann Breeden Abigail Casas Maureen Dawson Morgan DeHart Nick Friedlander Jesse Friedson Jasmine Jones Daniel Lakin Lauren Markovich Alden Michels Sam Nystrom Steve Rosenthal Lela Ross Richard Young An additional thank you to LTA Seasonal Planning Chair Eleanore Tapscott for supporting the One Acts Committee, and even participating in our reading committee! These shows will be produced by the Arlington Players in summer 2024 and we are excited to see them on their feet! Brittany Huffman & Josh Heit, One-Acts Committee Co-Cha
Read more