The Little Theatre of Alexandria

Joe Dzikiewicz, Officer Welch What do you find appealing about your character and this show? I come from a police family.   My father was a police officer.   Before I was born, my mother was a police officer.   My godfather was a state police detective.   I have one uncle who was a small city police officer, another who made colonel in a state police force. I grew up hearing a never-ending series of stories about police life, stories that I use in this role.   One of the moments in this show reminds me of one of my father’s stories.   A story that helps me understand exactly why my character reacts to the way he does to some of the shenanigans he faces here. What have you learned about yourself in playing the role of Officer Welch? It’s been a few years since I’ve been in a play.   I forgot how much I love it.   Especially when working with such a great cast and crew as we have here. Beyond that, this is stretching me out, making me be a li...

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 ...

  What do you find appealing about your character and this show? Marilyn is a complicated person. I enjoyed figuring out which Marilyn I was at any given moment. Working with Jessie Roberts is a delight. She's thoughtful, inventive, and understanding. How does this show differ from other shows you have worked on? Having to wear masks during rehearsals was challenging and frustrating. The eyes can say only so much. And we had to work to remember to stay six feet apart. What do you want the audience to experience/take away from this show? I hope the audience laughs, enjoys the plot twists, and appreciates why the play is called "Ripcord."