My friend, Kerry Hishon, posted these questions along with her answers on her blog.
Here are the questions, along with my answers:
1. When did you start getting into theatre? I was 12 years old in grade seven (or, as we called it in the US, 7th grade). I played Pete Thursday in a junior high school mystery play.
2. How many shows have you been in? Difficult question. Counting mystery dinner theatre shows, probably hundreds. Stage shows, maybe 20 - 25. Films, maybe 3-4.
3. Favourite role ever played? Martin Dysart in Equus was an amazing role. I will be forever grateful for having had that opportunity.
4. A tip you always give to new theatre people? Speak up and enunciate clearly. You can tell my roots are in community theatre with this kind of advice.
5. Biggest theatre pet peeve? nah, I think I'll pass on this one...
6. Biggest strengths, biggest weaknesses? Strengths: sensitivity, ability to learn quickly. Weaknesses: getting into the character.
7. Biggest Inspiration in theatre? Several. Dabbs Greer and Patrick Cronin to name two.
8. What's your dream role? Something small and easy, yet with a fun cast and crew.
9. Do you prefer plays or musicals? I would like to be, and have been, in both. I think my singing voice dictates, though, that I primarily do plays or maybe luck out and make it into the chorus for musicals.
10. What is your favourite improv game? I hate improv, which may seem odd, since we do so much of it in mystery dinner theatre. But those shows are different from improv games. In the shows, I have thought long and hard about the background of the character, and though much of each show is unscripted, it is all part of that preparation.
11. What is your favourite show? Play: Death of a Salesman or Equus. Musical: Sound of Music. Film: Three Days of the Condor.
12. What has been your most awkward onstage moment? appearing in female lingerie at the end of "Academia Nuts". That, or trying to jump scenes in one performance of another play (a very embarrassing moment which another actor saved, fortunately).
13. What has been your best off-stage moment in theatre? The amazing cast party put on by the director of Norm Foster's "My Darling Judith". Or maybe the first audition I had in London many years ago.
14. What has been your most challenging role to play? This is going to seem weird to some people. Dysart had over 600 lines, many of which were monumental monologues, but I'm finding it much more challenging to try to learn the role of Theseus for "Midsummer Night's Dream." The words in Shakespeare just don't flow for me.
15. What would you be doing if theatre didn't exist? Undoubtedly writing more about economics and world affairs.
This is a self-tagging game. Play if you wish by posting in the comments here, in a note on Facebook, or on your own blog.