Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast & Crew of A Midsummer Night's Dream - Josh Mahaffey

Josh Mahaffey is a guitar-playing, smile-sharing, Honorificabilitudinitatibus-saying Mechanical like you wouldn't believe. If his constantly-warm demeanor doesn't win you over, his string picking skills will. How could you not love a man who made his own ukulele and is willing to put up with the HIDiots for his third production? Please enjoy, Josh Mahaffey as Quince and Moth!

But seriously, how could you not?

HID: First things first, what's your favorite color and what's your character's favorite color?

JM: Oh I just adore the struts and the frets!

My favorite color remains blue! Blue as bluest horse that yet would never tire! Or... something more clever.

Peter Quince’s favorite color is green. Peter would like nothing more than to spend his days rehearsing plays on a field of green green grass surrounded by trees growing with green green leaves, occasionally yielding the space to rival lovers spying on each other with green green envy.  And sometimes he visits Puck to buy some green green..... um, actually never mind.

HID: Peter Quince seems to thrive amidst a brotherhood. If he could rush a frat what would it be and why?

JM: Yes PQ is very much in need of camaraderie, but I think he'd want to make a new one and be in charge of it. His life values are Respect, Resilience, and Rehearsals in the woods, so he would name his brotherhood Rho Rho Rho ;) Of course, he wouldn't call his Fraternity a "Frat", because you don't call your country a - well, you know.

Oh, one more thing. If he did form 3-Rho, it would be a performance-based Fraternity dedicated to the education of college campuses on the prevention of sexual assault. Because, Peter and I believe greek organizations should be fierce advocates for student safety, not breeding grounds for sexual predators. Next question.

HID: If Peter Quince were to write a rock opera, what would it be called and what would it be about?

JM: Eager to capitalize on the instant (and honestly surprising) success of Pyramus and Thisby, he is currently adapting the play to a Broadway rock-opera. Working titles include "The Raging Rocks", "Parts Discharged", and "50 Shades of Loam." Cast includes (pending responses) Lin Manual Miranda as Pyramus, Neil Patrick Harris as Thisby, and Dwayne The Rock Johnson as The Wall.

HID: What is your favorite song to play on guitar? What's Peter Quince's favorite band?

JM: Favorite song to play on the guitar? That’s a toughie. But I’m going to have to say, even after all these years, Pinball Wizard still tops the list. Nothing else quite captures the excitement and satisfaction that power chords can bring to a person.

Quince’s favorite band is Spinal Tap. What can he say? He’s a sucker for general incompetency excused by constant hilarity, raw talent, and deep friendship.

We too are suckers for general incompetency! If you are too, we've got more than enough to share at A Midsummer Night's Dream, opening June 29th! Come see Josh (and the rest of the cast) or be square!

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Tickets are available at http://hidsummer.bpt.me -- One weekend only! June 29th - July 2nd!

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