Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast and Crew of Henry VI - Jara Jones

Do yourself a favor. Go ahead an start running a bubble bath. Light some candles. Chill some champagne. Slip that needle onto your favorite Barry White record, and dim the lights, because you're about to fall in love. We of Hamlet Isn't Dead first met Jara at Facing Page Production's Marathon Reading series, in which dedicated actors read through the entire canon of Shakespeare, 24/7 over the course of about four days. During this series, Jara himself took part in reading over HALF of Shakespeare's complete works. So, like we implied before, get ready to fall in love.

My head says no, but my body says "SHUT UP, HEAD, YOU FOOL!"

D: Jara, how are you? How was your day?

JJ: Who told you my name?  Were you followed?  WHO SENT YOU? 
No really.  This is an unmarked address. I paid extra.  Google ain’t got me, sucker.
You, you  smell like licorice and fifty-cent watermelon aftershave.  Kind you get from a sidewalk trenchcoat peddler with no belt and a toothless, see-saw grin.
My day?  I’m a goddamn amateur scientist. Figured out today flies move slightly backwards before they take off. That gives you an extra half second to mutter some Latin, a little “Requiescat in pace” before you clip ‘em with your shoe. I gave them a week to leave the premises. Didn’t take the hint. They started perching on my lamp and throwing parties. Force had to happen. 

D: You can say that again. Now, there’s a lot of gender-bending in this play. If given another chance in the casting process, who would you rather play, Joan or Margaret, and why?

JJ: I’d be Joan, because my big secret that I’m gonna spill in this exclusive interview is that I too am a super big virgin (hello, ladies) who wins tons of battles (hello war-mongering ladies) using only the power of God (hello religious, sex-positive ladies), my intact, hyper-endurant hymen, and iambic pentameter.   Seriously though, Joan’s a more likable, more enduring source of strength in my eyes.  Maybe I’m biased, based on the characters I play, but Margaret is just a stone cold, gutless viper. She cares for no one but herself. Joan loves her country. She sacrifices herself above all.  Margaret would kill her dog if it got her an extra parking space.

D: Well, you’re playing the man who becomes Richard III down the line, and he’s a bit of a bastard. But you’re such a sweet guy. What gets you into the mindset of such a slimy character?

JJ: What’s human behavior except existing under a specific layer of circumstances? Under the right conditions, with the right amount of chaos, I’d show you with no hesitation exactly how it takes 16 pounds of pressure to rip off a human ear. I tend to play two types: earnest, extremely honest, dutiful people, or horrible, bloodthirsty sociopaths. Why? Because both men are passionate toward their singular goal. They believe in their holy work. People are drawn to their impressionable behavior.

D: We hear you’re also a bit of a poet? Care to give us a little taste? Maybe a haiku or a limerick about the Henry VI trilogy?

JJ: Am I getting paid extra for the poem?

D: No.

JJ: Will you show me your boobs?

D: …maybe.

JJ: Fine.

While Henry is down on his knees
Vile Suffolk and Margaret’s disease
Usurps his fair crown
Blood is stained ruddy brown
And a hunchback ordains his decease.

D: Inspired. Anything else we need to know about you or the show?

JJ: I like cookies and cream frozen yogurt, that gentle crease in a smile which lingers after resonating laughter, and the warmth that keeps in your eager bones after a good cuddle.  This is for E-Harmony, right??  I paid good money for one of them lady-types!  I gave you my last clean twenty bucks for this!  Don’t you walk away from me, pretty-boy!

I also write songs, poems, and other nonsense here:

http://21stcenturynonsense.blogspot.com/ 


{Editor's note: Regardless of what David may claim, he would eventually go on to show Jara his boobs. He'll show you too if it'll get you to buy a ticket to Henry VI. Whatever gets butts in seats}

For tickets and more information, you can either go here: http://hidryvi.brownpapertickets.com

or here:  http://www.hamletisntdead.com 

If you haven't Liked us already on Facebook, now is the time! All the cool kids are doing it.

https://www.facebook.com/HamletIsntDead

If Twitter's more your speed, we have that too. We just want to please you any way we can.

https://twitter.com/hamletisntdead

Or to see us in action, you can check us out (and subscribe, hint, hint) at https://www.youtube.com/user/hamletisntdead 

Basically, if you want to follow us, you just put hamletisntdead after something. And why wouldn't you want to follow us?? We're a lot of fun. See you next month for Henry VI, Parts 1, 2, and 3!

And remember, it's Hamlet Isn't Dead:

Theatre You Love, Whether You Like It Or Not!

Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast and Crew of Henry VI - Sophia Blum

Alright, look, we all want to play Margaret. Show us an actress that doesn't want to play Margaret, and we'll show you an actress who's... obviously never read Margaret!! But this time, it's Sophia's turn, and she has been rocking it thus far. Though, lest we pigeonhole her, she's also playing Bassett and Gargrave in Part One, so you'll have to ask her which role she prefers.

Margaret's another one of the roles in the trilogy that occurs in all three parts (Jonathan Minton's was the first we mentioned, in case you missed his entry), so please come and let Sophia's performance (and her smile) melt the ice of jealousy currently encasing your heart.

Done.

D: Sophia, you’re playing Margaret, one of the most coveted female roles in Shakespeare’s canon. How are you feeling? Daunted? Excited? 

SB: Both? I’m beyond thrilled and excited to be playing Margaret. I actually have quite a history with this character, she’s one of the reasons I fell in love with Shakespeare. I’ve played bits and pieces of her before, but to be able to play her in these three plays in rep is a total dream come true. That being said, I’ll freely admit that my eyes do dart towards the nearest exit sign at least once a rehearsal. It’s quite an undertaking. She’s complex and intense and goes through a hell of a lot emotionally in the course of this trilogy. Did I mention she also talks a lot? Yeah, I should probably be memorizing lines right now… The point is, I’m reveling in the challenge that is Miss Maggie, and I can’t wait to see where she takes me!

D: You seem to be pretty attached to the character. What amount of money would someone have to pay you for you to let them play Margaret instead?

SB: If you have to ask, you can’t afford it. 

D: C'mon. I have twenty dollars in my pocket. Can I play Margaret? Please?

SB: Yeah, definitely not. Nice try. 

D: Fine. Is this the most exciting role you’ve ever worked on? Of course it is! What was the second most exciting or challenging?

SB: Second most challenging would probably be when I played Mme. X and Mlle. Y in August Strindberg’s The Stronger. It’s a play between two women, only one of which speaks throughout the course of the show. So, it’s basically just one big monologue.  On top of that, my cast-mate and I actually alternated characters each night and each role comes with its own set of serious challenges. That was pretty wild, but no, nothing is quite as cool or scary as Margaret. 

D: Thanks, Sophia. Anything else we should know about you or the show?

SB: Did I mention this is my NYC theatre debut? Yay! Thanks HID! 


There you have it, lords and ladies. Madame Margaret is not for sale. But from the sound of Sophia's conviction (and what we've seen in rehearsal so far), the part is in good hands. Speaking of hands, if you haven't gotten your hands on tickets yet, now would be the time! And then you can bring those same hands to the performance and put them together specifically for Sophia! See you there!!

For tickets and more information, you can either go here: http://hidryvi.brownpapertickets.com

or here:  http://www.hamletisntdead.com 

If you haven't Liked us already on Facebook, now is the time! All the cool kids are doing it.

https://www.facebook.com/HamletIsntDead

If Twitter's more your speed, we have that too. We just want to please you any way we can.

https://twitter.com/hamletisntdead

Or to see us in action, you can check us out (and subscribe, hint, hint) at https://www.youtube.com/user/hamletisntdead 

Basically, if you want to follow us, you just put hamletisntdead after something. And why wouldn't you want to follow us?? We're a lot of fun. See you next month for Henry VI, Parts 1, 2, and 3!

And remember, it's Hamlet Isn't Dead:

Theatre You'll Love, Whether You Like It Or Not!

Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast and Crew of Henry VI - Jonathan Minton

Dish, dish, dish! Today we bring you an interview with the scrumptious Jonathan Minty-…er, Minton. He’s here to whet your appetite and reserve you at booth at Hamlet Isn’t Dead’s Henry VI. Jonathan’s portraying a veritable buffet of characters over the (main) course of the trilogy, including York, Glansdale, and the First Sentinel (ooh, sexy).

Feast your eyes on his delectable headshot, his allegorical wit, and remember, this is just an appetizer. (Is it obvious I was really hungry when conducting this interview?)

Talking to this guy, my stomach wasn't the only thing growling.
If you know what I mean.

D: Hi, Jonathan. I see you're playing York. Like the peppermint patty. What do you think York’s favorite candy is?

JM: Hmmmm. A part of me is inclined to say Peppermint Patties, but that'd just be flattery. Really, though, for York, nothing beats peanut M&Ms. Tough exterior, then chocolate, then the surprise nut that you can either enjoy or be shocked by 'cause you thought you were just eating a large regular M&M, and then whose got the upper hand? The M&M. That's York's style, right there.

D: Delicious. Now, in the first part of the trilogy, York goes to war, knowing he may face certain death and never return. In a similar situation, what would your last meal be?

JM: My last meal? Am I having this last meal by myself or with company? If it's by myself, I've always been a big fan of a rare steak with horseradish mashed potatoes, some sort of greens, and a really great red wine. Of course there'd have to be the table cloth and everything- unlike York, I'm all about the atmosphere. If I'm having this last meal with company- Brunch. All out, Lower East Side or St Marks Brunch-y goodness, probably at an outside table. It's my last meal- what restaurant is going to deny me that?

D: I’m sorry, I’ve stopped paying attention, but I'm sure you're being very clever. Have you ever been really, really hungry onstage? Or had to pee? What’s your favorite story of something affecting you onstage, either internal or external?

JM: Peeing on stage? I've never peed onstage, though there have been plenty of times I've wanted to. But one time during college I was working on a show (that will go unnamed), and after my character has "died" onstage, I'm starting to doze off, and in the middle of one of my castmates' big climactic speech, I farted so loudly I jolted awake and just lay perfectly still for the remaining 20 minutes trying to look dead (this was a Black Box, so there were people a foot away from me). It was pretty horrible, I couldn't look the rest of my cast in the eye for the rest of that weekend. Great conversation starter, though.

D: That. Is. Hysterical. Jonathan, you’re a good sport, and a very appetizing interviewee. Anything else we need to know about you or the show?

JM: I'll probably be judging the soundtrack of this production as harshly as the rest of the audience. I'm a big fan of soundtracks. Particularly trilogy soundtracks. No trombone? No dice.

There you have it, Shakespearean gourmets! Chef Minton is here to whip you up a big ol' batch of Henry the Sixth Stew. Food puns aside though, Jonathan's a phenomenal actor who gets to chance to follow a deep and complex character over the course of three separate shows. Come with him on that journey, won't you? And until then, bon appétit!

For tickets and more information, you can either go here: http://hidryvi.brownpapertickets.com

or here:  http://www.hamletisntdead.com 

If you haven't Liked us already on Facebook, now is the time! All the cool kids are doing it.

https://www.facebook.com/HamletIsntDead

If Twitter's more your speed, we have that too. We just want to please you any way we can.

https://twitter.com/hamletisntdead

Or to see us in action, you can check us out (and subscribe, hint, hint) at https://www.youtube.com/user/hamletisntdead 

Basically, if you want to follow us, you just put hamletisntdead after something. And why wouldn't you want to follow us?? We're a lot of fun. See you next month for Henry VI, Parts 1, 2, and 3!

And remember, it's Hamlet Isn't Dead:
Theatre You'll Love, Whether You Like It Or Not!

Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast and Crew of Henry VI - Robin Rightmyer

The Hindenburg, The Titanic, Hamlet Isn't Dead's Henry VI trilogy: all great vessels must have a swift and confident captain. And heading the voyage into Shakespeare's earliest historical thrillers is none other than James "Robin" Rightmyer Jr.

We sat down with the scurvy dog at the helm of this incredibly complex repertory production to find out if these centuries-old plays are still shipshape.

We'd show you his "sea legs",  but that might be going overboard.

D: Afternoon, Captain Rightmyer. How are you? Did you sleep well?

RR: I'm very well, thank you.  And yes, I slept fantastically. Dreamt of and in iambic pentameter. It's a skill.

D: Impressive. Okay, let's dive right in. It may sound a bit esoteric, but honestly, why this play now? Besides the whole chronology thing, how are these plays relevant to today’s audience?

RR: Well. . . that's kind of a trick question, isn't it? Shakespeare's plays are always relevant. That's why we're still doing them four hundred years later.

But this Henry cycle I think in particular is relevant due to it's themes of gender.  Right now more than any other time that I can remember, there is a hugely popular feminist movement.  This cycle deals with a lot of women struggling to make it in a patriarchal society, which I think resonates a great deal today.

D: Very true. Now, you’ve done a lot of gender-bending in this production. Any specific reasoning or inspiration there?

RR: Some of the gender-bending is purely practical.  When doing any of Shakespeare's plays in rep, there's always a problem in that there might be 20 male roles and 3 women; Henry VI is no exception.  And we always see tons of talented women at the auditions, so it's great to be able to use them.  On the other hand, a few roles that have become women in this show (Suffolk being the prime example), I made more as conceptual choices to emphasize the theme of women in a male-dominated society.

D: And, as we know from Hamlet Isn’t Dead in the past, you’re all very good at rolling with the proverbial punches. What have been some of the unforeseeable difficulties in the rehearsal process so far?

RR: Well, as is always the case, actors have lives, too, so sometimes conflicts get in the way of rehearsals and performances.  In this particular show we had to recast three tracks the night before the read-through.  However, in this instance I'm extremely happy with the cast that we have now -- we have an exceptionally talented and driven bunch.

D: That's good to hear. Okay, this one’s off-topic, but if you could marry any character from Shakespeare’s canon, who would it be and why?

RR: I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Viola. Or Rosaline, from Romeo and Juliet.  She's totally hotter than Juliet.  And probably is older, too.

D: Nice choices. Anything else about the upcoming theatrical trio we should know?

RR: This project has been on my dream list for a long time now.  I'm excited to be directing it and can't wait for it to go up!  Go Lancaster!  Oops. 

There you have it folks. You're going to want to wear a life jacket to this production, because it's obviously awash in theatrical talent. In a world full of misogyny, inequality, and ignorance, Hamlet Isn't Dead is your little island oasis of love. What, do we have to spell it out in semaphore for you? Don't miss this show!!


For tickets and more information, you can either go here: http://hidryvi.brownpapertickets.com

or here:  http://www.hamletisntdead.com 

If you haven't Liked us already on Facebook, now is the time! All the cool kids are doing it.

https://www.facebook.com/HamletIsntDead

If Twitter's more your speed, we have that too. We just want to please you any way we can.

https://twitter.com/hamletisntdead

Or to see us in action, you can check us out (and subscribe, hint, hint) at https://www.youtube.com/user/hamletisntdead 

Basically, if you want to follow us, you just put hamletisntdead after something. And why wouldn't you want to follow us?? We're a lot of fun. See you next month for Henry VI, Parts 1, 2, and 3!

And remember, it's Hamlet Isn't Dead:
Theatre You'll Love, Whether You Like It Or Not!

We're Baaaaack-eth

We at Hamlet Isn't Dead have had a pretty ambitious first year. We produced our first show, The Two Gentleman of Verona, on the money we found under our respective futons. We've performed for crowds as small as two and larger than we can count. (Granted, we can't count very high) As the company and its staff grow, we have more and more opportunity to push ourselves to new and greater heights. That said, if any of you are acrophobic, now would be a good time to switch entries. 

This September, Hamlet Isn't Dead presents Henry the Sixth, Parts 1, 2, and 3. Let that sink in for a moment. We're talking trilogy here. This is Shakespeare's Lord of the Rings. His Star Wars. His...Iron Man...s? Iron Men? Not in terms of quality, but pure quantity. And we are bringing them to you one month from today. Woof...if that doesn't make your head swim, don't worry, ours will being doing that for you.

In the past week, the HIDiots, new and old, have been hard at work on Part 1, and the rest are soon to follow. The scripts have been trimmed down with surgeon-like precision, so that each part of the trilogy is no longer than 90 minutes. You'll have to pick your evenings carefully to see each of them, or you can come on a weekend and marathon all three. It's like Netflix, except you won't be in your underwear and crying about how lonely you are!

We have a cast that's so full of passion it borders on crazy. Crazy-passionate, that is. Okay, also crazy-crazy. But in order to attempt this feat, it's almost a requirement. Let us pre-introduce you. You're welcome in advance for the gallery of sexy faces you're about to behold.

Warning: Do not gaze into these eyes while operating heavy machinery.

Want to get a little more personal? Okay, pushy. Just know that each of these actors is as talented as he or she is beautiful. Not only will they be performing this phenomenal trilogy, but each of them will portray multiple parts in each show! This is really a festival of the arts that you can't afford to miss. If you want to make sure you don't miss an interview with your favorite cast member, be sure to subscribe by entering your e-mail up above!

Over the next few weeks, we'll bring you updates on the rehearsal process, as well as interviews with each of the handsome faces you see above. You can catch up with old friends and make new ones here, then come and sit in awe of them at WOW Café Theatre. The very next time you see a blog post from us, you'll be able to reserve your tickets, so hold on to your pants! 

This is a huge undertaking and we're terrified and excited and a little nauseated. It's like Christmas except...no, actually it's exactly like Christmas. We do Christmas right. We also do Shakespeare right, and we hope you're as thrilled to see this come to life as we are. Hamlet Isn't Dead is a family, and whether you're the dad or the third cousin, we're looking forward to this reunion on words, wine, and wow-ness. See you soon.

If you're relatively new to the Internet and haven't Liked us yet on Facebook, please help us out by clicking here. 
If Twitter's more your style (and let's face it, you have great taste) Follow us here.

We've also given our website a bit of a spit-shine since you last heard from us. Most importantly, it's got a little Donate button up at the top. If you didn't get us anything for our birthday, we're just saying, we'll forgive you for a modest fee. Check it out here.

Thank you all so much for your support, and keep checking back in for more HID-y Henry goodness. 

All the best,
Hamlet Isn't Dead

Episode Eighteen: Emily Jackson

     "New Play Development", "Theatre Development", call it what you like, if Emily Jackson's involved, it's gonna be fantastic! Her interests are storytelling, acting secrets, and long walks on the beach (we assume). From assistant directing our production of The Taming of the Shrew to creating new theatre all over New York City, Emily is one of the most ambitious theatre practitioners we know. What lucky people you are that you get to listen and absorb all of her knowledge and experience!

   
     As a director, she'll be a guiding hand. As a collaborator she'll be open and understanding. And as a theatre creator, she will call you up and get your butt out of Connecticut! Listen well this week as Emily Jackson wows us all with her wit and skill.

And then come and congratulate her in person next week at Hamlet Isn't Dead's birthday production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare {Abridged}! She'll be with us at Bar Reis on June 18th starting at 8pm for this festive festival of...festivities. We hope to see you too!

To RSVP to The Complete Works of William Shakespeare {Abridged}, Click HERE!

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As always, thank you for reading about, listening to, Liking, Following, and generally supporting Hamlet Isn't Dead! And if you only fall into one or a few of those categories, it's not too late to take it up a notch!

Like us on Facebook HERE!

Follow us on Twitter HERE!

And if you or anyone you know feels the need to join us on an episode of Tales Told by a HIDiot (the world's 82nd greatest Shakespeare-related podcast), e-mail us at hamletisntdead@gmail.com and we'll save you a seat!

All the best,

David Andrew Laws Robin Rightmyer

     Artistic Director, HID Executive Director, HID

Episode Seventeen: Dayle Towarnicky

     Dayle Towarnicky believes that anyone can act. And we tend to agree with her! One of the only differences between most actors, she believes, is the level of training and technical skill they've received. That's where she comes in!

     Listen well this week as David Andrew Laws and Dayle Towarnicky chat one-on-one about Shakespeare, voice coaching, and more talking about talking than we care to talk about.

Dayle is one of the most articulate and talkative people we know, so if she didn’t answer any of your curiosities in our brief segment, feel free to contact her with questions, concerns, and opinions. She works at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting (and Witchcraft and Wizardry), but is also open to new clients, or just conversations over cups of tea.

If you want to meet her in person, what better way than by attending Hamlet Isn’t Dead’s birthday party! That’s right, a One Night Only spectacular performance of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare {Abridged}. Dayle will be there laughing along at Bar Reis on June 18th at 8pm. It’s probably not your only chance to meet her, but why take that risk?

Listen well, enjoy, and keep on humming!

To learn more about Dayle, click HERE!

To RSVP for Complete Works of William Shakespeare {Abridged}, click HERE!

For all sorts of fun stuff, click HERE!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As always, thank you for reading about, listening to, Liking, Following, and generally supporting Hamlet Isn't Dead! And if you only fall into one or a few of those categories, it's not too late to take it up a notch!

Like us on Facebook HERE!

Follow us on Twitter HERE!

And if you or anyone you know feels the need to join us on an episode of Tales Told by a HIDiot (the world's 82nd greatest Shakespeare-related podcast), e-mail us at hamletisntdead@gmail.com and we'll save you a seat!

All the best,

David Andrew Laws Robin Rightmyer

     Artistic Director, HID Executive Director, HID