The Tens is the Apprentice/Intern Company’s first fully produced theatre event this season, and features plays chosen from Actors Theatre’s National Ten-Minute Play Contest. In anticipation of this week’s event, we’ve interviewed two Acting Apprentices about their experience with the show!
Lisa is featured in Advanced, a play about two intellectual Cro-Magnons who find themselves entangled in a love triangle with Sara, a beautiful Neanderthal princess. Maggie performs in The Dungeons and the Dragons, that chronicles the adventures of an elf, a warrior and Felicity Hydrangea Karmikal the destruction wizard, until reality beckons, that is—and they must return to real life in rural America.
LISA DRING
1) Which Ten Minute Play are you in? Advanced by M. Thomas Cooper.
2) Who is your character? Sara, a Neanderthal princess. She’s an extremely special lady– in the play we see her evolve from a wordless, gurgling cave-woman to a sweet, savvy and fierce belle.
3) What has been the most fun thing about this process so far? I adore the physicality of this play, and it’s been really exciting to work with Greg Maupin (our director) staging the piece.
4) What has been the most challenging thing about this process? I think capturing the tone of the piece is the most challenging and most rewarding– we are working to communicate a story about ancient people in a way that relates to contemporary Louisvillians.
5) Name one cool thing about the playwright: The writing includes phrases like ‘the sorrow of my longing crashes over me like cold waves of the great sea’ and awesome stylized Cro-Magnon fights. What more could you ask for?
6) What is your favorite line?
“We both know the wheel is simply a fad.”
“I have no idea where she could have gone”
“I might raise my hand for insane.”
7) How do you relax when you’re not in rehearsal? I like to do yoga, read and meditate. And go to Freddie’s on Sundays with my buds. I also love to walk around Cherokee Park when we have the time and explore this grand old city.
8) What mainstage plays at Actors are you working on right now? We just closed A Christmas Carol, where I got to play Fan and other ensemble parts, and now I am part of The Entourage in The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity.
9) One cool thing about a scene partner (fellow apprentices Keaton Schmidt and Nick Vannoy): Keaton’s the best child wrangler (babysitter for child actors) I’ve ever seen and Nick can catch a grape in his mouth from a throw 30 feet away. No joke.
10) One New Years Resolution: Oh gosh, the same as everybody else I’m sure– I’d like to hit the gym more often and be better at budgeting.
MAGGIE RAYMOND
1) Which Ten Minute Play are you in? The Dungeons and The Dragons by Kyle John Schmidt.
2) Who is your character and what is special about them? I play Marlin Bricks. She is a teenage loser who secretly loves Dungeons and Dragons for it allows her to be fearless, strong, supported by friends, and kick some ass!
3) What has been the most fun thing about this process so far? Actually playing Dungeons and Dragons. We got together and Megan Shuey [Costume Intern] played our Dungeon Master and helped us through the game. It was incredible. I’ve also loved understanding the game on an emotional level. These characters in the play love this game because it allows them to be whatever they truly want to be in real life, but aren’t.
4) What has been the most challenging thing about this process? DIAGONALS! Lillian [Directing Intern] is a FABULOUS director and has created some really beautiful moments and images in this 10 Minute. She is always making sure we keep tight diagonals for a stage picture as well.
5) Name one cool thing about the playwright: He and his friends used to create fabulously elaborate D&D adventures, much like the characters in the show.
6) What is your favorite line? ”Brett’s a bitchy Dungeon Master.”
7) How do you relax when you’re not in rehearsal? Sleeping or chilling with my Apprenti homies.
8) What mainstage plays at Actors are you working on? I just wrapped up A Christmas Carol where I played Martha Cratchit and now I’m spot operating The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity! It’s an amazing show.
9) One cool thing about a scene partner: “The best artists are the most giving people.”
10) One New Years Resolution: Write a new play.
THE TENS
An Evening of Ten-Minute Plays
Presented by the Actors Theatre Apprentice/Intern Company
Actors Theatre of Louisville
316 W. Main Street, Louisville KY
January 10, 2012 at 10 p.m.
January 11, 2012 at 10 p.m.
January 12, 2012 at 12 p.m. and 10 p.m.
January 13, 2012 at 10:30 p.m.
Free Admission.
To reserve tickets, call 502-584-1205.