Thursday, August 30, 2012

INSIDE ADLR with Fr. Rutilio Grande's, ALEJANDRO SANDOVAL II

Alex Sandoval is making his ADLR debut in The Fifth Sun in the role of Fr. Rutilo Grande who was mudered for his work with the poor of El Salvador. Take a few moments to say Hello to Alex and then remember to buy your tickets to see him and the rest of the phenomenal cast in ADLR's THE FIFTH SUN which opens in September!

Production Name: The Fifth Sun     

Actor’s Name : Alex Sandoval II

Character Name: Fr. Rutillio Grande

  • Born & Raised:   Born in Germany, raised in Texas (San Antonio, Fort Worth)
  • Education:  Texas Wesleyan University for Acting, San Juan College for Writing
  • Degree: not yet…
  • Zodiac Sign: scorpio
  • Any Siblings: two older sisters
  • Audition Song:  N/A
  • Audition Monologue:  Angelo from Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure,” Roma from Mamet’s “Glengarry Glen Ross.”
  • First Play/Musical You Ever Saw:   The Diviners at Stage West
  • Something you’re REALLY bad at: Breathing underwater.
  • Did you have any particular mentors or inspirations when first starting out? Local actors were my favorite to watch on the stages of Fort Worth Shakespeare in the Park, and Stage West. Always enjoyed the work of Jerry Russell, Michael Muller, Lindy Benton-Muller, Jakie Cabe, Mario Cabrera, Johnny Simmons, and who can forget George X Rodriguez.
  • Must See TV Show:  Sesame Street—for the life values.
  • Why you work in theatre:  To share the beauty of life.
  • First Role: Plato, in the stage version of “Rebel Without a Cause.”
  • Favorite Play:  Edward Albee’s “A Zoo Story.”
  • Pop Culture Guilty Pleasure:  video games
  • Favorite sport/team/player: Snowboarding and ME!
  • First Stage Kiss:  Don’t recall, sometime in the mid 90’s
  • Pre Show Rituals:  none, that I’m aware of at least.
  • Special Skills: lifetime martial arts student. American Karate, Sho Do Khan, Koryo Gumdo, and Aikido.
  • MAC or PC: Laptop--Toshiba
  • "I'll never understand why…" : Mankind is such a hurtful species.
  • Any Theatre Superstitions:  Aside from the Scottish play, no.
  • Worst Costume Ever: As yet to be determined.
  • Favorite Post Show Meal:  Bourbon
  • Favorite liquid refreshment (adult or other): Coffee
  • Favorite ice cream : Cookies and Cream.
  • Words of advice for aspiring performers: Do it yourself.
  • Career you would want if not a performer: Not an option. I’ve always been a writer and in a way that is performance too—a heightened performance of the imagination and hand working together to create images and emotions from memories, real or fake.
  • Three things you can't live without: Food, water and air.
  • Best way to beat the North Texas Heat : Move to another state.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

INSIDE ADLR with the lady who keeps it moving, APRIL WILSON

Today we don't meet a cast member, rather, we spend time with the woman who keeps it all moving, Stage Manager and Assistant Director April Wilson. April keeps everyone inline, including director Adam Adolfo! Here is what she has to say for herself...
Production Name: The Fifth Sun
Name: April Wilson

Character Name: Stage Manager

  • Born & Raised:   Well…I was born in New York City, but my parents knew that I would one day be a famous stage manager so they moved to small Texas suburb so I could get my start!
  • Education:  I have a BA from UNT in Social Science, minors in English and Rehabilitation, and an alternative certification for teaching EC-6. Yep, I’m a mess.
  • Degree: Um… how is this a different question?
  • Zodiac Sign: Jaguar priest of the sun?
  • Any Siblings: I have one amazing, beautiful sister. She’s my favorite person in the whole wide world.
  • Audition Song:  I do not under any circumstance sing. Whenever I sing in the car people turn the radio up.
  • Audition Monologue:  Nope.
  • First Play/Musical You Ever Saw: The first one that I remember is when I was about 7 or 8 I went to opening night of a run of Harvey and I was hooked and went and saw every show of that run. I have no idea what the appeal was for me at that time, but I liked it. Also when I was about that age I saw Chicago. Yes, I was much too young for that show (in case you don’t know it’s about adulterous men and women and women that kill their husbands), but I loved it anyway.
  • Something you’re REALLY bad at: science.
  • Did you have any particular mentors or inspirations when first starting out? Mary Poppins. She would be the best stage manager ever. There’s only one difference between watching children and stage managing: alcohol.
  • Must See TV Show:  The Newsroom
  • Why you work in theatre:  Adam Adolfo keeps asking me
  • First Role:  I don’t know… like a vegetable or something in school?
  • Favorite Play: this is a hard one… I don’t have an answer
  • Pop Culture Guilty Pleasure:  I really have no idea what’s going on in pop culture.
  • Favorite sport/team/player: Steelers? Honestly, I don’t really know, but my father would be proud if I said Steelers.
  • First Stage Kiss:  I was in 9th grade, extremely shy, and was playing opposite a guy that was not cute AT ALL. My brilliant (that’s sarcasm by the way) director had forgotten to tell us that we were even kissing until right before the show and it completely threw me off. Him too. We had never rehearsed it before. I was dreading the kiss right up until it happened and it felt like it went in a gross slow motion.
  • Pre Show Rituals: Making sure my actors have their pants. Apparently occasionally they forget them.
  • Special Skills: Telling people what to do
  • MAC or PC: Back when I was naïve, innocent lad (yes, lad, don’t argue) I knew not of the brilliance of a MAC and was completely satisfied with my virus infested,  mind-numbingly slow PC. Then one day a magical prince came and showed me a MAC and I have squirmed at the idea of using a PC ever since.
  • "I'll never understand why…" : some people are such meanie heads.
  • Any Theatre Superstitions:  If you don’t put away your props the Stage Manager ghost comes and hides them.
  • Worst Costume Ever: I actually have never had a bad one, but that is probably because whenever Adam Adolfo tries to make me look ugly I fight back.
  • Favorite Post Show Meal:  Tequila
  • Favorite liquid refreshment (adult or other): Coke
  • Favorite ice cream : Rocky Road or Cookies and Cream.
  • Biggest On Stage Mishap:  I can’t remember my biggest on stage mishap, but definitely can remember my biggest off stage mishap. Let’s just say I cried for like 4 hours. No joke.
  • Worst job you ever had: I worked at a little girl’s clothing store during the Christmas holiday for like a month. WORST MONTH EVER.
  • Last Good Movie You Saw: Moonrise Kingdom and Safety Not Guaranteed
  • How you got your Equity card: Bhahahahaha
  • Something you are incredibly proud of: never pushing an actor in front of a car or bus or harming them in any way
  • Words of advice for aspiring performers: Don’t piss off your stage manager
  • Career you would want if not a performer: Ha. If performing was my career I would be more broke than I already am.
  • Three things you can't live without: Chocolate cake, pizza, baked potatoes. (Yes, all three are food.)
  • Best way to beat the North Texas Heat : Move.
  • Best thing about Fort Worth & the North Side:  Adam Adolfo.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

INSIDE ADLR with the blood thirsty colonel's, Joshua Sherman


Production Name: The Fifth Sun

Actor’s Name : Joshua Sherman

Character Name: The Colonel

  • Born & Raised: I was born in raised in Weatherford, Tx! Or Dubtown as some call it.
  • Education: I had some.,. and most of it I didn’t enjoy. In the great words of one Albert Einstein: “The only thing that interferes with my Learning is my Education.”
  • Degree: I am an alumnus of the great school of Texas Wesleyan University. I graduated with a Bachelors in Performance Arts with emphasis on acting and I also carry an Associates in Fine Arts from Weatherford College.
  • Zodiac Sign: The best one! I’m a Capricorn. Any Taurus’ out there? 
  • Any Siblings: One biological brother… And a few friends who have become close enough to be considered my brothers and sisters.
  • Audition Song: The Devil You Know from the musical Sideshow. It has a nice jazz feel to it and shows off one’s range relatively well. It’s also just a great song.
  • Audition Monologue: I never can decide with monologues. I have some Shakespeare tucked in my pocket and also several from a monologue based play called The Laramie Project. I usually pick from those.
  • First Play/Musical You Ever Saw: The first play I REMEMBER seeing was some One-act play way back in the 7th grade… It was about a soldier and that’s about all I can remember of it. Hahaha. The first LEGAL musical I saw was Texas Wesleyan’s Sweeney Todd.
  • Something you’re REALLY bad at: Directions. Hands down I am TERRIBLE with directions. I get lost WITH my GPS. However, if I’ve been there once or twice I can remember how to get there using locations as reference points.
  • Did you have any particular mentors or inspirations when first starting out? Catherine O’Bryan. She was the first teacher that gave me a chance in the theatrical world. She encouraged me while telling me the truth behind the glamour that everyone sees. Then of course I went on to meet other amazing teachers that molded me; Connie Whitt-Lambert, Kristin Spires, and Lisa Dalton just to name a few. 
  • Must See TV Show: This is a toughy… Kyle XY. The show is clever in how it lets everyone see a situation in a different light. I also enjoy Doctor Who (Woot David Tennant!) and Supernatural… Charmed also has a special place in my heart.
  • Why you work in theatre: I absolutely love helping people. I also believe that theatre is VERY therapeutic. It allows audiences to travel to different places, experience situations that they might not come across in their own lives, and escape their world if only for a moment. In doing what I love if I can open someone’s eyes to something they never considered or move them in any way… then I have succeeded. And I love that. Completely love it.  
  • First Role: The first role I had was as Firefly in some kind of bug show we did in 3rd grade I think… It was a long time ago, but in that moment on the stage I KNEW that this was going to be my life.  
  • Favorite Play: Next To Normal. I cannot get over the brilliance of the writing and the emotions behind every note in the songs! Such a masterpiece.
  • Pop Culture Guilty Pleasure: Pink. Love that woman. Love her voice. And I blare her songs and dance wildly in my car every time one comes on the radio.  
  • Favorite sport/team/player: Ha! Sports?! I like to play “street” games… because they rarely have rules and it’s more about having fun that winning. But… I still don’t care for them much. Unless you consider Karate as a sport. Love Karate.
  • First Stage Kiss: Aww! Quick story. My first onstage kiss was technically a “brush” on the cheek. (It was high school in a conservative town.) The show was Sound of Music. I was the Captain and Maria was played by this amazing actress/singer Cassandra Matthews. The first time we “brushed” we kinda missed and kissed each other on the lips… and the moment we did the fire alarm went off in the school for a fire drill! Gah! Everyone was laughing their butts off! No one would let us live that moment down. It was embarrassing but hilarious at the same time.  
  • Pre Show Rituals: I listen to my iPod. Mainly bands like Evanescence and Armor for Sleep and I dance around (if no one is around.)   
  • Special Skills: Hmm… I sing. I write. And I act. That’s pretty much it.
  • MAC or PC: PC! Don’t want to learn a new format. Plus, I’m awful with technology so I am afraid a MAC would just be wasted on me.
  • "I'll never understand why…" : People cheat on their partners. Infidelity just boggles my mind. 
  • Any Theatre Superstitions: Oh yes. I’m a very superstitious person.   
  • Worst Costume Ever: I’ve never truly disliked a costume. HOWEVER, the most wild and ugliest costume I wore was a robe/smock for a show called The Emperor’s New Clothes. I was the Emperor and we made his clothes hideous, but great at the same time.  
  • Favorite Post Show Meal: Anything. I usually don’t eat before a show so by the time it’s out I’m starving!
  • Favorite liquid refreshment (adult or other): Margarita’s. Love them! I also like the Green Machine (Naked Juice).
  • Favorite ice cream : I love me some Peanut Butter Carmel Swirl. It’s hard to find, but I can (and have on several occasions) eat an entire tub in one sitting.
  • Biggest On Stage Mishap: It was during Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat! I was playing Joseph! I was standing on a small chair and my brothers were circling me in my wonderful coat. They would pull at it and jeer behind me and praise and love it if I could see them. Well, one guy decided that he was going to wrap his arms around my legs. He forgot to let go when he went on. Not only did I go down but somehow he pulled me through the bottom of the chair causing me to trip over it and whack some poor girl in the face with my hand as I did so… Without anyone missing a single lyric mind you!
  • Worst job you ever had: Paper shredder for an office in Downtown Ft. Worth. 8 hours a day sitting in a giant room full of paper and a paper shredder with no iPod, no music, no TV… nothing. It was bad.
  • Last Good Movie You Saw: Ted. It was pretty funny. I would definitely recommend it!
  • How you got your Equity card: … I’ll let you know when I get it...
  • Something you are incredibly proud of: A play that I wrote by the name of Angel Tears. I’ve put a lot of time, emotions, tears, and even some blood in the writing of it.
  • Words of advice for aspiring performers: It gets tough but persevere through it. It’s worth it. Plus, don’t listen to those rednecks who think you’re wasting your time on that “drama thing”.
  • Career you would want if not a performer: Psychologist! I find psychology fascinating. I love figuring out how people tick and why they do what they do.
  • Three things you can't live without: Food. Air. And Water. Hahaha: Music. Friends. And love.
  • Best way to beat the North Texas Heat : Become a vampire. It’s cooler at night!
  • Best thing about Fort Worth & the North Side: A hole in the wall joint called La Altena. They have THE BEST Salsa Verde and steak fajita meat I have ever tasted.  

Monday, August 27, 2012

INSIDE ADLR with the Rain God herself, REBEKAH RUIZ

Production Name: The Fifth Sun

Actor’s Name: Rebekah Ruiz

Character Name: CHAC

  • Born & Raised: I was born and raised in Miami, Florida (Texas is better.)
  • Education: I completed my high school degree at Arlington Heights and I’ll be starting my sophomore year in college at Texas Wesleyan University this fall!
  • Degree: I plan on getting a degree in mass communications/ PR.
  • Zodiac Sign: Capricorn!
  • Any Siblings: Well here’s a long list. I have a sister and two brothers along with two step-sisters and two step-brothers.
  • Audition Song: Can never ever find the right one. I’m a dancer.
  • Audition Monologue: Its an excerpt from “Stardust.” I’m in need of some new ones.
  • First Play/Musical You Ever Saw: Jesus Christ Superstar (on VHS)
  • Something you’re REALLY bad at: Video games. REALLY bad doesn’t begin to cover it.
  • Did you have any particular mentors or inspirations when first starting out? Michelle Derstine is someone who I got to dance along side when I was younger. She was a mentor and an inspiration and continues to be and then there’s Meryl Streep. Gotta love her.
  • Must See TV Show: BREAKING BAD. Everyone should see it.
  • Why you work in theatre: I ask myself this same question every day.
  • First Role: Annie! It was in the 5th grade and I still brag about it. It was my star moment.
  • Pop Culture Guilty Pleasure: Keeping up with the Kardashians. I may or may not be watching it as I type this.
  • Favorite sport/team/player: Baseball/ Texas Rangers/ Ian Kinsler. That was easy.
  • First Stage Kiss: Filling in for a prisoner one night in ‘Kiss of the Spiderwoman’ I kissed a guy dressed as a woman while I was dressed as a woman, dressed as a man. Quite memorable.
  • Pre Show Rituals: Eating candy. Lots of candy.
  • Special Skills: I’m gonna say my skill in the kitchen. I’ve been told I’m pretty great.
  • MAC or PC: MAC all the way.
  • "I'll never understand why…" : Cookie dough only tastes good late at night when you’re sad and alone.
  • Any Theatre Superstitions: I’m not the most superstitious but I’m never doing a show with the word “spider” in the title ever again!
  • Worst Costume Ever: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I was a wife and there was a headdress.
  • Favorite Post Show Meal: Honey butter chicken biscuit from Whataburger, of course.
  • Favorite liquid refreshment (adult or other): Sweet Tea or Dr. Pepper.
  • Favorite ice cream : Milk chocolate BlueBell. HAS to be BlueBell.
  • Biggest On Stage Mishap: I broke my toe on stage once. That was great.
  • Worst job you ever had: Well… At this point I’ve only worked in theatre.
  • Last Good Movie You Saw: The Amazing Spiderman!
  • How you got your Equity card: Yeah right…
  • Something you are incredibly proud of: I just choreographed a kid’s show and it didn’t suck! Yay!
  • Words of advice for aspiring performers: If you love it do it. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
  • Career you would want if not a performer: I’m hoping to make my way into teaching dance.
  • Three things you can't live without: Cell phone, air conditioning, hot showers.
  • Best way to beat the North Texas Heat : Put a slip and slide and inflatable pool in your backyard OR live inside of a freezing theatre. I’ve done both this summer.
  • Best thing about Fort Worth & the North Side:  Mexican food.

Friday, August 24, 2012

INSIDE ADLR with Diego turned God, EDUARDO AGUILAR

Meet Eduardo Aguilar who most recently took the stage as Dora the Explorer's faithful cousin, Diego!  Eduardo turns in Diego's trademark blue t-shirt for the clothes of the God of Cultivation in the upcoming stage production of the Fifth Sun opening this September at Artes de la Rosa. No Stranger to the ADLR stage, Eduardo made his ADLR debut in 2011 with Kiss of the Spiderwoman.

Actor’s Name:  Eduardo Aguilar                 
Character Name:  Ghanan, God of Cultivation

Born & Raised:   Born in  Mexico, but raised in Fort Worth since I was five.
Education:  Going on my last school year of undergrad       
Degree:  Theater of course    
Zodiac Sign: Libra     
Any Siblings: One older sister, an older brother, and a little brother           
First Play/Musical You Ever Saw:       The first play I ever saw was Blithe Spirit in my old high school.
Something you’re REALLY bad at: Math, and being organized
Must See TV Show:  Friends duh.
Why you work in theatre:  Because of opportunities that you get to experience in this field, that otherwise you’d never think about doing.
Favorite Play:  I can’t narrow it to just one. Sorry.
Pop Culture Guilty Pleasure:  Don’t judge me, but I like the Teenwolf series on MTV. And lately I’ve been hooked on a show by ABC Family called Make it or Break it. Both shows are super corny and I don’t know why I watch them.
Favorite sport/team/player:      I am a huge Olympic Games fan. The summer games are my favorite. I  also enjoy watching the World Cup.
First Stage Kiss:  My first stage kiss was with the one and only, Cari Watson. I was a freshman in high school and I was auditioning for the part of Haemon in a translated version of Antigone. My director made us kiss as part of the audition. It was memorable.
Pre Show Rituals:  Listen to some music, stretch, vocalization warm ups and try to relax as best as I can.
Special Skills:  I am a great sleeper. I can seriously fall asleep through anything. Thunderstorms, traffic jams, of course it’s only when someone else is driving.
MAC or PC: PC
"I'll never understand why…" : Some people just don’t wear deodorant. It’s incredibly disgusting.
Favorite Post Show Meal:  Something light-ish. Like a sandwich and a fruit.       
Favorite liquid refreshment (adult or other): Grapefruit juice
Favorite ice cream : Buttered Pecan
Biggest On Stage Mishap:  On opening night of Annie at Plaza Theater in Cleburne, Tx, I had the privilege of knocking down a little table, and breaking one of its legs. I wanted to die.
Worst job you ever had: I guess out of the few places I’ve worked, Dairy Queen would be the least classy.
Last Good Movie You Saw: The Dark Knight Rises. I have the biggest crush on Anne Hathaway.     I would marry her if she wanted.
Something you are incredibly proud of: my parents and family.
Words of advice for aspiring performers: Be humble and easy to work with. Being a diva is the biggest turnoff there could ever be.
Career you would want if not a performer:  Something involved with learning foreign languages. Or working at reservations for animals that are in danger of extinction. Or being a ninja.
Three things you can't live without: A bed, my ipod, and food.
Best way to beat the North Texas Heat : Stay inside, obviously. And drink lots, and lots of water.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

INSIDE ADLR with MATEO PRADA,

Meet Mateo Prada, who makes his ADLR debut in The Fifth Sun in the role of revolutionary priest, Hector Navarez. A native of Colombia, Mateo is a powerful force on stage as he comes head to head with Oscar Romero. You'll have to wait till September 7th to see the fireworks fly!
Production Name: The Fifth Sun

Actor’s Name: Mateo Prada                                                            

Character Name: Fr. Hector Navarez

  • Born & Raised: Colombia
  • Education: I graduated from high school in Colombia and graduated from college in Dallas
  • Degree: Associate of applied arts in camera performance.
  • Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
  • Any Siblings: I got 1 little sister
  • Audition Song: I suck at singing!  
  • Audition Monologue:  Agamemnon by John Leguizamo
  • First Play/Musical You Ever Saw: Clue  
  • Something you’re REALLY bad at: as I said above…singing!!
  • Did you have any particular mentors or inspirations when first starting out? Yes, the director of KD Theater, T.A Taylor
  • Must See TV Show: Modern Family is pretty bada$$… Sofia Vergara esta Buenisima!
  • Why you work in theatre: Because I love it 
  • First Role: a Miami Italian Gangster. Vinnie Vabassi in Neil Simon's Proposals.
  • Favorite Play:  Phantom Of the Opera was the best thing I’ve ever seen.
  • Favorite sport/team/player: A soccer Player from Colombia called Falcao Garcia
  • First Stage Kiss: oh gosh… it was when I was in 2nd semester at KD, I had to kiss this chick and I would say she was the hottest thing in the whole school, I enjoyed it a lot… very professional of course!   
  • Pre Show Rituals:  A little prayer.
  • Special Skills: I don’t know… dance Latin music, maybe?
  • MAC or PC: I rather MAC but I have a PC
  • "I'll never understand why…": Adam bit the freaking apple!!
  • Favorite Post Show Meal:  boneless wings.
  • Biggest On Stage Mishap: once in forum week I was so nervous that I forgot to pull my cellphone from my pocket and it when off in the middle of the scene!!!
  • Worst job you ever had: Landscaping
  • Last Good Movie You Saw: The Artist
  • Something you are incredibly proud of: I learned English in one year!
  • Words of advice for aspiring performers: just believe in yourselves.
  • Career you would want if not a performer: I would choose being a professional soccer player but I’m too old now for that so I would love to be an industrial designer.
  • Three things you can't live without: music, music and music!!!

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

INSIDE ADLR with our most 'sarcastic' actor, PARKER FITZGERALD who plays the God of Death

It's Wednesday, hump day, and we generally can all use a laugh on these days. So today we'd like to introduce you to Parker Fitzgerald who plays Ahpuch, Lord of Death in ADLR's upcoming production of The Fifth Sun. So, hunker down and enjoy a good laugh!


Production Name: The Fifth Son… (or is it sun?)
Actor’s Name: Parker Fitzgerald
Character Name: Ahpuch. ( In college he was known as Acooch)

  • Born & Raised:   Arlington/ Grand Prairie (If anyone asks Canada)
  • Education:  Texas Wesleyan, School of Hard Knocks, School of Rock, and Harvard
  • Degree: Theatre Arts…. So nothing.
  • Zodiac Sign: Jackie Chan
  • Any Siblings: One sister and one brother from another mother.
  • Audition Song:  African Spiritual Chant #87
  • First Play/Musical You Ever Saw:   A hobo performing Gypsy
  • Something you’re REALLY bad at: Life
  • Must See TV Show:  Deadwood and infomercials
  • Why you work in theatre:  The straight dude to female ratio is awesome!
  • First Role:  Parker Fitzgerald
  • Favorite Play:  Roleplaying.
  • Favorite sport/team/player: I’m in theatre. Sports are the devil.
  • First Stage Kiss:  Emma Watson. Non Fantasy- Carrie Slaughter… yeah she was way older than me.
  • Special Skills: Being special… not the good kind.
  • MAC or PC: Stone tablets.
  • "I'll never understand why…" : I wasn’t cast as Charles Foster Kane.
  • Any Theatre Superstitions:  Never say MacDonald’s inside a theatre.
  • Worst Costume Ever: The Fifth Sun.
  • Favorite Post Show Meal:  Emma Watson
  • Favorite liquid refreshment (adult or other): The Dos Equis poisoning my liver right now at this moment... (just kidding)
  • Favorite ice cream : Frozen Half and Half
  • Biggest On Stage Mishap:  Acting
  • Worst job you ever had: Adam Adolfo’s maid.
  • Last Good Movie You Saw: Moving Pictures are the work of the devil.
  • How you got your Equity card: …. A couch was involved.
  • Something you are incredibly proud of: My friends…. What? I can't be sentimental?
  • Words of advice for aspiring performers: Become doctors.
  • Career you would want if not a performer: Action Hero
  • Three things you can't live without: I’m already living without them.
  • Best way to beat the North Texas Heat : Uppercut.
  • Best thing about Fort Worth & the North Side:  There are so many places to break into.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

INSIDE ADLR with the Lord of Life, FRIEDA AUSTIN

Get to know the brilliant performer, Frieda Austin. She most recently made her ADLR debut with her breathtaking physical performance in Artes de la Rosa's MARIA DE BUENOS AIRES. She's a gorgeous dancer and powerful actress, Frieda has some major surprises in store for audiences who see The Fifth Sun! Let's get to know her!

Production Name      : The Fifth Sun

Actor’s Name :             Frieda Austin

Character Name        : Kukulcan, Lord of Life
Born & Raised:   Born to Dance, Raised in the Theatre
  • Education:  I have two children. You learn a lot from your kids.
  • Degree: I’m an expert in sarcasm
  • Zodiac Sign: Taurus
  • Any Siblings: 1 computer genius younger brother
  • Audition Song:  I don’t sing.   
  • Something you’re REALLY bad at: surveys
  • Did you have any particular mentors or inspirations when first starting out? My ballet teacher Letitia Gray
  • Must See TV Show:  Alias with Jennifer Garner
  • Why you work in theatre: I love the process, the people and most of all the chance to connect with the audience in a way they will never forget. 
  • First Role: I danced the role of a Rosebud in my first recital and I played a “Nerd” in my 5th grade play “Robin Dude: Prince of Nerds”
  • Favorite Play:
  • Pop Culture Guilty Pleasure: Shopping at Target & Real Simple magazine
  • Favorite sport/team/player:
  • First Stage Kiss:  It was a “dance” kiss in Maria de Buenos Aires, does that count?
  • Pre Show Rituals:  Tennis ball, loud music on my ipod and stretching
  • Special Skills: I taught myself to knit.
  • MAC or PC: Both, I’m a multiplatform kind of girl.
  • "I'll never understand why…" : drivers brake for no apparent reason on the highway
  • Any Theatre Superstitions: Nope. Sometimes, I forget and say Good Luck before a show.
  • Worst Costume Ever: I’ve worn so many white costumes; it doesn’t even phase me anymore.
  • Favorite Post Show Meal:  A burrito from Taco Bueno with sour cream, yum.
  • Favorite liquid refreshment (adult or other): Chai tea
  • Favorite ice cream : Mint Chocolate Chip
  • Biggest On Stage Mishap: In my final performance of Wind Set-up at Hip Pocket Theatre last summer, I enthusiastically went for a sweeping movement over the stage and managed to shove a giant splinter in my finger. There was limited light backstage so I had to leave it in for the remainder of the show.
  • Something you are incredibly proud of: Getting back into performing after 10 years off.
  • Words of advice for aspiring performers: Commit to every moment you are on stage.
  • Career you would want if not a performer: Sheep Herder
  • Three things you can't live without: Burt’s Bees Lip Balm, silence and nature
  • Best way to beat the North Texas Heat : Movie marathons at home
  • Best thing about Fort Worth & the North Side: THE ARTS!

Monday, August 20, 2012

INSIDE ADLR WITH 'token gringa' LAURA L. WATSON


Today we spend time getting to know our token 'gringa', Laura L. Watson, who is a familiar face to the Rose Marine theatre having been seen onstage recently in the American Classics production of A View From The Bridge. Laura interestingly enough is playing a Christian missionary in The Fifth Sun and has actually in her own life been a missionary! Hear her fascinating story!

Production Name:     The Fifth Sun
Actor’s Name :           Laura L. Watson
Character Name:      Anne Dunn, the nun

·       Born & Raised:   I was born in Oklahoma City and raised in Southwest Fort Worth. I consider myself a Texan because I was just a few weeks old when I got here. I learned to walk and talk here, so I’m a Texan.
·       Education:  I graduated from Southwest High School here in Fort Worth, then went to the University of North Texas in Denton, and after spending several years overseas, I came back and spent a summer at Circle in the Square Conservatory in NYC. I recently signed up to study online with Coursera classes (www.coursera.org). I continue my acting training with Arthur Morton as my private acting and voice coach, Don Shook acting/scene study, and classical singing with SallyPage Stuck.
·       Degree: I hold B.A.s in History, Theater and Journalism from the University of North Texas.
·       Zodiac Sign: I don’t know. Oct. 2
·       Any Siblings: I have one biological sister, and I was “adopted” while living overseas, so I have 3 brothers in China, and one brother and one sister in Romania.
·       Audition Song:  I sing “Down in the Valley”, a folk song, for most of my auditions that request a song. It’s the lullaby my Daddy sings to me. Other selections include “Don’t You Know God’s Always Loved You”, “Let’s Misbehave”, “Moonglow”, and “On My Own”. I rarely audition for musicals.
·       Audition Monologue: I have 15 monologues I can use at any time, but my favorite go to one is Billie from Women of Manhattan by John Patrick Shanley “I want to be in a movie.”
·       First Play/Musical You Ever Saw:   I vaguely remember seeing the Wizard of Oz at Casa Manana when I was about 4. The roof of the house flew above me, and I’ve been sold on live theater ever since.
·       Something you’re REALLY bad at: Punctuality. But I ALWAYS call, text, or email so you don’t wonder where I am. And yes, I’m working on it.
·       Did you have any particular mentors or inspirations when first starting out? My sister Brittney who said “Just do it already!” and then drove me to my first audition when I was 26 years old.
·       Must See TV Show:  I currently watch Criminal Minds every day on ION. I stayed up until 3 and 4 in the morning every night of the Olympics. But, without a doubt, if I could only have one TV series to watch ever, it would be Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
·       Why you work in theatre:  I want to tell stories worth telling well in a way that glorifies God and makes a difference in the world. I strongly believe in theater for social, political, and spiritual change.
·       First Role:  I was the fourth Baby Bumble Bee in the Kindergarden recital, then Helen Keller in Miracle Worker in my 4th Grade class play, and my first professional gig was as Lampito in Lysistrata with Fight Boy Theater in Denton, Texas.
·       Favorite Play:  Oh geez…
·       Pop Culture Guilty Pleasure:  My pop culture guilty pleasure is Facebook.
·       Favorite sport/team/player: I have three sports I follow religiously (and I follow EVERYTHING during the Olympic Games. Been an Olympic junkie since 1996.) Figure Skating- Michelle Kwan. Baseball-Nolan Ryan Gymnastics- Kerri Strug (the girl who landed on one foot after tearing her achilles tendon on the first vault to win gold in 1996.)
·       First Stage Kiss:  The first kiss in front of other people (not during a game of truth or dare) was in scene study class at UNT. I kissed Lamar Brown as Hal in a scene from Proof. He tasted like cherry lip gloss. I am, to this date, the only girl he has ever kissed. He just leaned over my shoulder and said “Or will ever.”  The first time I was paid to kiss someone else I kissed Rey Torres as Juanito in 24 Hours of Love at MBS Productions.
·       Pre Show Rituals:  I do an extensive one hour physical and vocal warm up before most other people arrive, and then I spend about 30 minutes on hair and makeup. I put my costume on during the curtain speech because that last minute RUSH to finish gets me all excited.
·       Special Skills: My special skills are I speak 5 languages, I do a variety of voices and accents, and I am willing to learn ANYTHING. (Very, very sad I have to wait until November to go to circus school like the Mayan gods did. I mean- CIRCUS SCHOOL!)
·       MAC or PC: PC.
·       "I'll never understand why…" : I’ll never understand why people get on the toll roads, whose speed limit is 70, and drive less than 70. We are PAYING for the PRIVILEDGE of driving faster. MOVE.
·       Any Theatre Superstitions:  No superstitions, but if I know someone has a superstition, I try to honor it. (Break a leg, no reviews in the theater, calling it the Scottish play, etc.) I will say that I never read a review until the show closes, which is more about keeping my focus on my director’s wishes than a superstition.
·       Worst Costume Ever: Worse costume ever? One word: corset.
·       Favorite Post Show Meal:  CUPCAKES. I must eat cake after a show.
·       Favorite liquid refreshment (adult or other): Dublin Doctor Pepper made with real sugar cane and/or Jamba Juice peach pleasure smoothie with added blueberries. I’ve been known to drink a Cape Cod now and then. I can also put away flavored Smirnof at an impressive rate.
·       Favorite ice cream : Cookies and Cream Ice Cream from Braum’s or Blue Bell. If I must, I’ll settle for a Butterfinger Blizzard from DQ.
·       Biggest On Stage Mishap:  Once, during some fight choreography in a rather violent scene, my wig came off. Not the greatest story, but I felt like I had ruined the scene. Best stage mishap I’ve ever seen- they were doing a version of Romeo and Juliet in college, and as the leads touched swords, one of the swords randomly shattered all over the stage. (There was an imperfection in the metal and the sword crumbled.) All the actors and the audience froze, until the actor whose sword had shattered turned to the guard standing next to him and said, “My good man, wilst thou lend me your sword?”
·       Worst job you ever had: The hardest job I ever had was teaching Spanish-speaking Special Ed (special needs students newly arrived from Mexico) in a Title One Elementary School. 
·       Last Good Movie You Saw: I don’t make it to the movies very often…
·       How you got your Equity card: I will get my Equity card with hard work and a move to NYC!
·       Something you are incredibly proud of: I am super proud of the fact that I can pay my bills doing the work I love most.
·       Words of advice for aspiring performers: My advice to aspiring performers is shut up and learn from your teachers, don’t EVER quit, and if you want it as a job, then treat it as a job and not as a hobby.
·       Career you would want if not a performer: Well, my dream since I was a child is to be an Olympian, and I’m working as an actor to support this dream. (Sport is still to be determined- I just want to be in the Olympics.) I also work as a writer, Director, author, swim teacher, and missionary.
·       Three things you can't live without: Three things I can’t live without are hot showers, chocolate, and Facebook. And 8-10 hours of sleep every night.
·       Best way to beat the North Texas Heat : The only way to survive a Texas summer is to do the hokie pokie in the swimming pool to the delight of the children and adults around you. (I teach swim lessons every summer because it gives me joy.  If I am ever able, I would gladly offer them free of charge, but until then, I keep my prices reasonable!)
·       Best thing about Fort Worth & the North Side:  The best thing about Fort Worth is that we’re NOT Dallas! Seriously, though, we have the best culture, the friendliest people, and way better traffic. I’ve lived all over the world, and I have CHOSEN to live in Fort Worth, Texas, so believe me when I say it’s the best city in the world.