BWW Interviews: BCT Series - Jane Volke Talks PVC and THE LAST FIVE YEARS

I saw a Bayou City Theatrics' production and enjoyed the look of the production so much that I decided to look into the newly established theatre company. What I found intrigued me. A part of the company's vision and mission is to provide "high-art, conceptualized pieces of theatre" to the Houston audience. I had to find out just what the hell that meant. Ergo, the Bayou City Theatrics series was born.

I finish the series with Jane Volke - "Producer, Music Director, Table Bracer, Staple Gunner, Public Relations Liaison, Set Builder, Curtain Hanger Upper, Costumer, Water Bottle thrower outer, Marketing Rep., Child Wrangler, Lighting Tech, Floor Painter, Copy Expert, Hole Puncher Extraordinaire, Stage Hand, Window Washer, Dog Walker, Extension Cord Wrapper, Ceiling Painter, Banner Hanger, and Wine Drinker" at Bayou City Theatrics. We discuss THE LAST FIVE YEARS and her definition of "high-art, conceptualized pieces of theatre."

BWW: Tell me about THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

Jane Volke: THE LAST FIVE YEARS depicts the journey of a couple, Jamie and Cathy, from their first meeting to the eventual dissolution of their relationship. It chronicles the hills and valleys that every relationship is bound to go through. Everyone can relate to both Jamie and Cathy. I think everyone has seen both perspectives at some point.

BWW: To some, the structure may be novel. Can you explain it to the audience?

Jane Volke: In my opinion, the structure of the show is what makes it so poignant. Cathy's opening song "I'm Still Hurting" grabs you from the moment the piano prelude begins and she sings the first note. Cathy tells her story backward, from the end to the beginning. Jamie's perspective of the relationship is told in chronological order, from beginning to end. They meet on stage only once, in the middle, at their wedding.

BWW: By all accounts the music and singing make this show. A lot of the complexity and substance of THE LAST FIVE YEARS is in the music. How have you dealt with that?

Jane Volke: Jason Robert Brown is known for the complexity and intricacies of his compositions. THE LAST FIVE YEARS is no exception. It's demanding on every musician involved. Jonathan Craft has taken over the music director duties for this show. He is a stellar pianist and fantastic musician. He and I have worked on almost every Bayou City Theatrics production together, so I know it's in good hands.

BWW: What is your role in the production?

Jane Volke: I was props master for this production. Other than that, I'm just running tech during the show!

BWW: What is your take on the props for the show?

Jane Volke: The menu Cathy reads in "Climbing Uphill" is an exact replica of the Bistro 61 menu located in the Upper Eastside near their apartment on 73rd. I paid really close attention to details like that for this show in particular because it's such an intimate setting, and the audience in the first three rows (at least) can clearly see and read all of those hand props. The Backstage magazine also features the cover from November 2012 featuring Brad Pitt. Colton designed the dust cover for Jamie's novel Chasing Mermaids that he reads an excerpt from in act two. To the audience it definitely looks legit, but if you have the opportunity to pick it up and read what the fine print says, it's hilarious.

BWW: What can you tell me about the projections for THE LAST FIVE YEARS?

Jane Volke: The projections I chose for the show are all actual locations in NYC in Jamie and Cathy's neighborhood or Ohio where Cathy has her summer stock gig. The location I chose for their wedding is a gazebo in Central Park called "The Ladies Pavilion." When we stumbled across an article about the Sept. 14, 2015 movie release of THE LAST FIVE YEARS on Playbill.com, it included a picture of Anna Kendrick (Cathy) and Jeremy Jordan (Jamie) standing at the same pavilion. Irony? I think they have spies.

BWW: [I Laugh] What visuals can I expect from THE LAST FIVE YEARS? Are you going traditional and going minimalist? How does your chosen aesthetic for this production fit into your company's overall aesthetic?

Jane Volke: We stick to our guns when it comes to conceptualizing productions, and THE LAST FIVE YEARS is no exception. Dealing with so many location points throughout the span of five years, from two sides of the story, presented a bit of a problem, so that became our conceptual jumping off point. Minimalist, yes. [Pauses] Ish. But the aesthetic is gorgeous.

BWW: THE LAST FIVE YEARS is considered a very New York type show. How do you think it will land in Houston?

Jane Volke: Although it may be perceived as a "New York" type show, the story is relatable to anyone that has been in a relationship ever. THE LAST FIVE YEARS is about human emotion, location aside. But, on that New York note, it's also something we strive to do - bring productions to Houston that can't be seen anywhere else.

BWW: The show must be careful to not shore sympathy for one character over the other. How do you do that?

Jane Volke: Funny, because we're actually having that conversation right now about how Jason Robert Brown depicted Jamie, particularly, in the composition. It's hard to tell what his real intention was regarding hero/villain. I think, if we were to poll the audience as they left, it would really be a 50/50 split based on each individual's personal relationship experience.

BWW: Tell me about your role(s) at Bayou City Theatrics.

Jane Volke: Producer, Music Director, Table Bracer, Staple Gunner, Public Relations Liaison, Set Builder, Curtain Hanger Upper, Costumer, Water Bottle thrower outer, Marketing Rep., Child Wrangler, Lighting Tech, Floor Painter, Copy Expert, Hole Puncher Extraordinaire, Stage Hand, Window Washer, Dog Walker, Extension Cord Wrapper, Ceiling Painter, Banner Hanger, and Wine Drinker.

BWW: You are also a set designer, performer, producer, and teacher. Tell me, how did you earn all of these titles on your journey to Bayou City Theatrics.

Jane Volke: My journey into the performing arts began when I was 5 at the Julie Keeling School of Dance as an alley cat. [Laughs] Yes, I have pictures. I trained in dance for 12 years and actually wanted to be a dance teacher when I was a kid. I started playing the piano when I was 7, and paid part of my way through college on a piano scholarship in music education at Baylor University.

I always wanted to be a teacher and was lucky to have really great models growing up. I've been teaching choir in the Houston area for 10 years now, and I absolutely love my kids.

Let's see, set designer. [Pause] Actually, I have only designed one production by myself, and it was because I took a class on conceptualization with Colton during my stint in Virginia for grad school. My role in sets at Bayou City Theatrics is to realize Colton's designs. He lays out the plan and together we figure out how to make it happen.

BWW: How do you bring these experiences to your productions?

Jane Volke: I draw on all of my performing arts experiences every day. Because I wear so many hats at Bayou City Theatrics, I'm really lucky that I'm able to pull from my past. Actually, all three of us are really well rounded and can help each other out in all rehearsal and production situations. We complement each other really well.

BWW: Bayou City Theatrics seems to like playing with tradition whether it's INTO THE WOODS or Houston favorite LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. How do you stay true to your mission statement while still delighting audiences with more traditional fare?

Jane Volke: We do that by offering a new perspective on shows you already know and love. Our mission is to bring the heart of the story to the audience and forego the glam factor that is often the focus of other productions. We believe that theater should be about connecting the audience to the story on an emotional level. Art from new perspectives. That's what we do.

BWW: TRIASSIC PARQ must have been a risk artistically and financially. Does its success encourage you to bring edgier musicals to Houston? If so, what's next?

Jane Volke: TRIASSIC PARQ was definitely a huge celebration for us. I remember when Colton introduced the show to me. He played one song, and I was sold. Well, sort of. We sat there and went back and forth going, "Can we do this?" "Yeah we can do this." "But what about the...?" "Yeah, we can do that." We promise to always push the envelope. Not always with production selection; we definitely have some classic favorites. But,TRIASSIC PARQ showed us a lot about taking a risk on a really good show.

BWW: What is your dream production to mount in Houston?

Jane Volke: THE COLOR PURPLE and SIDESHOW are definitely at the top of my list!

BWW: In your bio you say you can make anything out of PVC. Tell me, what can't you make out of PVC?

Jane Volke: I haven't found it yet! I can make anything out of PVC. It just takes some creativity, patience, and duct tape. A lot of duct tape. Even Kerchak, your favorite Bayou City Theatrics prop, was based in PVC.

Perhaps you'll see what Jane can do with PVC at Bayou City Theatrics' THE LAST FIVE YEARS on September 5 and 6 at 8:00 p.m., September 7 at 5:00 p.m. as well as September 12 and 13 at 8:00 p.m. It is a limited engagement with five performances. Tickets are available for purchase at www.BayouCityTheatrics.com or at the door. Bayou City Theatrics suggests advanced purchases, to secure admission to their intimate venue - the Kaleidoscope. The Kaleidoscope is located at 705 Main, Suite B, with its entrance on Capitol Street, just down the block from The Flying Saucer. Up-close parking is available in Bayou City Theatrics official garage, the SAKS garage, on the corner of Capitol and Fannin.

Photos courtesy of Jane Volke, Bayou City Theatrics.