Interview: Chase Peacock of GHOST at Georgia Ensemble Theatre

Ghost the Musical had its Southeastern premiere on September 15th at the Georgia Ensemble Theatre (GET), North Fulton's only professional theatre. The musical is based on the hit 1990 romantic-thriller of the same title, starring the late Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg. The musical features a book and lyrics by Ghost screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin, and music and lyrics by Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard.

Not even death can separate Sam Wheat (Peacock) and Molly Jensen (Kylie Brown), and with the help of psychic Oda Mae Brown (Kandice Arrington) they embark on a journey to discover why Sam was murdered. Taking such an iconic piece from film to stage may seem risky, but GET tackled the task with groundbreaking direction by Robert Farley, a dynamic and diverse cast, and a leading man who is well-known in the Atlanta theatre scene, Chase Peacock. Chase took the time to speak with BWW during his busy opening weekend about tackling a role originated by a beloved icon, being ignored by fellow cast members mid-performance, and what he believes Atlanta can offer to Broadway hopefuls.

I'm always curious about the process of a film being adapted for the stage. Can you speak a little bit about how your director, Robert Farley, approached this work in a new and fresh way?

Robert preached a lot about trying to bring the moments you love about the movie, the ones that really must be in the show, in unexpected ways. It's as if you know what's coming but you don't know how. The show has really been written in such a way that it does a lot of that work for you. It is actually really fun to get to a moment that the audience couldn't wait to see.

What do you think Ghost says to audiences today about love, loss, endurance, sense of self?

You hear this a lot, but the story is timeless. The show doesn't even need to be set in the time that the film was set. People want to believe that their friends and loved ones aren't really gone. What I personally get from it is that things sort of happen for a reason, even if it doesn't seem like it in the moment. And it may take time to understand why, but you will with time.

What have this role and this show meant to you? How have they helped you grow as an actor?

I really love this role. The biggest challenge for me has been essentially doing scene work with myself. Oda Mae can hear me, but even she can't see me. So I don't get any eye contact. So it's a lot less conversational for me, which it made it pretty difficult to learn the lines. It's like, you hear your cues and then I insert my line 'here'. Eventually you start to see how it flows. I hardly leave the stage and I get in a few fights, so it's fun to feel like an action hero for the night!

You've transitioned from a New York based actor to a well-known leading man in the Atlanta theatre scene. What do you think Atlanta has to offer budding artists who will soon be entering the professional theatre world?

I'm loving Atlanta! There is a number of amazing theatre companies that are doing really, really great work. And there is actually a great sense of community down here; everyone is really supportive. If I were fresh out of college it would definitely be on my list. There are lots of opportunities to work, build a resume, and just hone your craft. It's been an awesome season this year in Atlanta theatre and I'm happy to be a part of it!

Tickets:

Ticket prices for Ghost The Musical start at $30 for Wednesdays, Thursdays and matinees; Friday nights start from $37, and Saturday nights start from $40. Book early for best prices. (Senior/Student discounts available for select performances). Tickets are available now online at www.get.org, or by calling the Box Office at 770-641-1260.

Photos by Dan Carmody