INTERVIEW: Local Actors Enjoy the Classics

By: Feb. 15, 2006
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I recently had the privilege of speaking with Patrick Kilpatrick and Christopher Niebling, who play Thomas Diafoirus and Cleante respectively in The Imaginary Invalid, and who also appeared together in Chesapeake Shakespeare Company's (CSC) radical production of Shakespeare's Coriolanus.  The two plays (and the production of each) couldn't have been more different.  It was that difference that drew me to this interview.  Here are a baker's dozen of questions for the pair.

1.  James Howard (JH): When did you first become a part of CSC? 

Patrick Kilpatrick (PK): Ian and Heidi Gallanar, BJ Gailey and I started the company together in the spring of 2002.

Christopher Niebling (CN): I played Sebastian and choreographed the fights for CSC's inaugural production, Twelfth Night. Actually, I originally did not want to audition since it was all the way up in Baltimore/>/>, but luckily my girlfriend, Valerie Fenton, (who is also a company member and played Olivia in the show) convinced me…man, am I glad she did!

(Note: Ms. Fenton also appears in The Imaginary Invalid, as Angelique, the object of Cleante's affection.  Art imitating life!)

2.  JH:  What part (or the whole) of the company's philosophy speaks to you as actors?  How does your work here reflect your personal values and goals?

CN: First and foremost, CSC loves Shakespeare, and so do I…it's that simple. And both CSC and I believe in the 3 E's (exciting, energetic, entertaining) which is what this work is – if you just grab onto it and go for a ride.

PK: This Company is everything I ever wanted from my theatre life.  In college, I decided that all I wanted from my career was to be part of a Shakespeare company.  Then I met Heidi and Ian and everything took off from there.  I think the company aspect is the most important thing to me.  Working with the same actors again and again, you develop a sense of ensemble that you can never achieve acting with different people on each show.  Now, don't get me wrong, that approach has tremendous value as well, and I think we do a pretty good job of getting a mix of company members and new people into each of our shows.  But when I'm acting with Chris, for example, I think we're both a lot more willing to be vulnerable with each other than we would be with somebody we'd just met.  I think it makes for much more honest work.  Plus, I just plain like these people, and it's always more fun to work with people you like.

(Note: Kilpatrick attended Truman/> State/> University/> in Missouri/>/>, with a double major in English and Theater.)

3.  JH: What value(s) does CSC bring to the Baltimore/Washington theatergoing community? 

PK: Well, I hope we offer a new approach to Shakespeare.  People always comment on the energy of our shows, and that's something that's very important to us.  It starts at the top and just trickles its way down.  We're all excited by Shakespeare, and we want our audience to feel the same way.  We want to destroy people's preconceived notions about Shakespeare.  "I don't understand it."  "It doesn't apply to me."  "It's high art and it's good for you."  Poopie!  That's not why we want people to watch us.  And I think people pick up on that immediately.  One of the ways we do that is by breaking down that barrier between the audience and the actor.  I really hate the concept of the fourth wall.  Why would you want to put up a wall between yourself and the people you're trying to communicate with?  You wouldn't do that between yourself and your fellow actors, so why do it with the audience?  We work very hard to make sure the audience is as much a part of our plays as the actors and the director and all the technicians are.

CN: We strive to, and I believe succeed in, performing excellent classical works, especially Shakespeare, without any of the stuffiness or haughtiness that many people associate with that sort of play. Shakespeare's plays really speak to everyone, but people have so many misconceptions, so many people think they won't get it, or think it's boring – and that is a real crime. We do Shakespeare well (if I may say so) and doing it well means mixing soaring poetry, bloody ruthlessness, undying love, and hysterical laughter, and never shying away from just how rich and dramatic it is.

4.  JH: Both of you appeared in vastly different roles in Coriolanus than you currently play in The Imaginary Invalid.  In what ways is your preparation for this current production different than the other?  Similar? 

CN: You know, that, in a nutshell, is what is so amazing about being part of a company, particularly this one. What a fabulous challenge and opportunity for an actor to make a complete about face and be in an environment where we feel safe enough to go for it.  The simplest answer I can give is: text, text, text. It's the very first place to start – I mean beyond reading the play which is definitely a good idea. Both Moliere and even more so (in my humble opinion) Shakespeare tell you just about everything you need to know about the character. And if they don't come out and tell you, they give very strong hints.

PK:  I don't really prepare any differently for any one show than I do for any other show.  I know that not all actors work like that, but I do.  The most important thing for me is to just sit down with the text, outside of the context of rehearsal.  I just make myself as intimately familiar with the text as I can; then I find that many of my choices have already been made by the time I get to rehearsal.  This is the way I begin work on every show, no matter if I have a large part or a small part, or if it's a comedy or a tragedy.


5.  JH: Both of you have significant experience with Shakespeare.  How is acting Moliere the same/different?

PK: A lot of actors think acting Shakespeare is harder than acting any other playwright, but I disagree.  Shakespeare provides you with so many clues, so many keys to the character, that I find it to be infinitely easier than acting anything else.  I found that for this show I had to work a little harder than I have in the past to unlock it.

CN: I must confess a somewhat limited knowledge of Moliere, so I may not be the best to ask. I do find his characters are more cut and dry than Shakespeare's, and certainly more archetypal. So the actor has more work to do making a real human being appear onstage…without losing the point of the way the character was written. Cleante in Imaginary Invalid is an overly dramatic, love-sick, doof…and to try and make too naturalistic would be to lose what is so much fun about him.

6.  JH: CSC performs a slate of Shakespearean plays and one classic by a different playwright, like Moliere or Chekhov (next season's The Cherry Orchard).  What are some plays or playwrights you'd like to try in that slot?  Are there any modern classics you'd like to try? 

CN: For purely selfish and unrealistic reasons I'd love for us to tackle A Streetcar Named Desire and/or Death of a Salesman (if you'll pardon the clichéd choices). I also know there are numerous plays out there that spin off of Shakespeare, which could be interesting. It will be very interesting to see what CSC does with Cherry Orchard, it's a very big change for us…what will a CSC Chekhov play look like? I have no idea, and that is really exciting.

PK: This is something that is important to me.  When we were writing our mission statement, it originally read that we were performing "classical" theatre.  I fought very hard to change that word to "classic" theater.  "Classical" theatre is a much narrower word.  It generally refers to "old" plays.  But anything can be a classic.  A play written last year can be a classic.  I would love to take on Edward Albee, Tony Kushner, Tom Stoppard, any number of modern playwrights.  Arcadia (by Stoppard) was one of the plays I had in mind when I made a stink about calling ourselves a "Classic" theatre company, rather than a "Classical" one.

7.  JH: What are your dream roles? 

PK: The big one for me is Prince Hal in the two Henry IV plays, especially Henry IV Part 1.  I'd also love to give Macduff from Macbeth a try.

CN: How much time you got? The short (short!) list: Henry V (hint, hint Ian), Richard III, Tybalt, James Bond.

8.  JH: What part, if any, will you play in bringing the repertory staging of King Lear and Taming of the Shrew to life this summer, either on stage or off or both? 

CN: That will largely depend on what happens in a couple of weeks, at auditions. I think it's a good that Artistic Associates are still required to audition (95% of the time). Aside from that, I will be coordinating summer internships, and working on the fight choreography (though no doubt Pat and I will collaborate, at least on Shrew)

PK: I will be directing Taming of the Shrew, and I'm very much looking forward to it.


9.  JH: As you continue to build your resumes, you also continue to accumulate special stage skills.  Of those, which are you most proud that you learned?  Most surprised that you've had to learn? 

PK: I know Chris had this experience as well, but I was a part of a touring company of actors for about a year-and-a-half.  In that situation you are forced to learn about every single aspect of the theatre.  You have to know lighting, you have to know sound, and you have to know set construction.  It's invaluable.  I was lucky to have gone to a college where they gave me a strong base for all the technical side of theatre.  The one skill I've worked the hardest at since graduation is that of a stage combatant.

CN: When the first fight I ever did with CSC involved a barbeque fork, a spoon, and a "pile of dorks" not too much surprises me…though I can't say I expected to figure out how to bite someone's ear off.  As far as being most proud – it's not a specific skill, but of the fact that our violence consistently looks dangerous (but is safe!!). Sometimes you see stage combat for what it is, and sometimes you see people trying to kill each other…and I'm proud that we have the latter.

(Note: The touring company was Repertory Theatre of America.  Plays included several murder mysteries, Sylvia by A.R. Gurney, and The Last of the Red Hot Lovers by Neil Simon)

10.  JH: What is the best advice you've gotten as an actor?  The worst? 

CN: The best: there are, for all practical purposes, 25 people in the American Theater. Everyone knows everyone, so never burn a bridge, as tempting as it may be!  The worst: Accept a show, even if you really don't want to do it. While it's always good to be working, if you're not enjoying the work it just ain't worth it. (OK, so maybe I gave that bit of advice, but man, was I wrong.)

PK: The best advice I've ever gotten about acting is, "If you can do something else, do it.  Only do this if you have to do it."  Meaning, this is a hard life.  You have to make a lot of sacrifices.  You'll probably never make a living at it.  So you better be sure that you love it.  Don't just do it because you like to be seen by people.  I can't think of any bad advice I've gotten about this job. 

11.  JH: You both also have directorial experience.  Is it difficult to go back and forth between directing and being directed?  How so?  Or why not? 

PK: I don't find it difficult to go back and forth.  The key is to know your role going into it.  As an actor, it's nice not to have to have all the answers.

CN: I really don't think so, except that after I direct I do find it hard to take that hat back off, and focus exclusively on what I am doing.

12.  JH: Have you ever directed yourself?  What was that experience like? 

CN: Years ago, I almost did when an actor had to drop out.  I got lucky and didn't have to, because I now find the idea rather horrifying. I don't know how people can objectively critique their acting and commit to it at the same time - the idea gives me a headache.

PK: I've never directed myself before.  It's a challenge that I hope to never undertake.

13.  JH: How do you balance "real life" and your on-going commitment to the CSC? 

PK: It's hard.  The job is the easiest part of it.  I work during the day (Mr. Kilpatrick is an assistant supervisor at T. Rowe Price) so that I can rehearse at night.  It does limit the choices I can make.  Most Equity productions rehearse during the day, so I am unable to audition for the larger theaters, which is actually OK with me because I have a very happy home with CSC.  Other people find this to be more bothersome so they are forced to find more flexible jobs.  The dating situation is more difficult.  With work during the day and rehearsal at night, it makes it very hard to find time.  It's not impossible, but it is difficult.

CN: Coffee…lots of coffee. Seriously, it's a lot, but I happen to be lucky enough to have a girlfriend who is not only very supportive, but also an actor and company member as well, so we keep each other relatively sane. Still, having a job to support a career is less than ideal, but CSC is somewhere between a love-affair and a drug addiction, we get burned out after awhile, slow down a bit, miss it, and jump right back in. Gotta chase the dream!

 

Thank you, Chris and Pat.  And thank you to Lesley Malin, Managing Director of CSC, for coordinating the interviews.

 

 



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