I know, I said the last interview was the “final” one – and then I received this entry from the director of Julius Caesar, my pal Mike Murdock.
So here’s the absolutely, this time for sure, final interview:
Q: What is the story behind the play Julius Caesar?
Mike: In short, it's a play about the lengths people will go to when they think they are doing the right thing.
Q: What character do you play?
Mike: I play the director. It wasn't the easiest job, but somebody had to do it.
Q: Why did you want to be part of this show?
Mike: I love Shakespeare, obviously, and I'm a classically trained actor, so I have an affinity for this kind of thing, I think. I love that Shakespeare's plays transcend the time in which they were written. It's incredible just how important and noteworthy the themes of his plays, especially Julius Caesar, are today. With the political climate the way it is, this is the perfect play to be doing right now. Plus, we even got to open on the Ides of March - how often do you get that chance?
Q: What's your theatre background, and why do you enjoy doing community theatre shows?
Mike: I studied theatre at both Ohio University and Marshall University. I ran my own theatre in Hollywood for a year after moving to Los Angeles, and now that I'm back, I'm one of the Resident Directors at ARTS (Arts Resources for the Tri-State). I love working with ARTS because they are taking risks on shows like this - Macbeth and Caesar especially - and the Resident Company system is second to none. We're changing the face of community theatre in our area, and setting a standard for others to aspire to. I'm really proud of the work we're doing at ARTS. I hope everyone else comes along for the ride.
Q: Why would you recommend this show?
Mike: It's a show like very few have ever seen, I imagine. Mark Near and I designed a simple, attractive, sleek set. We have six 60-inch televisions on stage, we shoot live video DURING the show, we have laptops and iPads and cellphones working all the time, not to mention the stellar group of actors in this show. These people have been working themselves to death to make this show as good as it could possibly be, and they've really nailed it. There's some really great work happening on that stage. I couldn't be more proud of them and the talent they all have. Everyone, from the smallest role to the biggest is putting out his or her best. It's inspiring.
Q: Biggest challenge to this show?
Mike: I wasn't a huge fan of this script when I first started working on it. I had to swallow up some of that, but once the actors took over and brought fresh life to it all, I started to see it all in a different light. If I didn't have their help, I'm not sure what would have happened! Lucky for me they're out there killing it every night. Surround yourself with talented people and it makes things much easier. That's a fact.
Q: Why Shakespeare?
Mike: There's no better writer in the English language. It's as simple as that. I think with Macbeth and now Caesar, people are starting to come around to the classics a bit more. We've had better turnout for this show, and everyone seems to enjoy it. I think we're creating a niche for ourselves at ARTS with this. No one else is attempting it in Huntington on a community level, probably because it's such an undertaking and it's actual, hard work. The payoff, however, is worth every minute of effort.
Q: Tell us show dates, times, place.
Mike: Only two more chances to see the show! Tonight and Saturday, at 8 p.m. at ARTS (900 8th Street - The Old Huntington High School). Don't be the only person that can't relate once people are talking about it in the weeks to come! Tickets are only $10! Call (304) 733-ARTS to reserve!
Q: Would you like to promote your Social Media sites?
"Like" ARTS on Facebook: Facebook.com/artstristate
Here's the Youtube link to the...
CAMPAIGN VIDEO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAz_SxrmZ0c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAz_SxrmZ0c
VOTE CAESAR 2013!
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