Madeline Sayet's one-woman show Where We Belong tells the story of her journey from discovering Shakespeare as a child to studying him in England and directing him (and others, and opera) around the world. Madeline is a director, educator, and writer, a member of the Mohegan Tribe in Connecticut, and she discusses her play's origins; how different audiences react to it; how Shakespeare became a part of her normal childhood fairy-tale world; the sometimes thorny challenge of adapting personal relationships to accommodate the art; an uncomfortable reminder about how history works; possible sequel titles; how everybody wants to be in the play now that it’s a success; the art – and importance – of loving a thing and still being able to criticize a thing; and how theatre can also be good medicine. Where We Belong ran at the Goodman Theatre and will play Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival in August 2022, Seattle Repertory Theatre and New York's Public Theatre in the Fall of 2022, and Portland Center Stage and Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2023. (PHOTO: Madeline Sayet in Where We Belong. Photo by Liz Lauren.) (Length 21:33)
Actor James Morrison talks about the movie he’s directed, an homage to the working-class actor called “Showing Up: A Conversation About The Actor’s Audition”. Featuring revelations about what actors go through, why actors are like baseball players (no, not because of the steroids), how actors can wield what power they have, a surprisingly spiritual detour, and where everyone (not just actors) can present their true authentic selves. (Spoiler alert: Everywhere.) (MP3. Length 19:59)
4 Comments
austin · March 28, 2011 at 2:02 pm
Speaking of Vancouver character actors, Human IMDb, I worked with Malcolm “Virgon Delegate on the Quorum of Twelve” Stewart back in my summer stock days.
Robin · March 28, 2011 at 1:50 pm
I love playing “Who Was That?” As an avid sci-fi fan, I often find myself playing a variation called “Spot the Vancouver Character Actor”, and I make a conscious effort to learn the names of favorite itinerant thespians. It’s gotten to the point that my friends sort of think of me as a human IMDB and will ask me about actors in things we watch before resorting to the internet. :-]
(By the way, I recognize Mr. Morrison primarily from a short-lived show called Point Pleasant. He was really good.)
austin · March 28, 2011 at 12:30 pm
I sit around all day just waiting to approve comments like that. Thanks, Kurt! You were a standout, for sure.
Kurt Quinn · March 28, 2011 at 12:25 pm
Austin,
Thanks so much for the “Just Showing Up” podcast, I can’t wait to see Mr. Morrison’s film. Especially home-hitting was the concept of thinking of the audition as the gig itself, allowing you to leave it behind and move onto the next project.
Audition Story:
I was doing a show with the wonderfully talented Michael Faulkner at A Noise Within in Glendale. Having been a huge RSC fan for years and years and years, I felt it was my duty to badger Michael incessantly about any possibility of upcoming auditions. I couldn’t believe my luck when Michael told me that RSC”s required Equity auditions were happening soon.
I badgered, Michael gave me the info., I showed up – 80% in the bag!
The remaining 20% of the audition was possibly the funnest “gig” I’ve ever done. I told a bad joke, did a monologue, played my banjo, and got to chat with two of my idols.
You came to see Michael in the show a week or two later, recognized me in the lobby, and even remembered my name!
Thanks so much for that, and here’s hoping for an opportunity to “show up” again.
Kurt