Who’s the Troupe!?: Part II

Well we have officially opened! The show is going great and we were happy to see many of you come out and support us. For those of you who are still planning on making it, we are excited to see you soon!

Last post we were able to get to know half of our cast members a little bit better than the programs allow you to. Today we’d like to get to know the rest of the cast as well. I feel like the more you get to know about a person the more you get to know them as an individual. I hope that as you get to know our cast you realize how different individuals can come together to make something great. Their differences don’t hurt the process rather they make it richer and more fulfilling.

Without further ado here is the rest of the cast!

Scott Jackson – plays Orsino

Scott studies marketing in the Marriott School. Before transferring to BYU, he studied dual drama/English and education degrees at Queen’s University, Canada. At BYU, he manages the Prop shop and has designed the props for many department shows since fall 2014 (including this one). Onstage he has performed as Melchizedek in a mask-club adaption of “the Alchemist” (fall 2014) and danced in two “Christmas Around the World” productions. He has enjoyed this wonderful opportunity.

What is your favorite line that your character says in the show?
“Oh, thou dissembling cub!”

What is one random fact about you?
I speak Spanish.

Where is the furthest place you have traveled and why did you go there?
The Netherlands for a high school history trip.

How many kids are in your family? And where do you fit into the mix?
I have 2 older sisters and a younger sister and brother. The Jackson 5!!

What is your favorite book?
The Harry Potter Series…or Lord of the Rings…or many others.

What is your favorite T.V. show?
Avatar: The last Airbender and of The Adventures of Kora…or Once upon a Time.

What is your favorite Movie?
Stardust…or Ghost town

What is your favorite animal?
Komodo Dragon

What is your type of favorite food?
Pizza…but I shouldn’t really eat dairy.

What was your first theater show and how old were you?
An original play for Christmas. I was the abominable snowman. I was about 12 years old.

Olivia Ockey – plays Maria

From Lindon, UT. Freshman in theatre education. Favorite roles include Kupava in Snegurochka at BYU, Ballet Girl in Elephant’s Graveyard at Pleasant Grove High School, and Ophelia in Hamlet at Pleasant Grove High School. She received regional 1st place in Dramatic Monologues from the Utah High School Activities Association two years in row. Olivia loves Shakespeare and is thrilled to be a part of this production.

What is your favorite line that your character says in the show?
“Go shake your ears!”

What is one random fact about you?
I have never met anyone with shorter thumbs than mine!

Where is the furthest place you have traveled and why did you go there?
Australia to visit where my dad grew up. I was 4.

How many kids are in your family? And where do you fit into the mix?
Four. I’m the second youngest.

What is your favorite book?
Harry Potter

What is your favorite T.V. show?
BBC’s Sherlock

What is your favorite Movie?
The Princess and the Frog

What is your favorite animal?
Horses

What is your type of favorite food?
Panda Express.

What was your first theater show and how old were you?
My first show was Twelfth Night in 6th grade. I played Olivia and was 12 years old.

Jacob Baird – plays Toby

From Westerville, OH. Junior in the acting program. Performed as the Young Shepherd in A Winter’s Tale at BYU, and also as an ensemble member in the 2014 award winning production of Our Town at BYU.

What is your favorite line that your character says in the show?
“Fire and Brimstone!”

What is one random fact about you?
I don’t have gills.

Where is the furthest place you have traveled and why did you go there?
I live in Ohio, so, road trip!

How many kids are in your family? And where do you fit into the mix?
3, and I am the middle kid.

What is your favorite book?
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, by Bill Martin Jr., and John Archambault.

What is your favorite T.V. show?
Arrested Development

What is your favorite Movie?
Monty Python and the Holy Grail

What is your favorite animal?
Tarantula

What is your type of favorite food?
Macaroni and Cheese!

What was your first theater show and how old were you?
Wizard of Oz, and I was 16. Yo-hee-ho, Yo-ho!!!

Costner Henderson – plays Malvolio

From American Fork, UT and Thousand Oaks, CA. Senior in theatre arts studies, directing emphasis. This is his first role since returning from his mission in Seattle, WA. Previous roles include Grumio in Taming of the Shrew, Stranger in The Monster of Dr. Frankenstein and Trogg in an adaptation of Bang Bang, You’re Dead, all at BYU. He is so excited to be a part of another BYU production!

What is your favorite line that your character says in the show?
“This does make some obstruction in the blood, this cross-gartering.”

What is one random fact about you?
I make the best Ramen in the world!

Where is the furthest place you have traveled and why did you go there?
Hawaii, for a cruise!

How many kids are in your family? And where do you fit into the mix?
I’m the second oldest of five.

What is your favorite book?
Pendragon, by D.J. MacHale

What is your favorite T.V. show?
The Office

What is your favorite Movie?
It’s a Wonderful Life

What is your favorite animal?
A Lion

What is your type of favorite food?
Real Chinese Food.

What was your first theater show and how old were you?
Jack and the Beanstalk when I was 7.

Well that’s our cast. They’re pretty amazing people. Especially when you take into account how different each one of them is. We’ll see you sometime this weekend or next week when you come to see the show and hopefully you can meet the cast in person. Let them know some of your favorite things when you talk to them. Until next time!

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Twelfth Night

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Simple is Best [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Indeed.[/caption] by Adam White, dramaturg I write this blog post on the day of final dress rehearsal, on the eve of opening night! Everyone involved in this production of A Man for All Seasons has done marvelous work; the set and costuming and make up are all beautiful, and the cast is eager to put their performance in front of a live audience. I guess one could wonder if a dramaturg would give anything but a glowing report of their play that's about to go up, but quite truthfully: I'm eager for you to see this play! On the subject of wanting you to see our production of A Man For All Seasons, I want to relay to you an interesting experience I had just two day ago. Every BYUarts theatre production gets a promotional video, and I was asked by the video makers in charge of the promotional video to be interviewed for the piece on A Man for All Seasons. I accepted, and when I was in the interview, they had two questions for me: 1.) What is A Man for All Seasons about? 2.) Why should people go see A Man for All Seasons? As a dramaturg, I had a great answer for number one. Summarizing the events of this play in an interesting way was no problem. But that second question? That question gave me the hardest time! In the interview moment I was so flustered by my lack of an a concise answer. I quickly babbled out some gibberish to the camera man, after which I apologized and told him if he needed something more intelligible he shouldn't hesitate to call me back. Needless to say I was pretty embarrassed after the experience. Here's the thing: I'm the dramaturgy for this show. I should have some insight as to why people should go see this play (and I do). As I've thought about this experience and about my work as a dramaturg, I've come to the realize that in this situation what I needed was simplicity. Simple is best. See, during that brief interview with the promotional video guys, I was trying to make up a reason for people to see this show that sounded meaningful, or at least scholarly. That wasn't the right attitude for me at all because it meant that I was reaching beyond the play, maybe for selfish reasons, to lend what I deemed to be credibility to a piece of art that, maybe, doesn't need to be legitimized at all. I was being long-winded and downright silly. What the play really needed was for me to speak its simple 'truth.' To redeem myself a little bit and to put my new motto for dramaturgy into practice, I will tell you why I think people should see A Man for All Seasons. I firmly believe, in the words of Oscar Wilde, that "Life imitates art far more than art imitates Life." This play, this conflict between Thomas More, his family, and King Henry VIII, informs our understanding of what it means to have a conscience. Bolt challenges us to explore what it means to have an integrity and what having integrity means in our most intimate relationships. Also revealed in this play is the corrupting influence of political power. I think that every person grapples with these themes, experiences, and issues.A Man for All Seasons is an important play for people to see. The promotional video guys didn't end up using my interview for the promotional video. Frankly, I feel so relieved; it was awful. May you forego the trappings of intelligent-sounding language the next time you are in an interview. Enjoy the show!

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by Jessa Cunningham, dramaturg After the show wrapped up and people went their separate ways, Garret Rushforth, who played Wilbur, and I chatted and I asked him some questions about his experience with the play. What better way to gain insight about the show than from the actor who was in the thick of things from the very beginning? Here is what Garret had to say about this unique opportunity: Me: How was this experience of playing Wilbur? What was your Favorite aspect of it all? Garret: I loved playing Wilbur. My favorite aspect was discovering the character more and more each performance. I never really felt that I had learned all that the character had to offer. Me: What were some challenges that you faced while preparing for the show? Garret: A few of the challenges that I faced had to do primarily with transportation. My car tried to die a couple of times during the run. As far as developing the show goes, I found that the difficulties were mostly in finding the lines. Not simply reciting them, but discovering what was beneath them, motivating them and making them come to life. Me: What lessons have you learned from playing this part, or just from the play in general? Garret: I've learned that there is an amazing opportunity to find out about yourself from the character discovery process. I also learned how much a family the cast can become if given the opportunity. Me: What is your favorite part of this story? Garret: I love when Wilbur and Charlotte talk about Charlotte's death and Wilbur is so devastated. It showed how deep Wilbur's reliance on Charlotte was as well as his desire to help her too. Me: As you leave this production, what will stay with you? Garret: The friendships I've made and the things that I've learned about myself because of the show. Me: What aspects of your character did you love/latch onto from the beginning? Garret: I latched onto the loneliness aspect of Wilbur's life. For all his life, he'd not been given much of a chance, Fern and Charlotte being the exceptions. He was written off by nearly everyone until Charlotte pointed out how special he is. Me: Any final thoughts you would like to share with those who came to the show? Garret: Charlotte's a web was a show that offered a unique view of friendship and family. It doesn't matter what someone looks like or where they're from, friendship and family can transcend all differences.

Who’s the Troupe!?: Part II

Scott Jackson – plays Orsino

Olivia Ockey – plays Maria

Jacob Baird – plays Toby

Costner Henderson – plays Malvolio

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