It seems to always be when I have the most to say, that I have the least amount of time to say it.
Right now, my life is on a crazy tear, as I am partway through an incredible run of 17 performances of The Boys In The Band with Ghost Light Projects, and it has been an absolute privilege to work with such a diverse, talented group to put on a stunningly scripted, two-act power-of-a-piece on two weeks of rehearsals and a lot of gumption. Our cast ranges from a Film and TV veteran up on stage for the first time to a new VFS grad, from a working actor who earns a good living off his profession to the ’emerging artist’ (me). Decades between the oldest and youngest cast members. Now, don’t get me wrong – I enjoy working with teenagers (such as on the Panto) and actors in their early twenties, but I am also SO very grateful for the opportunity to work with men (and woman) who have a lot more experience in theatre and in life than I do. One of our fine actors works at the Make A Wish Foundation, and this show has been a wish come true indeed.
When I first graduated, I was worried I would leave school and promptly not do any theatre, fall into a dayjob and not get back out. So to counter this fear I took on every project that came along (and still do – let’s be honest). And so, since I graduated, I haven’t had more than three or four days away from a rehearsal or performance hall. Include school projects beforehand, and that run stretches probably longer than a year. But, being who I am (a new actor who can sing), most of my theatre work in the real world thus far has been in musicals, so to have the opportunity to sink myself into such a marvelous, serious, funny script as The Boys In The Band has been a great leveler. It has pointed out all the habits I own that I’ve let loose in musical-land, which don’t work so well in the realm of realism. My enunciation and lapses into over-articulation and sounding slightly British. My breathing habits. Finding the right level of energy with which to enter a scene and hit cues. Keeping up the pace.
And with last night’s performance, I feel we really hit our stride. Please, check us out – it is a fantastic show, and a landmark piece of queer theatre. (Sidenote: I take far too much pleasure in being a straight man playing a gay character, such an opposite to the usual circumstance.)
Tickets can be bought at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/217822 , and when the questionnaire asks who sent you, tell’em you bought tickets to see me. So I can get a bit of a commission on them to subsidize my bus tickets. Thanks; I appreciate it. And you’ll appreciate our fine show.
Cheers,
Andrew Wade
Andrew Wade 
Hi Andrew,
I remember this show from 1969. I was working at The New Theatre in St. Martin’s Lane and we were twinned with Wyndhams next door via an overhead corridor from the fly galleries of both theatres. It had an actor called Leonard Frey in the lead at the time and I can still remember him sticking all this undertakers wax to his face before the show (to make him look pockmarked). Great actor in the part, alas, no longer with us I believe.
It was ridiculously funny to stand between two theatres and hear , one on side all the family songs and dialogue from ‘Anne of Green Gables’ (my show) and on the other side things like ‘Your mother’s a cunt, etc (from Boys).
Sorry can’t see this but ‘Grey Gardens’ is imminent and the days will be fraught with anxiety and last minute cleanup. All the best to you. Jack
Jack,
Thank you so much for your comment. The Boys In The Band certainly has some lines in it that made rehearsing outside in a park an interesting experiment. 🙂
Hope Grey Gardens goes well! I hope to be able to catch one of the final performances.