Meet the "Frankenstein" Cast - Ty Wold and Nicolas Nelson

It's the final weekend for Frankenstein at TLT, and we'd like to introduce you to two more of our cast members.

Meet Ty Wold

If you're mostly familiar with the old Boris Karloff version of Frankenstein you might be surprised to learn that Mary Shelley's Creature was not only intelligent, but also articulate. After Victor casts him out the Creature finds a friend and mentor in the blind hermit, Delacey. Delacey teaches the Creature to speak, among other things.

Delacey is played by Ty Wold, a TLT veteran. You may remember Ty from Witness for the Prosecution, Cabaret, or last year's production of 12 Angry Men. Ty is also a member of the TLT Board.

Tell us a little about who you are when you're not on stage.
I work in radio as the Key Accountant Manager at Cumulus Tallahassee.

 How did you first get involved in theater?
First as a kid, then as a high schooler, and then the last 33 years in Tallahassee.

What do you love most about acting?
The opportunity to be character and tell stories that entertain, inspire, and make people smile.

What has been the most challenging aspect of this show for you?
The fight choreography.

What would you say to encourage someone to try acting?
Just do it! Plus, Tallahassee has some great coaches.

Meet Nicolas Nelson

As Victor Frankenstein's little brother, William, Nicolas has some very intense and scary moments on stage. It's a big job for a young actor. But Nicolas isn't a stranger to the stage. He previously played a newsboy in It's a Wonderful Life, and Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol.

Tell us a little about who you are when you're not on stage.
I'm a video game and Lego fanatic.

How did you first get involved in theater? 
Young Actors and my parents.

What do you love most about acting?  
People staring at me.

What drew you to Frankenstein?  
My first death scene.

What has been the most challenging aspect of this show for you?  
Accents.

What would you say to encourage someone to try acting?  
It's fun!

This is the final weekend for Frankenstein and tickets are selling fast! Purchase yours today so you don't miss this spectacular production. Tickets are on sale now via our website, or you can call the Box Office at 850-224-8474.

Watch the Trailer!

Meet the Cast of "Frankenstein" - Jonathan Clow!

Meet Jonathan Clow

When most people think of Victor Frankenstein's assistant they probably imagine a hunchbacked and hideous Igor. But in Mary Shelley's classic, Victor's assistant was his friend Henry. Jonathan Clow brings Henry to life in TLT's Frankenstein, playing three final performances this weekend.

Jonathan isn't a stranger to the TLT stage. He, along with Frankenstein's Scott Mock previously played the devious duo of Borachio and Conrad in last year's Much Ado About Nothing. He's also been seen in Cabaret, Quincy's production of Sweet Charity, and TCC's Musical Comedy Murders of 1940.

Tell us a little about who you are when you're not on stage.
Currently I'm a student through the Pennsylvania State University's World Campus studying homeland security.  I also work as a tech at a local fitness studio and try to stay involved in the local theatres when I can.

How did you first get involved in theater?
I'm sure the simple answer is to say something like "elementary school productions" but I have a feeling those turned me away from theater in the long run.  Instead, I stumbled upon Theatre Strike Force, a student-run improv comedy group at UF that was open to everyone on campus.  After seeing one of their shows and how much fun it seemed to be, I knew I wanted to get involved.  One semester of participation led me to take my first acting classes just before I graduated.  After returning home, I got in touch with some friends in the community who led me to start auditioning and taking classes under Naomi Rose-Mock two years ago.  Several classes and auditions later, I've been supremely lucky to be a member of five shows so far and work with so many wonderful people!

 What do you love most about acting?
Creating characters and stories.  The story may be written but it's up to you to tell it, and how you tell it is different from anyone else.  Your character is a extension of yourself and they'll tell a different story within the story than another character at any time.  Creating these characters, through changing movements, adding accents, and adding costumes really helps to give perspective on the lives of those around you and where you fit into the stories that you see and play a part in every day, even as you tell your part of an ongoing story on the stage!  Really being able to adopt another personality for a brief time provides a fantastic experience by delving into the "what ifs" of that life that truly allows you to live a part of a story as you never could before.
 
What drew you to Frankenstein?
Shelley's Frankenstein is the classic tale of one man's struggles to achieve greatness through science and the terrible tale of science gone wrong.  It combats several themes on many levels, and above all makes us ask and wonder "what truly is human," which is a question I think important especially in this day and age. 

What has been the most challenging aspect of this show for you?
Every show, cast, and directing staff is different and do things differently, so it all takes some adjusting to really get into.  It has definitely been the case with this show, where time management really is a necessity since the show is very intense.  It's always an initial challenge, and definitely the hardest, but once everything is out of the way and you can really put yourself into the show it really takes a life of its own.

What would you say to encourage someone to try acting?
Just do it!  Everyone brings something different, including you, and every director knows that.  Show up with your best and you'll leave the best impression you can.  If you don't get pulled for what you were looking for don't be discouraged.  Just keep trying, learning, and adapting and you'll find roles that you'd never have imagined you would do.  Don't be afraid to be involved even if you don't have a role, either.  Working backstage provides another perspective to the action and provides just as important of a role to the players and audience as the players themselves and everyone appreciates the help!

Scott Mock (left) and Jonathan Clow in Frankenstein

Frankenstein runs through October 28th. Tickets are on sale now via our website, or you can call the Box Office at 850-224-8474.

Watch the Trailer!

 

Meet the "Frankenstein" Cast: Summer Hill Seven

Meet Summer Hill Seven

Summer Hill Seven was a performer before he found TLT. He is the author of SQUIRCULAR: An Actor's Tale!, the final book in the Poemedy Trilogy (www.squircular.com) and the director of The Poemedy Project, a hip-hop theatrical documentary film about education in America (www.poemedy.com). 

In Frankenstein, opening TONIGHT, SH7 plays The Creature. This is not Boris Karloff's bolt-necked, grunting monster. The Creature is intelligent, articulate, driven, and full of strength. His burning need to find out who created him, to discover why he was made, is something that as humans we can all empathize with. A little bit of Mary Shelley's Creature dwells inside us all.

Frankenstein is his first TLT production and we're thrilled to have him!

Tell us a little about who you are when you are not on stage.
I am a father and a Poemedian which involves being a performer and mixed-media artist entrepreneur.  In short, buy my book - SQUIRCULAR: An Actors Tale!

How did you first get involved in theater?
In college, I was Paco in The Night of Iguana, by Williams.

What do you love most about acting?
Experiencing the creative transformation that is always available to humans at any moment and the empathy with various beings.

What drew you to Frankenstein? 
The role and journey of the creature is unique, inspiring and beautifully tragic.

What is the most challenging aspect of this show?
The movement and voice work.

What would you say to encourage someone to try acting? 
Go for it and read everything and listen to everything you can devour on the subject.

Summer Hill Seven, as The Creature. With Scott Mock as Victor Frankenstein.

Frankenstein opens tonight, October 11th, 2012 and runs through October 28th. Tickets are on sale now via our website, or you can call the Box Office at 850-224-8474.

Watch the Trailer!

Meet the "Frankenstein" Cast: Scott Mock

Meet Scott Mock

Scott is a TLT veteran, having appeared in several shows over the last few years. You might recognize him as the put-upon stage manager, Tim, from 2010's Noises Off!; as the intelligent Inspector Hearne from Witness for the Prosecution; as the dim-witted but loveable Ellard in The Foreigner (for which he won an award as Best Character Actor 2011); or most recently as the scheming Borachio in Much Ado About Nothing.

This is Scott's first lead role at TLT, as the doomed genius Dr. Victor Frankenstein, in Frankenstein opening this Thursday, October 11th.

Tell us a little about who you are when you are not on stage.
I work for the Florida Department of Transportation crunching numbers in the General Accounting Office as a Locally Funded Agreement Accountant.

How did you first get involved in theater?
I started with theatre my freshman year at Leon High School because I needed an elective and fell in love with all aspects of the stage. I kind of fell out of it for a few years, but was drawn back during the 2009-2010 season. Not just with acting but also volunteering to work backstage and with the front of house. I love how when all elements are brought together, a kind of magic occurs.

What do you love most about acting? 
I love the opportunity to step into someone else's shoes for a bit. If you see me outside of the theatre, I am typically a pretty quiet guy, acting allows me to unlock my hidden gregarious side.

What drew you to Frankenstein?
I had first read the novel when I was about 13 years old, and it stuck with me. I think the story is much more than just your typical monster fare. There is an underlying tragedy of a man who goes too far and loses everything as a result.

What is the most challenging aspect of this show? 
I think making Victor as a relatable character is kind of challenging. It would be easy to go over the top and make him a mad man in his quest to create life, but in order for the audience to want him to succeed in the end, he has to be grounded.

What would you say to encourage someone to try acting? 
If you have ever thought about it, definitely come out and audition. You never know you might have something that a director was looking for. And if you don't get cast, don't let that discourage you there are plenty opportunities to be a part of the show and hang out with some pretty cool people.

Scott Mock as Victor Frankenstein

Tickets for Frankenstein are on sale now! 

You can purchase yours online here or by calling 850-224-8474. 

Watch the trailer!

Meet the Director: Joel Daavid

Meet the Director (and Designer!) of TLT's latest production, Frankenstein, Joel Daavid

In 1816, a then-18-year-old Mary Shelley sat down to write a horror story based on a dream she'd had. What resulted is one of the best known novels of horror and suspense ever written, and possibly the world's first science fiction novel. Shelley's tale of young genius Dr. Victor Frankenstein and his quest to create life out of death caught the imagination of the world, and its lessons still echo today.

It's been a few years since TLT tackled a well known horror story (Dracula back in 2007). We wanted something to match the spirit of the season, and we knew we also wanted something different, something that Tallahassee theatregoers had never seen before.

Enter Joel Daavid. Joel comes to us from Los Angeles, where he's an award winning director and designer. When we decided we wanted to do Frankenstein Joel stepped forward and volunteered to bring this monster to life. His unique vision and talents have created a show unlike anything Tallahassee has ever seen before. Over the next few days we'll be giving you some sneak peeks at the production design for Frankenstein, but first we'd like to present the man behind the monster:

Joel Daavid
Website: JDaavid.com

First, tell us a little about yourself and what you do when you're not involved in theater?
When am I NOT involved in theater, that's the question.  Theater has become integrated into every area of my life so much that it has become my life-- and I'm good with that.  My mother first took me to theater when I was very little and in doing so introduced me to what has become my greatest passion.  In the theater, I have done everything; acting, singing, designing and directing, even reaching into opera and ballet.  Fortunately, love may be found in the theater as well, as I met and began dating a terrifically talented scenic painter and actress who became my girlfriend, Marine.  

How did you first get started in theater? What drew you to it?
I first got involved in theater when I was drawn to stage crew in middle school.  There, a little ragtag band of technicians gave me the desire to work backstage and develop my first love for the theatre.  I did everything I could imagine except costuming.  Unfortunately, my foray into acting was fairly short lived.  I remember enthusiastically taking the stage in a Shakespeare play, but as curtain opened, I stood there alone, not being able to remember my first (or any) line.  When the curtain closed, after what felt like an hour, not a single word had been uttered by either me or my scene partner.  The embarrassment faded along with the lines, but began molding my preference to express myself creatively backstage.

My passion for everything arts-related such as photography, fine art and filmmaking also found an outlet in the theater.  Theater allows me a larger pallet on which to work;  telling the story visually through set and lighting design, it is a natural draw for my artistic interests.  I was also drawn to the magic of transporting the audience to a different place and time and the satisfaction of challenging the audience to think about how their lives might be affected or changed, as mine has with every great piece of theater literature I have been involved with.

What specifically drew you to direct a production of Frankenstein a continent-length away from home?
In 2009, I worked with Barbie Nettles in my critically acclaimed L.A. production of The Miracle Worker.  Barbie's daughter, Carlie played Helen Keller.  As we chatted online one night, she told me that she had been inspired to direct the same play here in Tallahassee.   Working in a variety of venues, learning and sharing talents is a great way to grow and keep a fresh approach, so I asked Barbie if there might be an opportunity for me to direct a show at Tallahassee Little Theatre.  She spoke with the TLT Board of Trustees and the then new executive director, Theresa Davis, who all agreed to bring me in as an outside director.  It was a great opportunity just coming off the successful production of Baby Doll by Tennessee Williams.   Frankenstein is  an epic tale of a man who dares to play God and the consequences of creating a human being.  Arriving in Tallahassee to start my planning, I was pleased to see in person the large stage as I tend to think on a big scale when it comes to all the shows I direct.  TLT is a nicely equipped theater with people who are eager to create. 

What was the last show you directed and where?
I directed and designed Baby Doll by Tennessee Williams at the Lillian Theatre in Los Angeles to sold out houses and critical acclaim.

What would you say is your biggest challenge on this show?
The biggest challenge for me as a story teller is to make sure that people walk away with a different perspective of the story.  Most people associate Frankenstein with the 1931 classic horror film but there is so much more in the novel than what was portrayed in that film.  Our production will attempt to better flesh out the story, the characters have so much more depth and inner conflict.  I see an opportunity to inspire the deserved appreciation and sympathy for Mary Shelley's intricate and compelling characters.  It is not just a horror story but a challenge of morals.

What is your vision for this production? What do you hope audiences take away from the experience?
Walking into a production I always try to approach it uniquely, avoiding the preconceptions audiences bring.  My background in design and visual storytelling is quite evident in the choices I make on stage and I try to tell the story seamlessly in a cinematic way.  Many of my scene transitions happen right in front of the audience incorporating theater movement, music and projections.  I'm not a big fan of the blackout.  I try to stage the sequence of scenes so that they almost "cross dissolve" as in film.  Many audiences members have told me that watching my plays is like watching a movie.  I guess all those years in film school payed off.

Why should people come to see Frankenstein?
I assume that most people would come to see Frankenstein based on the name alone, hoping for some good natured thrills right before Halloween.  My hope is that they will be in for a major surprise when they see how beautiful the story is and how the characters themselves are enveloped in the fabric of a world created by one man daring to play God.  My goal is for them to walk away with new questions about creation and an awareness of the moral dilemmas we face today with advancing science in areas such as stem cell research and cloning. 

Tickets for Frankenstein are on sale now! Order yours by clicking here or call 850-224-8474.

Sneak Peek: Frankenstein

On October 11th, TLT will open our production of Frankenstein. This version of the classic adheres very closely to the original novel by Mary Shelley, and is written by Victor Gialanella, and directed and designed by visiting director Joel Daavid.

Joel has an extensive background in theater and film, and brings his unique artistic vision to this production. Recently the Frankenstein team worked together to create a teaser trailer for the production, which we'll soon be posing on our YouTube page. In the meantime, take a look at some of the fantastic photo stills from the trailer shoot.

Frankenstein features Scott Mock as the doomed Dr. Victor Frankenstein, and Summer Hill Seven as The Creature.

Joel has also shared with us a couple of the concept designs for the set for Frankenstein. Over the next few weeks we'll be posting some behind the scenes sneak peeks at the set as it's built and painted. This show promises to be one of the most visually stunning that TLT has ever produced. We can't wait for you to come see it!

 

Frankenstein opens on October 11th and runs through October 28th.

Meet the Director of "Next Fall" : Naomi Rose-Mock

Meet the Director: Naomi Rose-Mock

Next Fall is our first Coffeehouse production of this season. Like many of our Coffeehouse shows the story and themes explored in this play are much bigger than the intimate performance space. Next Fall examines love, family, and religion through the eyes of Adam and Luke. Veteran Tallahassee director Naomi Rose-Mock stepped in to direct this delicately funny and bittersweet story.

First, tell us a little about yourself and what you do when you're not involved at TLT?
I'm originally from England, and have been acting, playing instruments and singing for as long as I can remember. I typically direct five to seven shows a year around the Big Bend. In addition to directing, I teach music and theatre to developmentally disabled adults at Pyramid Studios and work as a private acting coach.  

When did you first get involved at TLT?
I became involved at TLT in 2005, and have been involved in over 40 shows since that time, both as an employee and freelance director. 

How has TLT changed your life?
TLT has had a huge influence over my family's lives. My husband, Mike, has been involved behind the scenes in set building, stage management and crew for loads of shows and my stepdaughter, Laura, has honed her skills as a lighting designer, stage manager and crew at TLT as well.  

What was the last show you directed and where?
Most recently, I directed Les Miserables for the Leon Chorale Department, a show that consisted of 67 students that represented the best of the best of the entire county.  

What drew you to directing Next Fall?
Next Fall is an honest, real and brilliantly written script that is, by turns, hilarious, heartwarming and heartbreaking. I was excited to work with a small group of actors to tell this story.  

What would you say is your biggest challenge on this show?
The biggest challenges are to let the material speak for itself, and maintain complete honesty throughout. Also, playing the non-verbal communication with equal or greater importance than the dialogue. This is a show that has a non linear plot construct, moving the audience seamlessly through time and locales- this is a challenge in a space as intimate space as TLT's Coffeehouse.   

What message do you hope to send with this production?
The message here is simply a story of humanity and it's flaws. The relationship dynamics presented here are both universal and relate-able.   

Why should people come to see Next Fall?
Come see the show for the brilliant script and honest acting. When I say that you'll laugh and cry, it's not just a turn of phrase, this show is an adventure for the emotions. See you there!

Tickets for Next Fall are on sale now! This show opens on September 14th and runs for two weekends. Showtimes are 8pm on Fridays and Saturdays; 2pm and 7pm on Sundays (two shows). We will be having discussion panels hosted by several local guest speakers 45 min prior to each show. For a full list of speakers and topics, please visit: tallahasseelittletheatre.org/nextfall

Naomi Rose-Mock

Meet the Cast of "The 39 Steps" - Bob Myers

Meet Bob Myers

In The 39 Steps, Bob plays our reluctant hero, Richard Hannay. Unlike all the other actors, Bob gets to stay as the same character from start to finish. However, he has just as tough a job as the other three: he practically never stops running. From the opening scene to the end of the show, Bob is constantly on the move, rarely leaving the stage except to reappear somewhere else. He climbs over bridges, races across train tops, and spends almost half the show in handcuffs. It's hard to be the hero.

Meet the man behind the mustache:

How did you first get involved in theater?
I played the music (piano and keyboard) for a musical in college, but didn't try my hand at acting at the time.  After seeing TLT shows for many years, I decided to start auditioning in the 2007-2008 season, and have been hooked ever since.

What do you love most about acting?
I really enjoy the creative aspect of it -- while we're telling a story that's in a script, it still involves creating the characters and their personalities and adjusting them based on what is working. It's challenging but also rewarding.  I enjoy trying my hand at being various different people.

What drew you to The 39 Steps?
It's a very physical and fun comedy, and I really liked the notion of the many characters being played by a small handful of actors.

What has been the most challenging aspect of this show for you?
This show involves a lot of detailed technical work, including keeping track of props, sound cues, and set changes.  Consequently, it means not only keeping track of a very detailed sequence of events and actions, but it also means going non-stop from the opening of the show to the end.  I think we may all be dropping a few belt sizes by the time this one is over!

What would you say to encourage someone to try acting?
Go for it!  The audition process itself can be quite fun, as well as a learning experience, even if you don't get cast the first time out.  Be patient, learn from prior experiences, and remember that your interpretation of a character is unique and may be just what this director is looking for.

When Bob isn't acting, he's a professor of Computer Science at FSU, a swing dance instructor, and sometimes a superhero.

Tickets for The 39 Steps are going fast, especially for this weekend. We're close to sell out houses already, so buy your tickets now! Call the box office at 850-224-8474 or go to tallahasseelittletheatre.org/39Steps.

Bob Myers as Richard Hannay, in a rare moment of relaxation.

Meet the Cast of "The 39 Steps" - Melissa Findley

Meet Melissa Findley

Melissa plays three different women in TLT's production of The 39 Steps (showing now through September 2): a German spy, a young Scottish milkmaid, and Pamela, the reluctant sidekick/heroine. Unlike the two "clowns" of the show, she gets to spend a bit longer as each character, but her challenges are a different sort.

Meet the woman behind the wigs:

Tell us a little about who you are when you’re not on stage.
When I'm not on stage, I'm usually backstage. I spend a lot of time volunteering at TLT. It's sort of my home away from home. I do a lot of set design (including some elements of this show), stage managing, and scenic painting. When I'm not working at the theater, I'm an illustrator, focusing mainly on fantasy artwork. I've done art for several games, including "A Game of Thrones: The Card Game" and "Lord of the Rings: The Card Game."

How did you first get involved in theater?
I've always loved theater. When I was a kid I would put on little plays with all the neighborhood kids. I first auditioned for a part in high school, and I acted and worked backstage the whole way through college. I took a break from theater for about eight years after college, but when I moved to Tallahassee and saw that there was a community theater only a few blocks from my house, I couldn't resist getting back into it.

What do you love most about acting?
I love telling stories. They've done studies that show that fiction actually influences people more than fact, because we empathize with fictional characters and we can see things from their perspective. Acting does that in a big way--and you can literally feel the audience responding to the story. No other form of art lets you do that the way live theater does. I want to make people laugh and cry and fall in love.

What drew you to The 39 Steps?
A lot of things. I love old movies, including Hitchcock films. I love shows that remind me of old school theater and vaudeville. There are very few modern technological tricks in this show. We do almost everything the way theater has been done for centuries. Most of all I loved the idea of playing these three women, who are all so very different, but so very funny and strong and human in their own ways. The physical comedy aspect, plus the chance to do all these accents made it irresistible.

What has been the most challenging aspect of this show for you?
Physically this is a hugely demanding show. And you can't be self conscious about it--which I sometimes am. Like a lot of women, I have a lot of self-image issues. You have to put that all aside for this show. You have to be willing to be ridiculous and sexy at the same time. And you also have to be willing to get a little bruised. We work really hard to make sure everything is safe, but I still have a fantastic collection of bruises right now, from my death fall to all the handcuff stuff.

What would you say to encourage someone to try acting?
If you have ever sat in an audience and wondered what it would be like to be up there on stage, do it. It's the most rewarding feeling in the world to bring a show to life every night. Is it a little scary? Yes. Absolutely. But it's also exciting and fun, and you will do all kinds of things that you would never get to do in your normal, day-to-day life. You'll never know until you try.

Tickets are selling fast for The 39 Steps.  Book yours today by calling 850-224-8474 or visiting http://tallahasseelittletheatre.org/39Steps .

Bob Myers (left) and Melissa Findley as "Pamela" in The 39 Steps

Meet the Cast of "The 39 Steps" - Derek Nieves

Meet Derek Nieves

Derek plays one of two "clown" characters in TLT's production of The 39 Steps (playing now through September 2). Don't let the word "clown" fool you, however - there's no face paint involved. In just under two hours Derek plays more than twenty different characters, changing between them sometimes with nothing more than the change of a hat or an accent. It's difficult sometimes for an actor to keep just one character straight, but Derek hopscotches between them like he was born to do this.

Meet the man behind all the hats:

How did you first get involved in theater?
I'd been doing school plays and performances since I was a child, but at age 15 I performed in a production of The Sound of Music, and from then on I was hooked.

What do you love most about acting?
I love the storytelling aspect of theater.  In this age of technology it is a truly human interaction.  

What drew you to The 39 Steps?
The 39 Steps is truly "in my wheelhouse" as far as the acting style and content is concerned.  I really cut my teeth on farcical, high speed, comedy and the roles I play in this production definitely fall into this category.

What has been the most challenging aspect of this show for you?
The most challenging aspect of this production for me has been the organizational side.  Unlike a typical production ( if there truly is such a thing), The 39 Steps is such a whirlwind of costumes, props, and characters that I have had to make a concerted effort to keep myself physically and mentally organized throughout this project.

What would you say to encourage someone to try acting?
Just remember that no one brings exactly what you bring to the table.  And while you may not be who a directing was envisioning for a particular role THIS time...doesn't mean you won't be perfect next time.  You can control your preparation, not someone else's opinion.

Derek was recently featured by the Tallahassee Democrat as part of their local artists section. Click here to read more!

Tickets are selling fast for The 39 Steps! Book yours today by calling 850-224-8474 or going to http://tallahasseelittletheatre.org/39Steps

Derek Nieves (left) chases Bob Myers over the top of the "train" in The 39 Steps.

Meet the Cast of "The 39 Steps": Travis Young

Meet Travis Young

Travis plays one of the two "clown" characters in TLT's production of The 39 Steps (playing now through September 2). In just under two hours he plays more than 20 different characters: a traveling underwear salesman, a thug, a newspaper boy, an old man, a fencepost, a policeman, a showman, a sheriff, a villain and more. Most of these require fast costume changes and lightning fast changes in accent or characterization.

Travis gives us a little glimpse at the man behind all the hats:

What do you do when you're not on stage?
Well, I'm actually currently just working part time, but I'm looking at going back to school for English lit to go into education. I've been a lot of things while I was a student at FSU, but teaching has always been the highlight of everything I've done.

How did you get involved in theatre?
On a bet actually. I'd done theatre as a child, but I was telling a friend of mine how touched I was by a performance I saw when I was very young of A Fiddler on the Roof staring Topol. We were watching a touring production of Cinderella and she looked just me and said "Well, why don't you go audition for a show if it means I that much to you?" Well of course I said no, as most 19 year olds would, and she looked at me with a grin and said "What's wrong? Chicken?" So with ego and hat in hand I went to my first audition for a show as an adult called Sockdology.

What do you love most about acting?
I love the chance to touch people's lives. If I can make a person laugh, cry, or think, then I've succeeded.

What drew you to The 39 Steps?
Well, I love Alfred Hitchcock a lot. Two of my favorite movies of his growing up were North by Northwest and The 39 Steps. My family was notorious for watching older movies over a newer film. I loved his television show, too. When I found out that the theatre was thinking about doing the show I was excited and eager to audition.

What has been the most challenging aspect of the show for you?
Oof, definitely the costumes. I had the opportunity to see this show in London in 2007 while studying abroad there, and I knew going into this rehearsal process that that would make or break a lot of the show for me and my "character".

What would you say to encourage someone to try acting?
Do it! I took a bet from a friend, but you don't have to wait for that. There are auditions every day or week or month somewhere. Just go out and do them. Talk to the actors (we don't bite! Well... Most of us don't.) and learn from what you see and do and then try again! The biggest thing would be to not get discouraged if you don't get cast, though. Remember, you are there with 2 or 10 or 20 other people gunning for the same roll you are and believe me, the director is praying that one of you are the perfect fit for what they have in mind. Just know that if you aren't, that doesn't mean that you won't be next time!


Tickets are selling fast for The 39 Steps. Call 850-224-4847 to get yours today. You can also book them online at http://tallahasseelittletheatre.org/39Steps .

Travis Young (left) and Derek Nieves as thugs in The 39 Steps

Meet the Director of "The 39 Steps": Ben Taylor

Our first show of the season, The 39 Steps, is a hilarious mixture of film noir, suspense, mystery, romance, adventure, and farcical comedy. Patrick Barlow's script draws heavily from the Alfred Hitchcock film of the same title, which itself is heavily adapted from the novel by John Buchan.

In The 39 Steps a bored man meets a mysterious woman with a thick accent. When he takes her home, she tells him a fantastic story of spies and espionage secrets before she is suddenly murdered. Soon he's on the run from the police and villains alike, meeting a whole host of oddball characters, all while trying to stop an important military secret from getting out of the country and, of course, falling in love.

An epic story like this is made even more epic on stage, with all of the characters portrayed by only four actors: a leading man, one actress who plays three women, and two other men who play everyone--and everything!--else. 

Director Ben Taylor is a veteran TLT performer and volunteer. You may have seen him before in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Rumors, and Black Coffee. He brings with him a lifelong love of performing and a wealth of theater experience.



First, tell us a little about yourself and what you do when you're not involved at TLT?
I am a native Floridian who was born and raised in Gotha, Florida, just west of Orlando. I had a wonderful introduction to theater at the Civic Theatre of Central Florida, which I will always consider my theatrical "home," even though that company no longer exists. I graduated from FSU's School of Theatre in 1983 and worked in theaters in Connecticut, Georgia and Orlando, mostly as a stage manager. I love musical theater and have enjoyed singing and acting in some really wonderful productions. But as the realities of a steady paycheck became necessary, I started working in the "corporate entertainment industry," better known as theme parks. For 17 years I worked at all of the major theme parks in Orlando as both a performer and technician/stage manager, but I found myself doing less and less stage work, my real love, because of the schedule required at the parks. My brother, who lives here in Tallahassee, offered me an opportunity to start working "bankers hours" if I came to Tallahassee, so I took a chance on a new career and location. I am now the accounts receivables manager for Auto DataDirect, Inc., a company which I co-founded with my brother in 1999, shortly after moving back to Tallahassee.

When did you first get involved at TLT?

I don't remember which came first... stepping in two weeks before opening as a Muleteer in Man of LaMancha, or working with Millie Seckel on a fund-raising show called CineMagic... both were in 1999, I believe.

What was the last show you directed and where? 

I directed a play by William Mastrosimone (author of Extremities and The Woolgatherer) called Cat's Paw back in 1986, in a black-box theater of the Civic Theatre of Central Florida, which was very similar to our Coffeehouse space. It was a play that was a bit ahead of its time, as it dealt with an eco-terrorism group who kidnap a television news reporter so that they can tell their side of the story. About the only similarity that it has with The 39 Steps is that both shows only have four performers... 

What drew you to directing The 39 Steps? 

 I love unique theatrical "experiences" and I had read the reviews for this show in the winter of 2008, when it opened in New York, with many raves about its creative staging and energetic comedy style. It sounded like my kind of show! My partner and I took my niece to New York City as a high-school graduation gift that June and the first night we were in town, we dropped her and her best friend off at Spring Awakening and we walked two blocks down to see The 39 Steps.

It was such a great evening of comedy, creativity and truly theatrical fun. The story is all there, but the elements of a Carol Burnett or Monty Python comedic sketches made it an even more delightful evening. I immediately felt that it would be a great show for Tallahassee audiences and I hoped that TLT would be able to be the first to present it here, which we are!

Patrick Campbell, our lighting designer for The 39 Steps, was the first to point out to me how this play is structured more like a musical than a typical comedy. My background and experience is much more heavily inclined toward musical theatre, so it made sense to me that it would be another reason why I was drawn to the show.

What would you say is your biggest challenge on this show?   

Having been onstage more than behind the scenes in the past 15 years, I had forgotten things about directing that aren't as obvious when you are a performer... for an example, my actors haven't lived with this script for six months like I have! During pre-production, before casting, a director reads and re-reads and dissects and hears line readings in his or her head. Once I cast the show and started rehearsals, I had to repeatedly remind myself that the actors are reading this for maybe the second or third time. I need to give them the latitude to find the characters and discover how their character would say something. It is my job to steer them in the direction I am wanting it to go, especially in a show like The 39 Steps, that is quite stylized and somewhat dependent on precise characterizations. But I have 6 weeks to get them there... it doesn't have to be there the first week.

And there are a LOT of questions to answer and issues to resolve besides just staging and characterizations! It is tough to have a full-time job and keep up with everything that needs to happen to make the show work. (I know, that's two challenges, but I couldn't decide which is bigger.)

How has TLT changed your life?  

It has provided me the creative opportunities that I may not have been privy to in Orlando or larger cities. The work we do here is terrific and the people are dedicated, which I did not expect when I moved to Tallahassee almost 14 years ago. It has been my theatrical home-away-from-home. As I prepare to leave Tallahassee at the end of 2012 (my partner has been reassigned to St. Petersburg, so we will be moving there later this year), I will certainly miss this group of people and the fun we have had in crafting good, fun theatre! I hope I don't wait 26 years before I put my foot into the directing pool again!

Why should people come to see The 39 Steps?  

It is fantabulously funny, ferociously frenetic and full of fearless fun! Audiences who enjoy fast-paced comedy, espionage mysteries, Alfred Hitchcock movies, and the "theatrics" of live theatre will all love this show. For ages 9 to 99, it is the type of show that doesn't work on a movie screen... it is what makes live theatre such a true delight!

The 39 Steps opens August 16th and runs through Sept. 2nd. Tickets go on sale to the general public on August 6th. Season ticket holders get their seats sooner.  The cost for season tickets is $80 for adults, $60 for seniors and government employees, and $40 for students.

You can purchase your season tickets today by calling 850-224-8474.

Auditions: "Next Fall"

We will be holding auditions for our upcoming Coffeehouse production of "Next Fall" on Sunday, August 5th and Monday, August 6th at 7 pm.

This show is written by Geoffrey Nauffts and is directed by Naomi Rose-Mock.

We are looking for four men and two women. Auditions will be cold readings from the script.

Download an audition packet for more information, a character breakdown, and an audition form.

If you'd like to know a little more about the show, there are some great reviews of it here:

Theatre Review: "Next Fall"

Before and After the Fall

Opening! reasons to be pretty

We're fast approaching opening night for our Coffeehouse production of reasons to be pretty by Neil Lebute, and directed by Rod Durham. You may know Rod better from his day job as Leon High School's stellar drama teacher.  The plot of reasons to be pretty centers on four young working class friends and lovers who become increasingly dissatisfied with their dead-end lives and each other.


This show opens on May 18th and runs through May 27th. Friday and Saturday shows are at 8pm, and Sunday shows are at 2pm. Coffeehouse series productions have limited seating, and only run two weekends, so buy your tickets now!