Back-Story, a Theatrical Tool (Part 1 of 2)

Before I start ... thank you - goes to Preston Willis, who took the fabulous photo included in this blog - YOU ROCK!!

Do you ever wonder about an actor in an ensemble of a musical? Who are they - why are they - where'd they come from ... I don't mean as an individual "today" person ... I mean as the person they are in the musical.  WAIT, you say, they don't have a story in the musical they are only there to sing and dance and lend support to the leading actors.

Well, "nay" I say - every actor (even leads) - in my humble opinion - need a back-story in order to know what motivates them to do certain things they do within the musical - not just because the play says they do this or that ... or even not just because the Director says to do this or that -- even though that is the best reason to do something! :-)  This, I believe, also should take place within a non-musical ... but once again, only my humble opinion!

As in literary back-stories where you learn about the character throughout the writing, for an ensemble member their theatrical back-story does not reveal itself within the context of the musical, but only through the acting of the ensemble member.  I personally use this tool in every musical I'm in (and if I ever branch out and try those "things" without music :-) I will probably use it there too!  The back-story only exists if the actor prepares one and not all actors do.

I also rarely share my back-stories, but I've let bit out in my dressing room - so I've decided for Oklahoma, why the heck not share - so here goes:

To start - in an early rehearsal Tim Jebsen (the Executive Director of Midland Community Theatre ... and director for Oklahoma ... for those of you who do not know who he is) paired us and asked us to make up a quick story of who we were and then the couples had a short "meeting" and then tried to figure out who everyone was by the actions they took ... it was a fun exercise by-the-way!

My partner had a name within the play "Slim" and I had no name (that developed later though), we decided that we were in the Oklahoma Territory because we were thieves looking for the "less than legal" opportunities.  I made the suggestion that we were siblings and later throughout the rehearsal process I gained a daughter, when her beau begged with her "Please don't make me dance with your mother again!" :-) LOVED IT, kept it!  Also, by this time - I decided that Myrtle was a good hearty name for my character - I had a Grand Aunt with this name who died at the age of 20 in 1904, making it an age appropriate name for this show - so thus it was.  Once again when Tim divided the ensemble into cowboys and farmers ... Slim and I made the farmer cut - so we are "sort of" farmers and proud of it! 

Family Portrait (L-R):  Vivian, my daughter; Tom, "he who is watched!"

Myrtle :-); Slim, my bro; Laurey, my adversary; Ellen, my adversary's friend

and on the porch Aunt Eller, who Myrtle envys because everyone loves and listens to Aunt Eller!

So, what do you know about my Oklahoma ensemble character so far?  We are siblings, thieves and part-time farmers.  My daughter does not know what her Mom and Uncle Slim really do for living - as an actor she is aware of it - and her beau really doesn't like dancing with "me" :-) AND I watch him like that hawk "making lazy circles in the sky" -- so he better be good to my daughter -- ROFL !!!

Soooo, there's the start - no, it isn't all of it and I will share the rest in the next blog -- because let's face it, I ramble on and on and on ... and this first part is getting long! 

So have a great day Buddies -- and stay tuned "for the rest of the story!"