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>>> WELCOME TO NORFOLK PERSPECTIVES CITY SLICE.
I'M BOB BATCHER AND WE'RE IN FOR A TREAT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE
SANDRA STRUTHERS, AND THE ERIKA LaVONN, WHO ARE PERFORMERS THAT
ARE HERE ON A JOURNEY WITH THE NEXT GUY, THE CHRIS HANNA.
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF VIRGINIA STAGE COMPANY AND THE DIRECTOR
OF THE COMFORT TEAM. NOW, YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE ON THE
SOFA THAT REALLY KNOWS WHAT THIS PLAY IS ABOUT, RIGHT?
>> ON THIS SOFA, WELL, I DON'T KNOW.
>> BECAUSE IT'S A BRAND-NEW PLAY.
>> IT'S A WORLD PREMIERE, ABSOLUTELY.
>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? >> IT MEANS IT'S NEVER BEEN DONE
BEFORE. IT IS BRAND-NEW AND WHEN WE
START PREVIEWS, WE WILL HAVE THE FIRST TIME ANYBODY EVER CAME AND
HEARD THESE WORDS SPOKEN OUT LOUD, SO THAT'S AN EXCITING
THING, A REAL CHALLENGE. I LOVE WORKING ON FLEW PLAYED,
BUT IT'S -- NEW PLAYS, BUT IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT KIND OF
PROCESS THAN WORKING ON SHAKESPEARE OR ARTHUR MILLER.
>> SHAKESPEARE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE, PEOPLE DON'T
REWRITE THOSE. YOU GO IN, PERFORM THEM, AND GO
HOME, RIGHT? IS THAT AN ACTOR'S LIFE.
>> PRETTY MUCH. >> SO NOW WHERE ARE Y'ALL FROM?
>> WE WERE HIRED OUT OF NEW YORK.
WE BOTH LIVE IN NEW YORK. >> SO YOU OPEN UP THE PLAY BILL
AND IT HAS "DEATH OF A SALESMAN" YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S ABOUT AND
THINK YOU WILL AUDITION FOR THAT.
>> RIGHT. >> YOU GUYS OPEN UP, THERE'S A
THING, AUDITION SUCH AND SUCH A TIME, FOR THE COMFORT TEAM AT
VIRGINIA STAGE COMPANY IN NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.
YOU JUST KIND OF STUMBLING BY OR WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO
AUDITION? >> WELL, WHENEVER AN OPPORTUNITY
COMES UP, I'M ALWAYS VERY EXCITED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT
CHALLENGE -- IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE DONE BEFORE OR
SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE NEW EXPERIENCE FOR ME, AND SO WHEN
THIS CAME UP AND IT WAS THE STUNT TO DO -- THE OPPORTUNITY
TO DO A NEW SCRIPT, I WAS EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
YOU GET YOUR SIDES, THE LITTLE PIECE THAT YOU AUDITION WITH.
I USUALLY DON'T READ THE WHOLE SCRIPT, JUST STAY IN THE MOMENT.
>> YOU HAVE THE CONTEXT OF THE PLAY BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE PLAY.
>> RIGHT, YES. IT'S BEEN, AS HE SAID, SINCE
IT'S A WORLD PREMIERE, A NEW SHOW, IT'S CHANGED EVEN FROM THE
TIME WE AUDITIONED BACK IN AUGUST UNTIL TODAY.
>> REALLY? >> YES.
THERE'S MANY NEW PAGES, SCENES GONE, AND VERY MUCH CHANGING
WHAT YOU'RE DOING. >> OKAY.
WELL, SANDRA, LET ME ASK YOU, BASED ON THAT -- AND YOU GUYS
ARE NOT IN THE STUDIO. SO THE WRITER IS SOMEWHERE IN A
HOTEL ROOM? >> IT WORKS ALL DIFFERENT WAYS.
SHE HAS SPENT TIME IN THE ROOM WITH US, SPENT TIME BACK AT THE
HOTEL WRITING, AND RIGHT NOW SHE'S UP IN NEW YORK AND SENDING
STUFF TO US ONLINE. >> GIVEN WHAT SHE JUST SAID, ARE
YOU IN EVERY SCENE? I JUST THOUGHT I'D ASK.
>> NO, ACTUALLY ERIKA IS -- >> SO ERIKA COULD CARE LESS IF
SCENES GET DROPPED, SHE'S GOING TO BE THERE.
>> THERE YOU GO. >> COME ON, I DON'T WANT TO MAKE
YOU NERVOUS OR ANYTHING. >> YEAH, YEAH.
>> SO WHAT DO YOU THINK? DON'T YOU HAVE A SAY IN THIS?
>> NO, ABSOLUTELY. WHAT I LIKE VERY MUCH ABOUT
DEBORAH BREVOORT, THE PLAYWRIGHT, SHE'S A GREAT --
SHE'S DONE MANY SCRIPTS BEFORE, AND WE HAVE DIFFERENCES, BUT WE
DON'T HAVE EGO STRUGGLES, SO THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.
>> I CAN'T PICTURE ANYBODY HAVING A EGO.
I STRUGGLE WITH THESE. >> I ALWAYS WIN.
NO, SOMETIMES IT'S REALLY HARD IN THE COLLABORATION.
THE DIRECTOR/PLAYWRIGHT TUG OF WAR IS NOT AN EASY ONE AND THE
VERY BEST PLAYS OUT THERE ARE ONES THAT THE DIRECTOR HAS A
REALLY STRONG FORCE IN SHAPING BECAUSE IT DOESN'T JUST NEED TO
BE A GOOD PIECE OF WRITING, IT NEEDS TO WORK ON STAGE.
>> I'M HAVING FUN BECAUSE WHAT I LOVE HAVING YOU GUYS ON IS THE
SEASON IS ALWAYS A JOURNEY. FOR THAT PERSON WHO WANTS
SOMETHING SAFE AND SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN TRIED AND TRUE,
WE'VE GOT THAT VENUE WITH BROADWAY AND WHATEVER.
BUT YOU GUYS REALLY KIND OF SHAKE IT UP IN YOUR SEASON, THAT
YOU WILL HAVE THINGS THAT ARE TRIED AND TRUE -- THE ODD
COUPLE? >> YES, WE'RE CLOSING THE SEASON
WITH ODD COUPLE. >> AND NOW SOMETHING -- THEN
THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN LOCALLY ABOUT LOCAL ISSUES.
>> YEAH, RIGHT. >> YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE ARTS
FESTIVAL WITH STUFF THAT'S BEEN TRIED AND TRUE.
>> YES. >> AND THEN YOU TRY SOMETHING
NEW, THAT'S COOL. >> ABSOLUTELY.
AND IT'S ALL PART OF OUR TOP SELLER PERFORMERS.
>> WE DO, WE DO. THAT'S REALLY OUR FOCUS IS
BRINGING ON THE VERY BEST OF THE ACTORS IN AMERICA BECAUSE IT
STARTS -- YOU DON'T HAVE GREAT ACTING ON STAGE, THERE'S NO
STORY, THERE'S NOTHING -- I MEAN, IT REALLY ALL BREAKS DOWN
FROM THERE. OF COURSE, IT TAKES A GREAT
DIRECTOR TO HIRE A GREAT ACTOR TOO.
>> OF COURSE. >> SO KNOW THAT.
>> RIGHT. >> SEE WHAT I MEAN?
>> YEAH. >> NOW, YOU GOT THAT OUT OF THE
WAY. LET'S JUST THE THREE OF US TALK.
>> YEAH. >> OKAY.
IT'S A SUNNY WARM DAY IN NEW YORK IN AUGUST, RIGHT?
DID I SENSE THAT? >> YES.
>> AND SO HOW DOES IT BEGIN WITH AN AUDITION?
I MEAN, FOR THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE BUYING A TICKET --
LOOK AT THAT, ONLY HALFWAY THROUGH AND WE'RE ALREADY TRYING
TO SELL TICKETS. SOMEBODY THAT'S BOUGHT A TICKET
TO THE COMFORT TEAM, WHICH IS RUNNING FROM OCTOBER 30th TO
NOVEMBER 18th, JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS CAROL STARTS --
>> THAT'S RIGHT. >> GOT TO GET THAT IN TOO.
SEE WHAT I MEAN? THERE'S NO REWRITES WITH THAT.
OR ARE THERE? >> THAT'S THE TRIED AND TRUE.
>> THAT'S THE STANDARD. >> MID AUGUST, YOU GUYS HAVE
FREE TIME AND YOU TRY TO AUDITION.
HOW DOES THAT WORK? >> I'M ASSUMING IT'S THE SAME
FOR BOTH OF US. WE HAVE AGENTS.
>> HE HASN'T AUDITIONS IN YEARS. >> WE HAVE AGENTS WHO SEND US
AUDITIONS AND SAY DO YOU WANT TO AUDITION FOR THIS, GIVE US
INFORMATION. >> DO THEY SEND YOU THE SCRIPT?
>> WE GOT A COPY OF THE SCRIPT AND HAVE THE OPTION OF READING
IT. I READ THE WHOLE THING BEFORE I
WENT TO AUDITION AND I READ IT AND I WAS LIKE, THIS IS REALLY
INTERESTING. ALSO, I REALLY LIKE THIS
CHARACTER AND SHE'S A DIFFERENT KIND OF PERSON THAN I USUALLY
GET TO PLAY. >> SO KIND OF PERSON IS SHE?
AS OF THIS WRITE. >> AS OF -- SHE'S JUST, HMM, HOW
DO I SAY THIS. >> HER NAME IS CLERC?
>> NO, THAT'S MY LAST NAME, STRUTHERS CLERC IS MY LAST NAME.
>> HER NAME THE MARCIA LOWE. >> MARCIA.
>> IT COULD BE MAR-SI-YA TOMORROW.
>> WE DON'T KNOW HOW SHE PRONOUNCES IT, IT'S A NEW PLAY.
>> SHE HAS A LOT OF OPINIONS THAT I PERSONALLY DON'T HAVE AND
I THINK THERE'S A QUALITY OF SORT OF POSHNESS, THAT'S NOT A
WORD, BUT I'M NOT THAT TYPE OF PERSON MYSELF IN REAL LIFE,
SO -- IT'S VERY FUN TO PLAY SOMEONE THAT'S PRETTY DIFFERENT
FROM YOU. >> COOL.
>> SO I WAS EXCITED ABOUT IT. >> WELL, CHANDRA ROSS THEN --
>> CHANDRA ROSE. >> ROSE, OKAY, COULD BE ROSS
TOMORROW. >> THAT'S TRUE.
>> WHAT IS THAT CHARACTER LIKE? >> WELL, ACTUALLY, CHANDRA'S
JOURNEY IS PRETTY MUCH BECOMING INDOCTRINATED INTO A WORLD THAT
SHE'S JUST NEVER KNOWN ABOUT. SHE IS A NEW BRIDE AND LEARNING
ALL ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BECOME PART OF THIS NEW SOCIETY,
A NEW CULTURE. >> BECAUSE ALL THE WOMEN IN THE
PLAY ARE MILITARY WIVES. >> WE'RE MILITARY WIVES.
>> NAVY WIVES, SO THAT'S THE POINT OF THE PLAY IS IT'S ABOUT
WHAT IT IS TO BE MARRIED INTO THE MILITARY AND LIVING IN
HAMPTON ROADS. >> AND WHAT A BETTER PLACE THAN
RIGHT HERE. >> ABSOLUTELY, ABSOLUTELY.
>> MAKES SENSE. >> BUT, OF COURSE, IT WAS --
IT'S TRICKY. FORGIVE ME, CREATING CHARACTERS
IN THIS COMMUNITY, IT WILL BE SO RECOGNIZABLE.
>> YEAH. >> BECAUSE TO BE A NEW YORK
ACTRESS AND COME DOWN AND PLAY A CHARACTER IN NORFOLK ABOUT WHAT
IT'S LIKE TO BE A MILITARY WIFE IN NORFOLK, THAT'S A --
>> RIGHT. >> AND SAYING LINES FROM SOMEONE
WHO LIVES IN NEW YORK. >> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
>> WELL, IT'S -- THIS PLAY IS BASED A LOT, THERE WERE A LOT OF
INTERVIEWS DONE WITH PEOPLE FROM AROUND HERE AND SO THE IDEAS AND
THE CHARACTERS ARE BASED ON REAL PEOPLE, WHICH IS SUPER, SUPER
INTERESTING TO GET THAT OPPORTUNITY.
>> OH, ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, THE PLAYWRIGHT
INTERVIEWED ABOUT 60 OR 70 MILITARY SPOUSES, MOSTLY NAVY,
BUT NOT ENTIRELY NAVY, IN THIS AREA AND THEN FROM THAT, CREATED
THIS CHARACTER, THESE CHARACTERS THAT ARE SOMEWHAT COMPOSITES AND
DIFFERENT STORIES WITHIN THAT AND NOW IT IS UP TO THE SIX
PEOPLE ON THE CAST TO -- YOU ARE HAMPTON ROADS.
>> YEAH, RIGHT. >> SO IF ERIKA REMINDS ME OF MY
MOM, SHE'S NOT BECAUSE YOU SAY COMPOSITE OF MY MOM AND SIX
OTHER WOMEN. >> YES.
>> AND THEN WHAT'S INSIDE YOUR HEAD?
>> WELL, THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE ASPECTS OF ALL DIFFERENT
KINDS OF PEOPLE, SO I HOPE THAT IS WHAT IS GOING TO RESONATE
WITH PEOPLE AND MAKE THEM LIKE OR IDENTIFY WITH THE CHARACTERS
BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE, OH, THAT LOOKS LIKE MY AUNT OR
THAT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE MY MOM AND THAT'S THE JOY OF ACTUALLY
BEING ABLE TO DO, YOU KNOW, A COMPOSITE OF CHARACTER, SOMEONE
THAT WE CAN BRING TO LIFE. >> WELL, THE COMFORT ZONE IS
RUNNING OCTOBER 30th THROUGH NOVEMBER 18th.
BUY TICKETS NOW BECAUSE THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING FAST.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. >> I'M GOING TO ASK YOU GUYS,
I'M NOT GOING TO ASK CHRIS, BUT TWO WEEKS IN NORFOLK, WHAT DO
YOU THINK? >> WE WALKED DOWN BY THE WATER
THE OTHER DAY. IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
>> IT'S SPECTACULAR, REALLY LOVELY.
>> BETTER THAN BATTERY PARK, RIGHT?
>> BETTER THAN BATTERY PARK. >> IT'S DIFFERENT.
WE WON'T SAY BETTER. >> WHAT DO THEY SAY?
NOT WRONG, DIFFERENT. >> THERE YOU GO.
>> THERE YOU GO. >> THANKS AGAIN FOR DOING IT
AGAIN, CHRIS. >> ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. >> GOOD TO SEE YOU.
>> AND TO KEEP HIM HAPPY, COME BUY TICKETS, SEASON TICKETS, THE
REST OF THE SEASON, RIGHT? >> ABSOLUTELY, MEMBERSHIP.
>> AND IF YOU HAVE FUNNY LINES, MY LAUGH STANDS OUT, YOU WILL
KNOW I'M THERE. THANKS A LOT.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND GO SEE THE COMFORT ZONE AT THE
VIRGINIA STAGE COMPANY WELLS THEATRE.
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