FIVE MINUTES WITH WOLFGANG BODISON
How long have you been directing and do you prefer that over acting?
I’ve been directing theater for twelve years, all at Playhouse West, starting with the play Tape, by Stephen Belber. There are aspects of directing that I prefer over acting, mostly that I have more control of the final product, but I’m excited when I get opportunities in both because I get to express myself creatively.
What attracted you to direct Standing By?
I was familiar with Standing By because the hospital scenes in the second act were often selected by the students to work on in class. I was attracted to directing the full play by the choice Ellen[Hadfield] makes regarding how she will deal with the remission of her illness; to not endure the prescribed treatment of chemotherapy and instead, live out the final days of her life on her own terms. Norman Barasch wrote a very touching story that highlighted our humanity in the face of overwhelming odds, and I was excited to bring that story to life, especially considering the love story which is at stake.
What was your first order of business?
The first order of business was the casting. Both Erin Hadfield and Abraham Arias are advanced-level students at Playhouse West, with whom I have worked with on several other class projects and stage productions. They are both very talented and hard working. I knew that their personalities and what they would bring to the performances would be a perfect match for the odd-ball relationship I wanted to develop between the characters.
Did you already have an idea on how you wanted the audience to experience the show?
I knew that although the play is ultimately a sad, touching story, I wanted the audience to laugh and experience a wild journey of emotions. By accentuating the differences of their personalities; Jeffrey being a free spirited goofball and Ellen a reserved and stoic, Rock of Gibraltar, I hoped to make Jeffrey’s attempts at courting her a funny and entertaining uphill climb.
What do you have coming up?
I have several projects upcoming at Playhouse West. My advanced-level classes will be soon presenting two shows, one called Song to Scene, which utilizes a variation of Sanford Meisner’s Nursery Rhyme Exercise, and the other, a show called, The Spoon River Movie Monologue Mashup, which is an extension of Mr. Meisner’s Spoon River work on monologues. As far as stage productions, I’m in the beginning stages of presenting two plays, Gruesome Playground Injuries by Rasiv Joseph and Lungs by Duncan Macmillan. I’m grateful for Robert Carnegie’s tutelage and that he has afforded me the creative freedom to play in the theater playground that is Playhouse West!
Log on to wolfbodison.com for the latest information on upcoming shows and more on his illustrious career.
