Acts and Answered: Mari Geasair

Today, on a very special Acts and Answered...
She is one of the most well known faces in theatre, but not just in Denver. She is building her reputation in Seattle as well. Mari Geasair is also very passionate about helping to build the theatre community and get the word out about the wonderful work we are doing in this city. I've taken this opportunity to interview Mari to explore her views on Denver theatre, but also to find out how much we can compare our city's theatre scene to Seattle's scene. She provided some wonderful and very interesting answers. I hope you enjoy today's Acts and Answered.

Q. What is your favorite theatre to visit as a patron and why?
A. Devner has so many great theatres that it is hard to answer that. I think I go in waves, one theatre will be my favorite for awhile and then another. It depends also if I want to see classics, or new work, or farce or whatever style of theare.  Honestly though my absolute favorite is a theatre where I don't know any of the artists or staff and I can just be a "pure" audience member. That is getting harder and harder for me- maybe that is a hidden reason why I moved to Seattle.

Q. How do you compare the theatre scene in Denver to the scene in Seattle? 
A. I am still learning about the similarities and differences. I have been involved in the Colorado scene for 6 years now and the Seattle scene for less than one year. That being said, Seattle has much more theatre and more Equity houses, but our quality here is definately on par and possibly better. Our artists here seem to do more shows each and be even more passionate about the work. At least that is what I think today. Ask me again next year!

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Q. What makes a "good" show?
A. Telling the story well. I want to be swept into another world as an audience member and focus on the story. Especially in an unexpected yet truthful way. I just love it as an audience member when I don't see something coming but it strikes me as "oh of course, that is exactly how it happens in life".

Q. What makes a "bad" show?
A. When we try to show off as "artists" instead of connecting with the audience and just truthfully sharing our story. Design, Director's "concepts," or acting that is too heavy handed can in some cases distract the audience and ruin the fun. So for example you might find yoruself thinking about the cool lighting effect and not what is happening for the characters on stage and how the story is unfolding, or you might say "oh look that actor is actually crying." That is bad theatre. To the audience, the artists should melt into the background and it should be all about the real people on stage having real experiences- even if the world of the show is absurd or abstract.

That is the other thing that makes bad thetatre- when the "world of the play" is not consistent. If it is a farce- everyone and everything in the production should have that same farcical sensibility. If it is a heavy drama you shouldn't have someone talking in a funny voice and tripping over the furniture. Again it just takes us as audience members out of the story.

Q. How can we get more people excited about live, local theatre?
A. Invite them. It amazes me how often people who are not connected to the local theatre scene jump in and become regular patrons when we invite them to do so. The problem is that theatre people often forget to take the extra step. It is not enough to just say "I'm doing a great show come see it." Many people are not used to going to live theatre and honestly don't know what to expect or how fun it can be. Tell them the story of the play, offer to go out to drinks or an appetizer before the show with them, carpool. Do whatever you have to do to make it easy.

And talk about  theatre to non-theatre folk and in a way they can understand.  Not everyone knows who Jeffery Hatcher is and what a fabulous writer he is. So telling wide audiences to come see Jeffery Hatcher's new play Murderers might not do it. On the other hand telling them that they can see a reverse "who done it" where they know who the murderer is but not why, and that it is in the dark humor style of Six Feet Under or True Blood might be more meaningful and memorable.
 

Mari Geasair

Q. What do you think the Denver theatre community can learn from other cities?
A. To be fearless and tout our own triumphs. I often talk to people in doctors officess, or supermarkets or other daily life kinds of places who have no idea that Denver has such a vibrant theatre scene. Often they tell me that they have moved from other places where they often went to live theatre but have not done so here because they don't realize how much we have or how good the quality is. That is one difference between Seattle and Denver. Seattle thinks of itself as a theatre town. Even the people who don't go to live theatre there know there is a lot of it in Seattle and are proud of that fact. In Denver, the amount and quality of our live theatre seems to be a well kept secret.  We need to start letting more people know we are here.

Q.  What does the average theatre patron not know about live theatre?
A. How much work goes into it. Often they think it is just about memorizing lines and painting a backdrop. Those things are important, but actors, directors, and designers, also spend hours and hours on other details that can make or break a production. I have been blown away in our current production of Murderers by how carefully our director Bernie Cardell will think through a moment and make sure that it is just perfect to set up the next clue or the next laugh. And how dilligently my fellow cast will work to make sure it all flows together seamlessly.

Q. What have been your favorite roles? 
A. I played a woman who steals jewelry off corpses for a living and has a dark secret she needs to heal; in another Jeffery Hatcher play directed by Bernie Cardell called Three Viewings. That was a blast. And I played a very wacked out psychic in Deathtrap at Miner's Alley directed by Rob Kramer. That was really fun too. But honestly- today? Minka in Murderers.  She is the kind of character I have never done, and I just love her to death. She is fun to do, but I also think that she is the kind of person (and dare I say muderer) that people can relate to and undertand. It has been great fun watching audiences discover that. So right now she is my favorite.

Q. Where can we see you next?
A. That grave robber I mentioned? I am playing her again in Three Viewings in Seattle this January. At a venue called Stone Soup for those of you who get up to Seattle. Bernie Cardell, our Murderers director, is actually flying up there to reprise his production from a few years ago. So we are very lucky. I will also be directing Eleemosynary for Stone Soup in Seattle in February.

Q. What's one movie can you recite line for line?
A. I can't. I am really bad at that. But I can recite most of the first three pages of Pride and Prejudice,and most of the very morbid Alphabet Gashlycrumb Tinies by Edward Gorey. So that tells you something scary about me probably. I am a morbid romantic- who knew?

 

 Examiner Bonus! CLICK HERE to watch a Preview Video with the stars of Murderers!

 

 

Topics: Interviews