Acts and Answered: Paul Page

October 27, 10:04 AMDenver Theater ExaminerDeb Flomberg

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Acts and Answered with Paul Page 

When I saw Sleuth at Firehouse Theater Company last week I was blown away by this man. I'd seen him act before, and he was certainly amazing in Spotlight's 12 Angry Men, but it was his portrayal in Sleuth that really impressed me. The carefully crafted character arc, the slow decent into madness, it was truly a sight to be seen. I knew that I had to interview this man for my Acts and Answered series. Luckily, Paul Page is also one of the nicest men in theatre as well, and he was more than happy to spend a few minutes with me. Paul Page is one of those actors that has been in everything, done everything, but still finds ways to challenge himself as an actor. He is a landmark in the Denver Theatre Community, and deservedly so. You still have a few more chances to catch Sleuth. I suggest you do. 

Q. What is your favorite theatre to visit as a patron and why?  
A. There is not a bad seat at Miners Alley Playhouse and I love that they have a bar, too!  Oh and did I mention they do excellent work there?

Q. What type of shows do you enjoy watching?   
A. Ones that move me, make me laugh, stimulate me, make me nostalgic, make me feel something positive.   (Wow, that was totally stream of consciousness!)

Q. What makes a “good” show?, What makes a “bad” show?   
A. A good show engages me and retains my interest for (hopefully) the entire time I'm watching it.  A bad show doesn't.

Q. How long have you been in theatre and what got you started? 
A. The Rainmaker was my first show out of high school.  I was 18 and became hooked enough to switch majors my freshman year at Kent State University.   My first paid professional gig wasThe Pajama Game in summer stock in 1979.  I booked it six months after I moved to New York and I thought I was "IT" !!

Q. How can we get more people excited about live, local theatre? 
A. That is a really difficult challenge as Denver is such a sports-oriented market.   And then there's the fact that the majority of the people in this market who attend live theatre do it at the DCPA.   So I really don't think it's an easy thing with those two major obstacles to overcome.
 

Paul in Sleuth at Firehouse Theater Company

Q. What was the first show you have ever done? 
A. I played Pig Pen in an original play done at my church.  I was 12 and it was called "Charlie Brown's Easter."   You can imagine how much teasing I took about the fact that my character's initials were the same as my own!

Q. What does the average theatre patron not know about live theatre? 
A. That it's not the same as watching TV in your living room!  Argh.  Don't get me started.....

Q. What have been your favorite roles?  
A. Ronnie Huber in The Ice-Fishing Play because it was the first time a director (in this case Terry Dodd) gave me the chance to play WAY against type.  Ronnie was as blue collar and as midwestern as it gets.   I also loved playing Sidney Bruhl in Deathtrap and have completely welcomed the chance to get inside another crazed lunatic middle-aged author as Andrew Wyke in Sleuth.  I'm having a ball with Andrew.  I've been very blessed this year, that's for sure.

Q. Where can we see you next?  
A. At the Arvada Center as George Bailey's father in the musical adaptation of It's a Wonderful Life.

Q. What’s one movie can you recite line for line? 
A. All About Eve.  Go figure.

Examiner Extras!
Read the Examiner review of Sleuth
Read the Examiner review of 12 Angry Men