Acts and Answered: Pat Payne

September 10, 10:41 AMDenver Theater ExaminerDeb Flomberg

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Pat Payne as Max in Lend Me A Tenor 

What does it take to start a theatre company? What does it take to run one successfully for 10 years? Today's Acts and Answered column is with someone that knows the answers to those questions and so many more. He founded Spotlight Theatre Company 10 years ago. They began performing in a small room at a Westminster library, and today they are celebrating their 10th season - now performing at the wonderful John Hand Theatre in Lowry. Yes, I'm a company member of Spotlight, so I may be a little biased (full disclosure, right?) But I think I can remove myself from the picture enough to see that Pat Payne has taken a small theatre company and helped it grow to the company it is today. Critics and Patrons alike are celebrating the work of Spotlight, and they continue to sell out houses of every show they do. When referencing Spotlight's move to the John Hand Theatre, John Moore of the Denver Post said "...it marks significant growth in the scope and overall quality of the company's work." The success is worth noting, but even more impressive is the story behind it. The meager beginnings that have lead to today. Certainly, Payne is a Denver Theatre Person worth watching.
 

Q. What is your favorite theatre to visit as a patron and why? 
A. This is a tough one—having been in every theatre in denver as a patron.. I would say this is the short list
1. Miners Alley – No one has a more welcoming lobby and Rick and Paige are such great hosts
2. Lakewood Cultural Center – just such a great facility
3. Boulder’s Dinner theatre- not the best seating arrangment but a staff that goes above and beyond to make you a member of the gang.
I would also hope that if I could be a patron there Spotlight would be a place where I would feel welcome and enjoy my time there. I believe with the upgrade to the John Hand Theatre we will be able to match our goal of superb customer service with comfort that needs to go with it.

Q. What type of shows do you enjoy watching?
A. I love Musicals more than anything.. Give me anything written between 1945 and 1965 (yes including R&H) or anything written with Angst and human emotion (Ragtime,Sideshow, etc)
I do like plays as long as they clip along, as a kid of my generation I sometimes feel like I don’t have the attention span to sit thru a 3 hour epi…hey lets go ride bikes..I actually enjoy a good farce/comedy, but it can be hard if it is not done well, because it can be dreadful

 

Payne with Gary Webster in Lend Me A Tenor

Q. What makes a “good” show?
A. Good  is all subjective, what is good to me, might not be to another—I however belive the “good” experience starts from the time you call to make your reservation, whether it be online or on the phone (nothing starts my theatre experience off worse than paying a surcharge to order a ticket online). But then when I arrive at the theatre I believe that theatre patrons need to be treated as guests, if theatre happens in a forrest and no one is there to hear it, is it art? We exist because of our patrons, they are the reason we do it.  I once had a producer say to me “I would rather produce theatre my way in front of 5 people than your way in front of a full house” that does not make for good theatre.   

 
Q. What makes a “bad” show?
A. A bad show can have all of the above with a bad “pre” experience, but a bad show can be just that.. For me it would be what I call not tying the bow—the little things, incedential scene change music, crisp clean blackouts- a curtain speech (if appropriate) a nice looking program- actors greeting audience after in street clothes..  I would almost rather see a horrible beyond bad show, than one that just needs a little tweak to make it a good show, drives the producer/ director in me insane..

Q. How can we get more people excited about live, local theatre?
A. They need to get more people knowledgable about it. There is an old marketing thing that says “to get more customers, find out who your customers are and get more people just like them” so if we can get the patrons already seeing shows to go see more and include their friends we can go a long way in increasing everyones box office. Because of my involvement on the board of the Colo. Theatre guild I see this in action thru our Theatre Night Out Program, I talk to patrons all the time at theatres that go see shows at other theatres that they didn’t know existed before. I also think the individual theatres can help as well- why shouldn’t someone who has a season ticket to the Vic not be going to MAP or Spotlight or Germinal – why shouldn’t the theatre’s make it easy and convienant – I stand by my belief that if I have an empty seat in my theatre I never will be able to make money on that seat again- wouldn’t it be beneficial to put some one in it that could turn into a regular patron down the road?

Q. What is your favorite play or musical?
A. This one is tough. As anyone will tell you I love musicals—probably favorite of all time—Brigadoon, I cry from beginning to end of A Chorus Line,  are just a small list—don’t forget Falsettos, Anything Goes, Crazy For You, Ragtime, and so many more
As far as plays-  I love farces, A Flea In Her Ear is an all time favorite, After directing it 4 times I am also a little partial to Run For Your Wife, I also love some of the “classics” Arsenic and Old Lace, Odd Couple, etc.

Q. What does the average theatre patron not know about live theatre?
A. I think a lot of patrons think that the people they see at their favorite theatre make their living doing theatre. The truth of the matter is many of us have a day job that pays the bills and do theatre at night because we are passionate about it. I often tell people, normal people have kids, golf, traveling, I have theatre

Q. What have been your favorite roles?
A. My favorite acting role has probably been Max in Lend Me A Tenor, I understudied 2 times and finally got to play it, had a great time and it was a lot of fun.
As a director there is no question that Run For Your Wife has been a pleasure, having directed it 4 times, each time gets better- nothing beats casting great actors that you also consider good friends. When you do this- magic happens

Q. Where can we see you next?
A. I am producing 12 Angry Men at Spotlight’s new space the John Hand Theatre in Lowry
I will be directing Ray Cooney’s Funny Money in the fall/Winter at the John Hand for Spotlight
I will be directing the hysterical farce Incorruptable for the Firehouse Theatre Company at the John Hand Theatre (do we see a trend?)

Q. What’s one movie can you recite line for line?
A. This one is easy- Clue, Waynes World, Austin Powers I & II, I am high class!!