So, I've decided to conduct mini "interviews" (more like questionnaires) with each of our company members. I'll just randomly select a different member each week and post these updates each Friday.
Our website is clearly meant to offer basic information about the company, our productions, our bios, event information, etc. This blog, on the other hand, was created in an attempt to explore and discuss why we are all in Partial Comfort together.
I am very proud of the ensemble
that we have become, and of the mutual respect that we share for each other. I know that I'm going to enjoy reading these interviews each week, and I hope that you will too.
- Molly
To kick it off we'll start with ...
Name: Alexander Alioto
Occupation: Actor
How long have you been a member of Partial Comfort?
I have been a proud standing member of PCP since 2006
How
did you initially find out about Partial Comfort? What made you decide
you wanted to be a member?
I have known Chad for ten years now. One of
my oldest and dearest New York friends. We were at The Flea together.
I secretly envied the work you guys were doing and so in 2005
approached Chad and asked him what I could do to become a part of this
fabulous little thing. He told me to hang around, help out and be a
presence and we would see what happened. I did, and the rest as they
say...
When people ask you why you
want to be a member of an ensemble, what do you usually tell them?
Collaboration. It's why I'm an actor. It's, without a shadow of a doubt
the most exhilerating aspect of being an actor for me. Sitting in a
room with other like minded artists creating the shit out of this
thing. I find that oddly thrilling.
What
are some projects (readings, workshops, plays) that you've enjoyed
working on within the company?
My two productions - three if you count
Lights Rise on Grace at the Fringe, which was a co-production that PCP did. The plays were fabulous, the roles
were once in a lifetime, the cast were already great friends of mine,
the directors (Kip Fagan and Robert O'Hara) were two of my favorite
directors I have ever worked with, and the words I was allowed to play
with were almost criminally good. It's fun when, as an actor, the words
and the people around you do most of the work, and all you have to do
is be in the present and let it flow. That's what acting is meant to be
and on its best days that is exactly what it is. I had that big time in
Nelson, Main(e) Play and Grace. In spades.
What
do you find inspiring/exciting about being a company member? What do
you find challenging and/or what have you learned?
Being around other
actors and directors and playwrights. Going up on retreat and hashing
out these new works and finding things as we go in that collaborative
setting. I'm telling you man, that shit gets me off big time. I'd say
if there's a challenge it's sort of inherent in a bunch of artists
being thrown together. We can be a volatile bunch, most certainly when
career comes into play. Feelings can be hurt, fear can be manifested,
it's the nature of the game and it becomes amplified sometimes in an
ensemble setting. Nature of the beast.
Talk
a little bit about the professional relationships you've formed as a
part of this company. Invaluable. Artistic relationships I will have
for the rest of my life. Can't stress that one enough and to elaborate too much will cheapen the importance of it. It's been HUGE for me.
What
projects (with the company or outside of the company) have you recently
worked on or do you have lined up?
Working on a webisode with a couple
friends of mine which will be super fun. Going to Berkeley Rep to
workshop something next month. Other than that, I really ain't got
shit. Anyone hiring?
What would
you like people to know about Partial Comfort?
That we LOVE what we do
and that this love always translates to what the audience sees.
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