Page 6 - Boca Exposure - September '22

Page 6, Boca Exposure
One-On-One With Boca Stage’s Artistic Director Keith Garsson

As Boca Stage prepares for its Boca Stage Is Known For Its What Are You Most Looking Forward To This Season?
upcoming season, we sat down All-Star Casts – What Do You We enjoy the rehearsal process most of all, starting with a
with the company’s Artistic Think Attracts Actors To The lump of clay and a talented group of actors and technicians.
Director, Keith Garsson, to get Works You Select? Day by day you get closer to your vision, and if everyone
a glimpse at the behind-the- With small cast shows, the roles is doing their job correctly there is an exhilaration to seeing
scenes process of developing a are larger, meatier and, hopefully, all elements slowly come together. In some ways opening
compelling theatre season. The very well-written. The works night is almost anticlimactic because we already know if we
critically acclaimed professional present a challenge and a chance struck gold or not.
company recently announced its to do something different, and While The Theater’s Stage Has A Small Footprint, The Sets
2022/23 season, which features actors are very hungry for new Are Always Extraordinary – What Is That Process Like?
two comedies, an edge-of-your- adventures. Interestingly, there are Sets can either be realistic or representational, meaning
seat drama and a modern ghost occasions when actors tell me that that we give you just enough for you to figure out where we
story. Seabreeze readers receive the role isn’t something new for are. You may not know until a few minutes into a scene, but
a special discount on the season, them, but they very much wanted that is okay. Obviously, we have many limitations, a two-
see below for details. to be part of this specific play. story set would be impossible. But barring the impossible,
What Was Your Inspiration When Building Out This Boca Stage Especially Casts Some Of The Best Of The you need to invest in a very innovative set designer who can
Season? Best Female Leads, Why Is That Important To The figure out the best use of the space.
After the exhausting few years that were the pandemic, Company? For Those Who Will Be New To Boca Stage This Season,
we wanted to balance our normally dark seasons with a There is not one single producer or director who can What Do You Want To Share With Them?
higher comedy quotient. However, we didn’t want to stray do their job effectively without the best actors available. If We do four professional-quality shows, and you will not
too far from our roots, which usually means new dark Genie Croft (director of two shows per season) and I don’t see these types of plays anywhere else. In some ways you
dramas and modern spins on familiar topics. do everything in our power to get the best actress in the area have to get used to our type of theater. Folks who are used
How Do You Go About Finding So Many Amazing for a specific role, the production will suffer. This means to classic plays, sitcoms and musicals and tapping their toes
New Works? many actors get cast multiple times. Our audiences have no will hopefully be pleasantly surprised to find another avenue
First, we have to weed out subject matter that has been problem telling us their favorites, so we definitely take that to the emotional highs that come with great theater.
done to death and anything that is potentially divisive. It into account. With regards to women specifically, since we Boca Stage Season
is getting harder since a majority of new plays focus on tend to stick with new works, there are far more women’s The Thin Place, Nov. 4 to 20: A modern spin on the classic
identity politics and solo works. These are important topics roles than there used to be. ghost story.
but there are many local theater companies that excel at What Is The Directorial Process Like For You? Time Alone, Jan. 6 to 22, 2023: A poignant drama about two
these kinds of works far more than Boca Stage. It varies depending on the play, we tend to focus on what seemingly unconnected people, a widow and a young man
Secondly, I am lucky to have friends who see theater the specific challenges are for a specific play, whether it be serving a life sentence, both seeking redemption.
all over the country and always contact me with opinions casting or technical and work out all those issues over the Grand Horizons, Feb. 10 to 26: Fifty years into her marriage
about new works they have seen. summer before we enter production. After that you really to Bill, Nancy wants a divorce. While Bill seems unfazed
Lastly, we believe theater is for everyone, including have to be able to explain, to anyone who will listen, what by the decision, her two adult sons are shaken to the core.
someone who isn’t a typical theatergoer. With shorter the play is about in one sentence. Then you break that down The Odd Couple (Female Version), March 17 to April 2: An
attention spans and news breaking every few hours, we scene-by-scene, so you have a logical progression which update of the Neil Simon classic, New York comedy. This
pick plays that are fast, short and highlight fascinating supports your vision. If you can’t explain it to yourself, how time, Unger and Madison are at it again, but it’s Florence
topics. can you explain it to the actors? Unger and Olive Madison who play the bickering roommates.
Most importantly, theater is a communal experience. Only with a full understanding of each logical progression Seabreeze readers can attend all four shows at Boca Stage
With a huge subscription base, you get to see every show can the actors develop their character and collaboratively this season for only $120. Use the code “Seabreeze” when
with a familiar crowd, so it is a unique experience. A group figure out how to play each scene convincingly. Too often, subscribing on the website, www.bocastage.net.
reaction, be it laughter, surprise, or tears is something you when I attend the theater, I am not sure what either the author Boca Stage is located at 3333 N. Federal Highway Boca
can’t get from streaming TV. or director was trying to say. Raton, Fla.

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