Most normal people play many roles in the course of their lifetime: child, parent, grandparent, student, friend, lover, spouse and employer or employee. These are broad categories for the people we are or may become. Actors choose to take on other roles as well. Sometimes, these roles are easy; they can be familiar to us from our normal lives. Playing a mother isn’t a stretch for me, as I am one in real life. I am also a daughter, sister, friend, student, writer and actor, so I have a background into what these roles are. Granted, there are many different ways to be each of these things; however, I know other people who fill these roles as well, so I can use all of that combined information if I happen to have a part in a play that calls for me to act like a certain character.
There are times though when an actor is called upon to be someone whom they have no experience with. Many plays are written that have strictly fictional characters; the author makes them up to be whoever they want them to be. It is then the actor’s job to fill in the nuances of the character to make it believable. Other times, the playwright chooses someone who is, or was, alive. Real people might be easier to play in some ways. If the actor can spend time with a living person, learning how to walk, talk and behave like the other, the performer (at least a good one) can make the character believable. In the case of an historical figure, the actor’s research must take on a different form.
This is definitely the case for me right now. In the next Studio Series production, I play Queen Christina Wasa, of Sweden. Technically, she was King Kristina, but either way, I don’t know any royalty and don’t have the available means to be in contact with any at this time. I knew a prince once, but he was in the U.S. as a student, and I didn’t have the experience of seeing who he was when he was being a prince, so I cannot use that knowledge in becoming Christina. Over the semester break, I read many books about this woman, and found some very different views on her in them. She was quite the character, that was agreed upon by many. Who she really was though, could only be speculated upon by most. There are actual writings that have been saved from Christina herself, and that was helpful.
Christina was the daughter of a great Swedish king, Gustavas Adolphus. My stepdad’s parents immigrated to America when they were adults, so Papa learned quite a bit about Swedish history. He could tell me all about Gustavas, but he really didn’t have any information on the daughter. According to all the books I read, Christina was named heir because there wasn’t any other choice. Her father ordered that she was to be raised as a prince; she was to learn to read, write, ride a horse and learn the arts of war. Christina’s father died when she was six years old, fighting in the 30 Years War. While there was a regency board set up, Christina sat in on council when she was very young. She officially became King when she turned 18, but abdicated her throne when she was 27. Many things have been written about the time she sat on the throne, as well as after, and sorting through all of it took me most of the break.
Luckily, the script for this play gives much insight into who the playwright (Max Gulias) wants Christina to be. Another bonus is that this is an original script, never having been produced before, so not only am I the first person to play this particular part, but Max is still alive and available to answer any questions I may have on what he wrote.
All of the shows that I’ve been in here at NEIU have been fun, and challenging in their own way. I must admit though, so far, this play is the most demanding. The lines I have to learn are, in some places, more difficult even than the ones written by Tom Stoppard or George Bernard Shaw. I have more physical activity in this show, and mentally the character exhausts me. I have had to step way out of my comfort zone continuously with this character. I spend half of the play with a fencing foil in my hand, and get to threaten the other characters with it, several times. Learning to be comfortable with the sword in my hand took a little bit of time. I really like the other actors in this show, and don’t want to accidentally hurt them while I’m pretending that I will. There are several other actions that I perform which I would never do in real life. Christina uses language occasionally that would have me grabbing a bar of soap if I heard them coming from the mouth of one of my children (at least when they were younger, that is.) You’ll just have to come and see the show to find out what I’m talking about!
Of course, all of these things also make the character an exiting one to play. I truly get to be someone who I am not, who I never will have the opportunity to be, outside of the stage. Christina, in life, was a character unto herself. I get the chance to make that character larger than life, and make her my own. Fortunately, I also get to put her aside so that she is just another of the voices in my mind. I’ll miss her when the show is over, but she will still be there, and I can call up this role if I ever need to use a piece of her for another show, or in case anyone decides that I am the long lost heir to some monarchy somewhere. Ah, now that would truly be a diversion!
Queer Strindberg plays at Stage Center Theatre in room F-109 from Feb. 17-20 at 7:30 p.m. Students, faculty and staff are FREE with NEIU I.D..