In Part 1 of a series of interviews with the cast of The Little Theatre of Alexandria’s production of Charles Morey’s Laughing Stock, meet Will MacLeod.
Joel: Where have local audiences seen you perform on the stage?
Will: I’ve been in many local productions, including shows at McLean, Port City, Arlington Playhouse, and Prince William Little Theatre.
Why did you want to be part of the cast of Laughing Stock at LTA?
This is a really funny show with a lot of great parts, and LTA is a quality theatre company that knows how to do things right.
Who do you play in the show? How do you relate to him?
I play Tyler, who’s an actor that takes himself a little too seriously and thinks he’s god’s gift to the proscenium. I’d like to think I don’t relate to him very much…but that may be up to other people to decide.
What’s the show about from the point of view of your character?
From Tyler’s point of view the show is about a theatre company that could be great, if they would just listen to his ideas and let him have most of the speaking roles. It’s also about the prop loft.
Which character is most like you and why?
I think the interns are most like me, because they spend most of the time confused and too tired to walk straight.
What did you perform at your audition? Where were you when you got the call that you had the role?
I did a Shakespeare monologue (from As You Like It) because I couldn’t find a contemporary piece that was funny. I was literally just getting out of the shower when I got the call that I had been cast.
What have been some of the challenges you have faced preparing for your role and how has Director Shawn Byers helped you through these challenges?
A big challenge is trying to make my character likable when he’s kind of an annoying jerk most of the time. Shawn has been helping me try to show the parts of the character that show he’s an insecure guy that’s trying to hide that behind a pompous exterior.
What is your favorite scene that you are not in and why?
I like the scene where the crew finds out they have to use a real person’s skull for the Hamlet production. It’s got a lot of funny quick dialogue that would fun to be a part of.
What is your favorite line or lines that your character recites, and what is your favorite line that someone else recites in the show?
My favorite line of my own is, “My orangutan is not bisexual,” because when else am I going to get to say that? My favorite line someone else gets to say is, “Two hundred years of cow shit,” because it sounds like the title of someone’s autobiography.
What are you doing next on the stage?
I don’t have anything lined up after this show yet.
What do you want audiences to take with them after seeing Laughing Stock?
I hope audiences walk away realizing how weird and goofy the theatre world really is.
