WT: Do you think that being an actress makes you a better director? if so, how.
TF: I definitely think that any time anyone in the arts can try out as many hats in their field, thus able to bring on as many aspects to the table as possible when creating, it helps to create more depth, helps explore further, and on a personal level helps to excite the piece all the more. I’ve always heard from directors that they were actors, and this seemed to be some sort of a ‘trump’ card when it came to directing, the whole, ‘Don’t worry, I’ve directed before…’ type shpeal…But didn’t really understand why until I’ve directed now. I mean, I knew I liked working with directors who were also actors, that they were nicer, more understanding, like a male therapist vs. a female therapist, a non-acting director vs. an acting director, but I now get why those have those who act are indeed better directors. They take more bathroom breaks. Actors have to pee a lot, and actors who are directors have to pee a lot. Therefore the actors in their cast get to pee more frequently. Makes for a better production.
WT: What is the difference between directing for film vs. stage? Acting for film vs. stage?
TF: I’ve never directed for film. That being said, I probably won’t direct for stage again either. The reason being, I like spacing out while the director gives notes to the other actors, or directs them. It’s always been a nice, quiet time of solace for me. Where you’re a director, there is absolutely no time when you are not answering questions. About lighting, costumes, publicity, stage hands (who usually have a lot of questions because they are actors who haven’t gotten the speaking roles but nonetheless just as needy), equity contracts, producers, understudies, etc.
Acting in film vs. stage – film is much easier, no matter what anyone says, because you can be edited to look good, sometimes worse. But either way you only do the thing/scene once, then it’s on camera, brilliance is captured, and you get to go back to your trailer and sit and play stupid games with your friends in your trailer like ‘bitch citations’ or read a Vogue (perhaps maybe on some sets the have a strange aberration such as ) but other than that, you’re done, move on, how can i be brilliant in the next scene. In plays, you end up doing scenes more than ten times. Most actors are frightened by this and try to mask this and secretly burn rehearsal time by asking questions such as, ‘What’s my character’s motivation’, ‘Is my character a high classed prostitute’ or a pay-by-the-hour type, ‘do you think my character really likes scotch’? Things like this, or come at you with a secondary way to burn the time away which can be equally as interest by providing lists of questions about their character which they would like to discuss their character’s motivation and/or give you directions for the scenes which they feel would work much better than yours.
Either way, theatre is my first mistress and very satisfactory at the end of the day, no matter her moods, no matter her foibles, no matter her box office sales. For she always leaves you falling asleep at night like you’ve been smashed by a bus and your knees capped by David Proval. And there is something very, very sexy about that.
“WHY WE HAVE A BODY†will run at the Edgemar Center for the Arts March 2, 2012 through April 22, 2012. The play is currently in previews.
For more information and tickets : www.edgemarcenter.org
