Theatre Ventoux

1. Who are you?

My name is Tom Janecek, and when pronounced correctly, it sounds
something like “Ya-nah-check.”

2. What’s your background?

Being orphaned at an early age, I spent a lot of time in the imaginary worlds of literature and of my own making. Although I tried to be practical and resist the allure of theatre as I was going through school, I simply loved everything about it. I majored in it in college (CSUF) and taught it at Clovis High School before receiving a fellowship to continue on at the University of Illinois, where I received a M.A. and Ph.D. Since then, and all along the way, I have acted, directed, and taught in the field for a variety of schools and theatres. In the past few years, I have appeared locally in 45 Seconds from Broadway, Morning’s at Seven, and Bus Stop at Good Company Player’s 2nd Space Theatre and in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at Roger Rocka’s. I also appeared in Midsummer Night’s Dream  at the Woodward Shakespeare Festival and in The Tempest for the Actor’s Repertory Theatre.

3. What draws you to theatre?

I find the creative process of theatre personally compelling. It is a magical experience for me to see a whole world of people, ideas, and things brought into life on the stage from nothing more than mere words on a page. As an actor in this process, I strive to do everything I can to bring the character I am playing to life to the fullest possible extent that fulfills the playwright’s intentions and tells the story in a superior manner. The reward comes not with the applause, but in how close I have personally come to that kind of perfection.

4. What draws you to work with Theatre Ventoux?

I have wanted to work with Theatre Ventoux from the beginning, for their desire to do excellent theatre matches mine. They are providing needed opportunities for   talented artists in the local community to practice their art, and they have gathered an outstanding company together.

5. What draws you to this production?

I didn’t get a chance to appear in a Theatre Ventoux production until A Muse of Fire at last year’s (2007) Rogue Festival. When Greg Taber asked me to be in King Lear, I jumped at the chance. Why? Are you kidding? King Lear is considered by many to be Shakespeare’s finest play.

6. Who do you play and what do you have to say about your character?

I play King Lear, an actor’s dream and nightmare all rolled into one character. It challenges with an astonishing range of emotions to be presented from the heights of passion to the depths of despair. I think about him all the time. But I don’t want to talk about him too much. I don’t think that you’ll be disappointed if you see the play. I’m going to give it all I have. I consider it to be the role of a lifetime.

Who are you?

I’m a corporate/tax/real estate lawyer by training and trade, in private practice for 32 years. The last 21 of those years, I’ve been one of the founding partners of my own firm. It has been a great run and it’s hard for me to believe that I have more years behind me that lie ahead. I’ve lived in Fresno for over 40 years. Before that, we moved around the Country extensively, but Fresno is my home now. Three years and three months ago my life was given its first real meaning and significance when the beautiful and talented Debora Crockett became the beautiful and talented Debora Crockett Bolen. Too few of us are fortunate enough actually to find the love of our lives. Fewer yet find it after having given up looking. I am the luckiest of all. Regardless of what the great adventure of life holds next for me, Debora has fulfilled my dreams and dreams new ones with me. Oh, one other great thing. Debora and I have never been parents together, but are grandparents. I got all the joys of being grandpa without the angst of being a parent! Skipped the teenage years entirely!

What draws you to theatre?

I don’t know. My colleagues are better at expressing it than I. I just feel like it’s something I should be doing. I like to make people laugh, think, smile and cry. Sounds like I’m just a ham. That’s probably it. I have no formal theatre training, which leaves me in a jealous awe of my fellow gifted and trained cast members. Whatever I know about acting comes from watching others and learning from the great directors that I’ve been fortunate enough to work with: Frank Mosier, Greg Taber, J.J. Cobb, S. Eric Day and others.

What draws you to Theatre Ventoux?

Greg. And his vision. And the casts that he assembles. And his appreciation of the actors and their time. As a lawyer, my time is my inventory. It’s all I have to sell. Greg understands how valuable it is to my clients and to me. I learned from my mom to work as hard as you can at everything you do. I learned from my dad to have as much fun as you can at everything you do. Greg gets that. This cast and crew gets that. It’s a joy to be with them. Their combination of talent and work ethic is truly inspirational.

What draws you to this production?

Greg. Frankly, I was looking forward to doing something other than Shakespeare. For a person with no training and a limited acting resume, oddly, most of my work has been in Shakespearean productions. I thought a little comedy might be fun for a change. But if Greg wants me in one of his shows, and my schedule permits it, I’m there. Having said that, as noted above, this particular cast and crew are phenomenal. They’re the cherry on the soda of working for TV. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be a small part of it.

Who do you play?

Gloucester is my character. I like him. I wouldn’t be offended if people think that I am like him. He’s old school. He’s loyal to the King. It costs him his life and that’s ok with him. He understands that’s his role. He’s comfortable with it. He is probably a little naïve because he believes all the world should be like him, loyal and true. He struggles as the world as he knows it crumbles around him. Palace intrigue is not his long suit. But he has the courage of his convictions and accepts the consequences. His greatest failure is what he perceives as a horrible wrong he has done to his son Edgar. In true Shakespearean style, his greatest asset, his blind loyalty, becomes his undoing in the most ironic of ways. I hope I can do this great character justice.

Who are you and what is your background?

I am Michelle Bonanno and I have lived in Fresno for a little over two years. Before working and playing in Fresno, I was a student at UC Berkeley, where I received two Bachelor of Arts degrees in Theater/Performance Studies and Mass Communications. Thanks to Anne Baxter in The Ten Commandments, I was able to saunter around my seventh grade classroom for a school project as Cleopatra, and a lasting passion was ignited. However, it wasn’t until a broken ankle kept me from participating in my high school sports that I was forced into trying something new…so I tried out for my first play, a tiny one-act called A New York Minute. I never looked back!

What draws you to Theater?

Theater is a way to experience life in anyone’s shoes. Participation in one play is a lesson in psychology, history, sociology, English, and communications. Theater is also a way to bring to attention controversial issues of the time and present them to a willing, active audience. Theater cannot be a passive medium…it is too full of magic.

What draws you to work for Theater Ventoux?

The dedication, commitment, and spirit I find in the directors and members of Theater Ventoux bursts to life in all of their productions, and I itched to be a part of that.

What draws you to this production?

This production is a chance to be a part of one of Shakespeare’s most voluptuous dramas. Manipulation, jealousy, power, control, greed, and vanity are characteristics that live inside all humans, but are  bottled up within. How far will one child go for the acceptance and love of a Father? Of a kingdom?

Who do you play and what do you have to say about your character?

I play Lear’s middle daughter, Regan. She is my chance to delve into the heart of an extremely insecure, lonely woman. Regan wants attention and love from her father, but she craves an affectionate, endearing love. One that is gentle and unconditional. Somehow Regan has become lost in the mix of her father’s busy, boisterous life, and her way of making herself visible is a heightened sexuality, loud, abrasive nature, and a stone encasement around her heart. She has married a man as distant as her father, though for different reasons. Regan has not been taught to respect herself, and she does not believe she deserves to be treated with kindness or tenderness. She is only comfortable in dominating, forceful, fleeting emotions.

Who are you and what’s your background?

Hello all, I am Evan Ericsen. I am currently a full-time person, part-time actor, and in my spare time I work to earn a living. I have done several productions with Fresno High School, Modesto Junior College, and an independent company. This is my first production with Theatre Ventoux.

What draws you to theatre? 

Theatre is just great! Have you ever asked someone, “Hey, lets go to the theater!”, and they said, “Hell no, I don’t want to go to the theater”? No. Everybody loves the theater. What draws me the most is that Theatre is actually a craft. It needs to be a talent acquired and skills honed. 

What draws you to work with Theatre Ventoux?

These people offer something that no other aspect of life can…I just haven’t figured out what it is yet.

What draws you to this production?

Shakespeare has a way of writing that we don’t use anymore. He wrote as he did. Lear, whether it is fictional or not, is a fine example of deep tragedy. Only Shakespeare could write pain this way, making it real. In addition, only our actors could portray pain this way. If you don’t feel the agony of this show, then you must be “men of stones”.

Who do you play and what do you have to say about your character? 

I play Edmund. My character is not exactly the nicest guy, but he has his moments. Not nice moments, but still they’re moments. Plotting, calculating, and Pimp-ish, if the cast of this production were the sun, Edmund would be the moon; waiting in the shadows, ready to shine when the world is at its darkest. 

Enjoy the Show!

Who are you and what is your background?

My name is Alissa Cummings. I was born and raised in Fresno, and will probably one day raise my family here. My family is my core, and without them I would be lost. That is probably why I have never left Fresno, I feel like everything I need is right here waiting for me. I actually got into theatre because of my older sister Angelina, who did a few things at Roosevelt. I wanted to be just like her, so when I went to Roosevelt I was more than happy when Carolyn Robertson became my intro to theatre instructor, because according to my sister she was the best. She wasn’t lying. It is because of Carolyn, and Karen Avitable, that I am so dedicated to the work I do. in their classes I was always taught that although theatre is a lot of fun, hard work is an essential part to any production. So, I have been doing theatre for the past nine years, with a six month break for good behavior. It may surprise some people to find out the first show I ever auditioned for I was cast in, and I was actually an actress before I ever did anything backstage. I played Estella in Gary Soto’s Novio Boy.

What draws you to theatre?

Theatre, unfortunately is like Fresno, it has the boomerang effect. I tried to stop doing it, but I just couldn’t. It’s in the blood. My mom has done theatre, my dad has, my sister has, and I think I got it the worst. There’s just something about putting together a show, whether I’m onstage or off, there’s just this energy that I can’t explain. I mean being involved with a show is like being part of a second family, sometimes a little dysfunctional, but always your family, and as I’ve said before I don’t know where I’d be without my family, the same can be said about theatre.

What draws you to work with Theatre Ventoux?

After some not so great experiences Ventoux reminded me of why I do theatre in the first place. When people come into a Ventoux show all the BS is left at the door. If anybody has ever had a problem with someone else I’ve been clueless, because when it comes down to it, everyone that is involved knows we’re there to put out some quality work. The thing I like best about Ventoux though is everyone is treated like an equal. As a Stage Manager I know that it can be a very thankless job, but I know that here I am just as much as part of the show as any cast member, even the president of our fan club- Nora- is just as important to us. And for that matter, so are our audiences, because without them we would just be performing for each other. I just really respect what this company is doing and how everyone has a say in what’s going to happen with the show.

What draws you to this production?

As always they won’t let me leave. This is also my 3rd production with Ventoux, and I wouldn’t trade my past year with them for anything. It is always a pleasure to work in such a professional environment, and I look forward to working with Ventoux in the future, because they just can’t get rid of me.

What do you do?

Well, actually as the SM of this production I don’t do too much. I get to sit there and watch 12 really talented actors, and one amazing director work together to put on a show that is going to leave the audience on the edge of their seat, and I don’t have to pay to see it, how awesome is that? I mean I do the regular things a Stage Manager does, but with Ventoux I feel like I get to do so much more. Usually the SM doesn’t get to put any feedback into the show, they are there to take notes, and not open their mouths, here just like anyone else I have the right to voice any opinions or suggestions I have, and I think that is also some really cool shit. How many directors are there that want everyone to give feedback? I personally think it is to the directors advatage because 14 pairs of eyes can see a lot more than a pair can. Of course the director has the final say, but who knows what can come from it! Anyway I think that’s all for now, if you want to see what I get to see everynight then you have to come see the show, it will be more than worth it.

Who are you and what’s your background?

Greetings!  I am Steve Torres.  I am 21 years old and am currently attending Fresno State with majors in Theatre Arts and Humanities.  If I can’t win bread as an actor, I figure I could always be that college professor who everyone suspects smoked a ton of marijuana during college and perhaps still does.  I’ve been involved in theatre for the past 7 years and have been in productions with Bullard High School’s Feast of Fools, Fresno City College, the 2nd Space Theatre, and, of course, Theatre Ventoux.

What draws you to theatre?

Theatre is the most universal art.  It’s so universal, it’s also kind of a science.  It isn’t just a performing art.  It’s a visual art and a literary art as well.  In addition, the way actors have to study the personality and behavior of their characters, it’s a lot like psychology.  It’s also like anthropology.  You study theatrical works not just in theatre, but in English and Humanities.  Theatre is everywhere.  Theatre is universal.  Theatre is practically a god to be worshiped.  Hail Theatre!

What draws you to work with Theatre Ventoux?
You’d keep working with people who give you awesome and challenging opportunities because they believe in you, too, wouldn’t you?

What draws you to this production?
Lear has been my favorite Shakespeare tragedy since I started acting.  And Edgar is one of my favorite characters from that show.  I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to do this show.

Who do you play and what do you have to say about your character?
Well, I guess I just answered part of this question.  I play Edgar, son of the earl of Gloucester (pron. “Gloster”).  He doesn’t say much, and he isn’t in practically every scene like Lear, but his impact on other characters is enormous.  He’s also one of the most challenging and complex characters in the show.  Sure he isn’t a pimp like his brother, Edmund, but (without giving up too much about the plot) he can kick some ass!

Who are you?

I am Carolyn Robertson, wife of Michael who is also profiled.  I did my masters work in acting and directing at University of California, San Francisco.   I taught Theatre and English for thirty years in San Francisco and Fresno.  My last teaching assignment was at Roosevelt School of the Arts where I taught Intro to Theatre, Acting Basics, Acting Styles, Showcase/Directing, Dramatic Literature/Playwriting, and Improvisation (founding a team we named Space for Rent.)  I also acted and directed before and during this time. I’m ashamed of the time I tried to upstage Michael (BAD THEATRE!)  He won that round by standing on my foot so that I couldn’t  move.  We begin round forty-three on May 22nd, our wedding anniversary.

What drew you to work with Theatre Ventoux?

I got involved with Theatre Ventoux through Alissa Cummings, who is stage managing the show.  I’ve known and respected  Alissa since she took my Intro to Theatre class by storm her freshman year in high school.  She had encouraged me to see one of their plays, which I liked a lot, then she told me about a role that was open in “Lear”, I met with Greg, and we both felt it would be a good experience.

Who do you play? 

I play Oswald, Goneril’s steward.  The role was written for a man, but like so much of Shakespeare,can work for a woman. 

What has it been like working on Lear? 

The rehearsal process has been such a good one!  Actors feel safe to experiment and to give feedback, and the time is never wasted.  Everyone is in tune with his/her own character as well as the other characters and the show as a whole.

Who are you?

I am Lisa Mercier-Taber, co-founder of Theatre Ventoux.

What’s your background?

I acted at McLane High School in my junior and senior years.  During my second semester at Fresno City College I got involved with the Theatre Dept. at the suggestion of a good friend, Karen Avitabile.  it was during FCC’s production of “Blithe Spirit” in 1985 that I met Greg.

What draws you to theatre?

I love the freedom to explore and be creative that theatre provides.

What draws you to work with Theatre Ventoux?

We have tried to set the bar high as far as the level of integrity and professionalism with which we conduct ourselves. That, combined with the Ventoux Process, makes Theatre Ventoux an excellent place for an actor to learn and grow.

What draws you to this production?

When Greg first shared his concept of “Lear” to me, I knew I had to be a part of it.  Like he did with “This Flattering Glass,” Greg has adapted one of Shakespeare’s finest plays into a production that will appeal to the audience on many levels and be accessible to everyone.

Who do you play and what do you have to say about your character?

I play Goneril, the eldest of Lear’s three daughters.  I see her as a passionate, emotional, impulsive woman who wars her heart on her sleeve. She doesn’t have the self-control of her younger sister Regan and is ultimately destroyed by jealousy.

Who are you and what’s your background?

My name is Michael Robertson. Since graduating in 1965 with a major in “Speach Arts with Emphasis in Drama” from Emporia State College, I have been involved in theatre as an actor, director and general flunky with regional and community theatres in over 100 productions. I practiced in Wichita Kansas, San Francisco California and all over the central San Joaquin Valley. I earned my living as an Underwriter for various Insurance Companies with the last 25 years being dedicated to Farm and Agricultural Processing operations. I am married to Carolyn and have been dedicated to her since she first attempted to upstage me in a college production of “A Thurber Carnival.” We have a son Dennis who has a local Chiropractic business.

What draws you to work with Theatre Ventoux?

It was just luck. Tom Janecek called and set me up with an interview with Greg Tabor to fill some uncast rolls in this production. I liked what I heard about the process this theatre uses and Greg seemed willing to give me a try.

Who do you play?

I am playing Albany, loyal husband to Goneril the King’s daughter. Albany is an easy going, uninvolved character that is finally pushed to try and control his wife’s unfair treatment of the King. The process has been very rewarding and fulfilling.

Who are you and what’s your background?

I abhor questions about my background because I don’t know what to write about myself; I suppose I’m too modest. So, I’ll be really trite and think of something that’d impress a Miss America judge…or not. I was born and raised in Fresno, California. I am a full-time student at California State University, Fresno, and I’m an English major/ Linguistics minor. I aspire to be a high school English teacher. I have two dachshunds. I don’t like the taste of coffee or tea. I’m a terrible conversationalist. I enjoy cooking. I sometimes stutter when I’m anxious or excited. I color co-ordinate my closet. I’m contradictory. I’m flawed. I laugh at every joke I hear. I’m running out of things to write…

What draws you to theatre?

There’s a strange gnawing at my innards that makes me want to be a part of theatre on a regular basis. It’s inexplicable, but it’s more than a hobby; it’s an important part of my life, like sleeping or eating cheesecake (yes, those are equally vital things). I suppose I’m interested in theatre because it’s a way for me to understand the human condition without having to earn a PhD in Psychology. Learning about the characters in each play I perform in, living in their environment for a few hours a day, dressing like them, acting like them…it really is a deep sea dive into the minds of other people and understanding their individual actions. It’s quite cathartic and illuminating. Theatre helps me understand myself better.

What draws you to work with Theatre Ventoux?

Lear is the third production I’ve been involved in with Theatre Ventoux. I am shocked and amazed by how much I learn every time, and there’s always something new to discover about acting. The actors are professional, in that they are dedicated to making each production the best it can be; they’re not worried about how many pictures there will be of them on the website, how many lines they have, how many scenes they’re in, etcetera. Theatre Ventoux is a collective body of dedicated people interested in perfecting their artistic craft and sharing their love for the story with the audience. Such unabashed adoration for theatre is hard to find, and that’s why I’ve not turned down an opportunity to work with Theatre Ventoux.

What draws you to this production?

William Shakespeare is on my “top ten list” of favorite writers. His subject matter is timeless; each of his works is a rich study of humanity. The characters in this play are so colorful, so multi-faceted; I was interested in them from the first reading of the play. This play makes me cry every time I read/ see it from laughing so hard at the light, comical parts and also from the devastatingly harsh reality of the characters’ issues.

Who do you play and what do you have to say about your character?

I play Cordelia, the youngest and most beloved of King Lear’s daughters. Her father is wholly enamored by and protective of her and that has consequently made her a bit too innocent, too cautious, etc. She reminds me of myself when I was growing up. I’m the only girl in a family of four boys, so I was fiercely protected from any outside harm by my parents. I wasn’t even allowed to walk to my elementary school, even though I lived ten houses away for fear of being kidnapped. So I can identify with her resulting naivety and small, protected environment. She has a keen sense of what’s right and wrong, and has an innate understanding of people’s feelings and their actions. Unfortunately, her excessive purity is her downfall; the actions of others aren’t always well-intended. It’s something that she’s known, but hasn’t really experienced, until now…