An Interview With
Will Le Vasseur

Maddy: A Modern Day Medea

 

So you were born and grew up on the Other Coast, in the Seattle area. When did you come to New York, and what brought you here? Are you now feeling like a full-fledged New Yorker, or do you miss the West Coast?

I moved here July 8th, 2004 to pursue a career in the theatre. In Seattle, it’s such a small theatrical community that I wanted to move and work with other people; cut my teeth in a more challenging setting. What better place? I do feel like a New Yorker now (though depending on whom you speak with, I’ve been one for a year already, or I’ve got four more to go), and there are times in which I do get homesick… But NYC is where my heart beats the hardest. I love to vacation in Seattle, go hiking in the beautiful forests, see the waterfalls, etc.

You've mentioned that there have been a number of teachers and mentors along the way, beginning with your 6th grade English teacher, who have helped you get to where you are in the world of theatre. Can you talk about some of them, and what specifically you learned from them?

I think that teachers have had such an impact on how I became the artist I am today. Louise Hatala, my 6th grade teacher (did all studies, especially science) really gave my brain the necessary challenge it needed to flourish. I think some of the best artists are the ones who look at everything. I mean EVERYTHING. Science, math, English studies, other cultures, history, etc. Creativity has no bounds when you have the knowledge to back it up. I’m going to sound like a pretentious ass here, but I’m smart. I have a lot of stuff packed up in this head of mine, and it allows me to make connections/comparisons/find solutions that aren’t superficial. Thankfully, we as a society are starting to love the nerds, and I feel like having that kind of knowledge (WHILE REMAINING HUMBLE!) is vital for the furthering of all art forms.

Back to the original question… sorry for the rant. Another highly influential teacher/mentor for me was Hjalmer Anderson, my High School Drama teacher. He was demanding, but gave us the instruction to make us our best. Because of him, we were able to win a slot in the American High School Theatre Festival at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland, August 1999. At eighteen I was performing in front of an international audience. That’s when it really solidified (though I was already accepted at Cornish College of the Arts) that this was what I was meant to do for the rest of my life.

With Cornish, there were quite a few teachers who pushed me further than I was ready for, and for that I thank them. But it was one who told me, “No”, that I want to thank the most. Richard E. T. White, Department Chair for the Theatre Department, was also the lead instructor for the Original Works department for budding playwrights and directors. The audition consisted of writing a 5 minute piece which was to be performed in front of adjudicators. From there they determined if you should be in the program or not. Sadly, they said that my work was not up to the standard of the program, and I was not admitted into it. It took me till last year to convince myself that I could actually write a piece of theatre and have it be enjoyed. Thankfully, his, “No,” turned into a resounding, “YES!”

Because Maddy is based on Medea, I have to ask you about the Greeks. Have you always had an interest in Greek myths and theatre, or is that something that came relatively late to you?  What was it about the story of Medea in particular that made you want to write a new version? Are there other Greek plays/myths you'd want to tackle in the theatre?

I don’t know why, but Greek mythology has always been special to me. I got the stories, I understood them, and could “feel” the poetry as I read it. Ovid’s Metamorphosis is a great example of the kind of writing I was attracted to. Then, with theatre history given in Cornish, I grew to adore it. Reading the great plays, exploring the myths, their current resonances, etc. made me glow inside. Perhaps I was a Greek in a past life, who knows? For Medea, I wanted to bring her into a more accessible format because her story is all too common now a days: Mother with small children’s husband cheats on her, leaves her for younger woman. It resonates. Hard. So I challenged myself to see if I could make a version of Medea where the audience actually understood her and her decisions. I had to use a little theatrical license, but I believed it worked out in the end. Other Greek plays/myths, yes, see question 7.

You say you're primarily an actor, and  I can attest that you are a good one! I saw you in a play by Chekhov; who are some other playwrights you'd like to perform? Any specific roles you're itching to do?

Oh wow! That’s the kind of question that always stumps me… Its so situational! A lot of the roles that I’d love to tackle are ten to fifteen years away (I’m almost 29!). Two of my acting teachers, Timothy Piggee and Amy Thone, told me once, “You’ll be a great actor… later.” Meaning that I will end up playing the greats, but I’m just not old enough yet to play them. I cheated however with The Swan Song with smart lighting and makeup. I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t love to play Hamlet, Cassius (Caeser) or Iago… I would thoroughly enjoy a Faust of some sorts… I guess seeing this list, I’m going for the intellectual characters in the classical cannon. But I do love a good evil contemporary character too… My thing is that they aren’t really “evil”, their motives are usually against the societal norms or are extremely selfish and reckless toward others in the show. I’m sure Iago would have been a perfectly good guy if Othello hadn’t gotten the promotion! But that’s a good ten years from now… I was given a chance to play Edward II in NYC a while back and I totally bombed it. I still feel bad to this day because I couldn’t live up to the role, it was a good ten years from where I stood at the time! It was great experience, but not my best foot forward. So now I wait for roles that I know I’m passionate about, because they’re the ones I literally dream about doing.

Your partner in life and at Redd Tale Theatre Company is James Stewart, who is from New Zealand. How did you two meet, and what led you to form this theatre company? Are there interesting cultural differences, working and living with a New Zealander? And where did the name "Redd Tale" come from?

Lets start with Redd Tale Theatre Company: I created the company in 2003 when I did my senior project at Cornish. I’ve got a power animal, which is a red-tailed hawk. They’ve always been around me, popping up when I need to hear a message from the Universe, need to brighten my day, etc. I thought about using Red Tail, but it just didn’t seem right. Red Tale seemed a little Pinko for the general public, so I went with Redd Tale. Some attribute it to the fact I’m a red head… not so much. I brought the company out to NYC in 2004 with me and took a sabbatical from doing shows through it till I got on my feet. Then in 2007 a couple friends wanted to put up a production of Closer by Marber. I thought it would be a great chance to bring the company back with a bang. Put it up and have been running each August since!

Moving onto my love, James Stewart. We met online actually! Yes, cliché, I know. But it was definitely love at first sight. The hot Kiwi accent really helped too! It wasn’t till 2008 when we did Lonely Planet that he became a part of RTTC. We were still young in our relationship at that point, only 7 months in! But I knew that he would be part of my life for as long as I am here on this planet, and possibly beyond. Working with James is a treat: He’s so talented, but is so humble about it that you want to keep working with him! HIRE THIS MAN! Culturally, not much is different, other than he talks funny and calls a flashlight a torch and says the H in front of herb.

You have recently completed courses to become a massage therapist. What led you to pursue that endeavor?

At this point, I’m just a little over half-way done with the program. I’m studying at Swedish Institute of Health Sciences to become a Massage Therapist. I’ve always had great hands, and have been called a healer before. It’s something that I love, and have a great talent for. Jobs in the theatre are hard to come by, but people always can use a massage (esp. here in NYC!)! Plus, the money I make through this will be spent creating more theatre! How great would it be not to have to scrape by each show hoping the actors don’t kill you because you cannot pay!

Is there something coming up for you theatre-wise that you can tell us about?

Indeed! I’ve got two shows that I’m going to do in rep this August! Macbeth and an adaptation of a new translation of Marivaux’s Triumph of Love which I’m writing with Virginie Maries. I’m definitely going to be throwing in my signature into these pieces, giving them a highly supernatural twist. The farce will be dark, but definitely enjoyable! With all luck, most of the cast of Maddy will be back for one if not both of these shows!

Thank you so much for this interview! It’s been a blast!

Interview with Will Le Vasseur was conducted by Martin Denton March 2010

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