PREVIEW - All Riddled with Flaws and Just So Painfully Human…
Discussing the Inspiration, Challenges and Themes within DLT’s Lobby Hero
With many of our community theatres wrapping up their 2023-2024 seasons, Dundas Little Theatre has seen great success with their equally impressive productions of Arsenic and Old Lace in the fall and Grand Horizons this past winter. They close their season with a morality (mixed with comedy) play by Kenneth Lonergan which delves into the themes of heroism, justice and how flawed and human we all are.
I had the pleasure of a virtual interview with actor Claire Shingleton-Smith (CSS) and director Gregory Flis (GF) who provided some keen insights and observations about the play itself, its themes and characters and how this show will provide audiences some real moments of discussion about our own community and the concept of heroism within it.
What influenced you to audition for Dundas Little Theatre's Lobby Hero?
CSS: When Dundas Little Theatre first announced their shows for this season, I had someone suggest I read this script as they thought there was a role for which I might be interested in auditioning. I then went home and read a few scenes of Lobby Hero and was immediately both captured and intimidated by the script and the character. Dawn is such a powerful, complex, and nuanced role and my fear of not doing her justice crept in and convinced me not to audition at first. It wasn't until Christine, our producer, approached me at a theatre event only a few days before the audition date and suggested that I come out, that I got the courage to do so. I knew this was a story worth telling and hoped I could bring to the table what Gregory was looking for in Dawn.
How do the themes of Lobby Hero impact you as an actor and how have the cast navigated the play as both a morality piece and a comedy?
CSS: The themes of Lobby Hero are certainly heavy but they sort of hit you slowly as an audience member. The script is really well-written that way. Racial injustice, sexual coercion, power imbalances -- these issues are rooted in many peoples' everyday experiences so I don't think any of us felt unfamiliar with the themes in the play, but that doesn't make them any less uncomfortable. I am often drawn to plays with difficult themes; I find it really powerful to play women who have overcome difficulties or have stories rooted in some injustice, so as an actor I have some experience with separating my own emotions from my character's experience.
I think the difficulty with balancing the comedy and morality piece has been in toning down some of the impulses to milk the comedy moments into farcical or outlandish cheap laughs - there is a risk of going over the top, and making the characters too clownish or cartoonish that could take away from the reality of it. Really a lot of the comedy should come from the reality of the moment, the believability of the characters, the situational humour. I do think the comedy in the text saves the show from the heaviness of the themes becoming too overwhelming to digest so it has helped in portraying some of the more tense moments. The dialogue has to keep the audience engaged and interested and I think the lighter moments do that nicely.
What challenges, if any, have you faced while bringing your character to life and what have you taken from the experience?
CSS: I really love playing the role of Dawn because the challenges brought forward have given me opportunities to learn and grow as an actor. I mean, for one, I've never had to do a New York accent before, so learning and practicing that has been a fun challenge.
On a more serious note, though, I really did struggle at first with playing a police officer. Dawn is new to her role as a cop and is someone who really believes that you can do good and make a difference by "catching the bad guys." I personally think that there's a lot wrong with current police structures in North America, and policing in general, and don't necessarily see it the way she does. I do think the play, as a whole, acknowledges the systemic issues with policing and the justice system, but Dawn, herself, really believes that she can make a difference. Part of the backstory I created for Dawn was that after the play ends, she ends up moving up in the ranks and making changes that improve the system, so doing these types of exercises has helped me connect with her. I had to come to an understanding that she is at a different point in her learning journey than I am.
Another challenging aspect is brought forth by the really dynamic writing of the characters by the playwright -- they are all riddled with flaws and are just so painfully human. While I connect with Dawn on so many aspects, a lot of the choices Dawn makes are things I would never in a million years do, and at times make me want to yell at her and say, "What are you doing!? Stop that!!" because you know she will regret it. So, I have really tried to rationalize and understand why she makes her choices and take the little tidbits you get in the script about her upbringing and family that give you a peek into how she developed as a person.
What inspired you to direct Lobby Hero?
GF: I was intrigued by the edginess and the black humour of Lobby Hero. I also wanted to work again with the people I had met doing two recent productions at Dundas Little Theatre. There is a strong group of committed individuals here who have made recent productions particularly successful. Michelle Chin, our set designer, and her crew are particularly creative, and they work hard to build a set simultaneous with the development of staging and character growth.
For those unfamiliar with this show, how will the production speak to audiences?
GF: Many good stories, perhaps all, start with the question "What if...?" Lobby Hero demands its audience members answer that question for themselves. What if you were in the position of one of the characters? Sometimes audiences don't like that: it's discomfiting. But that's exciting for the presenters of the play.
There is also an inherent irony in the title: Can a lobby be the setting for heroism? Do we have the opportunity for heroism in a modern pedestrian setting? Is there even a true hero in the play? Is it heroic for us to just do the things we do the best we can? Ultimately, I think the play suggests that the nature of heroism lies in whether the decisions we make affect others in a humane manner.
What have you found rewarding about bringing this production to the stage?
GF: Working with this relatively inexperienced group of actors has been particularly rewarding. They are all intelligent individuals, but each one is humble and hard-working. Community theatre is full of actors like that, in my experience: individuals who are excited to be cast but willing to learn and bring about a vision that may differ in essence from their own. The commitment of those who work behind the scenes makes working on a play equally gratifying.
Interestingly, no two productions are alike: you work very closely with a set group of people, then never get that same magical combination of workers together again. It's exciting being a part of something like that.
A huge thank you to both Claire and Gregory for their thoughtful insights about this upcoming production! Don’t miss Lobby Hero coming to Dundas Little Theatre starting this Friday, April 19!
