Thursday, August 6, 2015

Spotlight On...Curtis Wiley

Name: Curtis Wiley

Hometown: Bay City, Texas

Education: Regis University - Denver, Colorado

Select Credits: Lear (EPBB); The Great Society; Pageant: The Musical; Disney's The Lion King.

Why theater?: I love the creative process, top to bottom! I love falling in love with a new script. I love auditioning. Nothing beats the process of discovery during rehearsal, and ultimately the live performance. Theater is incredibly special, it's a long-game that continually unfolds in a new way each time an actor makes an entrance. With each performance the actor has an opportunity to learn something new about his character and the play. That's the gift of live theater!

Who do you play in Straight Faced Lies?: My character's name is Kip.

Tell us about Straight Faced Lies: Straight Faced Lies is about a family coming to terms with the secrets that haunt them. The play is sharp, incredibly funny, and touching.

What is it like being a part of Straight Faced Lies?: I am having a blast! A complete and utter blast! Because of the nature of the Fringe Festival there is very little time to unpack the play, and then put it all back together again. The cast and creative team are in overdrive and it's thrilling to be a part of this process.

Any roles you’re dying to play?: I love fresh ideas and fearless writers. Whether actor or audience member, I am most interested in honesty. Of course, I love spectacle as much as anyone, but there's something divine about subtlety and simplicity.

What’s your favorite showtune?: I don't have a favorite showtune, but I'm crazy about the music of Adam Guettel. I love his music (Hell, he wrote a song about Pegasus!). Each time I hear "How Glory Goes" it's as if I'm hearing it for the first time.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: There's a whole slew of writers that I'd like to work with (clearly Adam Guettel). Lynn Nottage tops my list of playwrights. Regarding film, Woody Allen tops my list of writer/directors.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Under no circumstances would I want, or allow, a film to be made about my life.

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?: "The Story" by Tracey Scott Wilson. It ran at The Public Theater in 2004.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Shamelessly, I always recommend the project I'm working on: Come see Straight Faced Lies! If I'm not working on anything at the time, I try to encourage friends to see productions Off Broadway.

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: The guilt surrounding my pleasure makes me incapable answering.

What’s up next?: In the fall I'll be working on Rothschild & Sons at York Theatre
 (book by Sherman Yellen, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and music by Jerry Bock). This production is a reworking of The Rothschilds which premiered on Broadway in 1970.