Friday, August 12, 2016

Spotlight On...Allen Warnock

Name: Allen Warnock

Hometown: Warner Robins, GA

Education: BFA, Boston University

Favorite Credits: Recently, my favorite credits would be performing in David Koteles’ After the Chairs, directed by Jason Jacobs, and also Jason Grossman’s Doubles Crossed, directed by Amber Gallery.

Why theater?: The Navy wasn’t for me.

Tell us about A Microwaved Burrito Filled With E. coli: It's a comedy I co-wrote with Andrea Alton.  A lesbian security guard/poet comes to a Mexican restaurant for a wedding reception, where her waitress ends up revealing way way too much about herself.  The two characters work to find common ground and also fend off a virus outbreak. Lots of info and dirty pictures can be found at www.amicrowavedburrito.com

What inspired you to write A Microwaved Burrito Filled With E. coli:?: Andrea has a wonderfully unique character, Molly “Equality” Dykeman, that is very in-your-face and unapologetic, if slightly unfocused.  We thought it would be fun to match her up with my new character, Angie Angelone, who is optimistic and finds joy in places where there probably isn’t any.  Andrea and I have worked together several times and it's inspiring for me to continue finding new levels to our lunacy.

What kind of theater speaks to you? What or who inspires you as an artist?: I love it when, as an audience member, I truly feel the writer’s need to share this story with me.  As opposed to “I wrote a play because I needed to do something."  I’ve seen those plays, too.

If you could work with anyone you’ve yet to work with, who would it be?: Lucy Lawless and Jason Statham. Together. As a pair.

What show have you recommended to your friends?: Last Winter, I saw In the Soundless Awe produced by New Light Theater Project.  It had a wonderful dream-like quality and was ultimately very powerful.  Proof that you don’t need a huge budget to be affecting.  I’m a fan of New Light Theater Project.  They probably think I’m stalking them.  …I feel dirty now.

Who would play you in a movie about yourself and what would it be called?: Ed Asner would play me and it would be called “Star Crunch.”

If you could go back in time and see any play or musical you missed, what would it be?:  Suzanne Somers' one-person show The Blonde in the Thunderbird

What’s your biggest guilty pleasure?: “Reign” on the CW

If you weren’t working in theater, you would be _____?:  A receptionist at PETA.

What’s up next?: Well, “Reign” returns in 2017. So I have that to look forward to.