John Farrage
I am satisfied with my acting career, for the most part. Sure, I would like to be making my living acting and directing, and that still is the ultimate goal, but I also love my day job and the insurance it provides. I’ve had the opportunity to play some amazing roles in the Seattle fringe, and have worked with some really wonderful artists. So yes, I’m satisfied, for now.
Well first off, I think the pros far outweigh the con’s. The whole reason that I’m in the theater is my love of language and storytelling. It is almost a luxury when directing to see the whole of the play and work towards an understanding of every character’s journey through it. I find in exhilarating watching good actors work, and on Rhinoceros I got to watch some fine acting everyday, watch it progress, see that light of deeper understanding switch on for the actors in many different ways. I think you understand more of the little things that have to be dealt with when performing. The only drawback that I can see is that, at times, I found it hard to set things, the actor in me wanted to explore further and further.
Highs? Jeez, I don’t know. Rhinoceros has definitely been the highest for me, Ricky Roma in Glengarry Glen Ross directed by Aimee Bruneau, along with all my other work at CHAC in the last year and a half has been way up there; I really love working with the CHACites. The work that I did at Theater Schmeater during the years that my friend Shiela Daniels was Artistic Director there really stands out for me, specifically, Ned Weeks in The Normal Heart and Harry Brewer in Our Country’s Good, both directed by Sean McEnany, and more recently, Nick the barkeep in The Time of Your Life also at the Schmee, directed by Rita Giomi. Big Nut/Uncle Hi in SilverWater at Book-it was also an amazing experience. The lowest low was probably during the year before Glengarry Glen Ross when I had decided to just give it up and get a real job. It was horrible. Aimee saved my ass by casting me as Roma. Last year I had to drop out of a Book-it show, well before rehearsal began, because of a promotion at work…that really sucked
I am an employment counselor/ case manager for the YouthCare/Farestart Barista Training and Education Program, working exclusively with homeless youth ages 14-21, helping them to get job skills, get back into school, and work towards independence. It’s a very challenging job, but the successes are tangible. It has influence my work as an artist in many ways…I think mainly in helping me to learn how to communicate an idea from many different perspectives. It is also a job that tends to humble you…I see kids every day that have overcome huge odds to succeed. It makes my goals seem more attainable. My job also helps me to stay in touch with a layer of society that many choose not to see. I find that extremely valuable
I’m a strong believer in Seattle theater. It’s hard for me to categorize the most alluring work; I’m constantly surprised. I’m rarely disappointed in New City Theater, Book-It, or Seattle Children’s Theater. I guess I honestly feel that the most alluring work right now is coming from the CHAC, John Abramson blew me away with his production of Arturo Ui. I’m excited by anything that Shiela Daniels does . . . I would like to see more risks being taken
Locally, Rita Giomi helped me to understand that it should be fun, Aimee Brueau taught me to have patience as a director and to be a better listener as an actor, Jerry Manning helped me to trust my instincts more, Sean McEnany helped me see the value of my personal emotional world in my work, Mary Machala helped me grow some cohones, all of them helped me immensely as an artist, to grow and challenge my perceptions of myself as an actor and director. All of my teachers at Cornish were a huge influence on me. The folks I worked with while living in Prague during the early nineties were very influential in the risk-taking arena. I believe that every play and every artist (every person really) has something to teach me; it’s my job to figure out what.
Next for me is acting in Waiting for Lefty at CHAC. . . . I hope to do more directing and am in the process of writing up some proposals. I would like to give up the day job in the next year or so and focus on theater.