Seattleplays profile
				Kurt Beattie
		A Q&A with ACT's artistic director, brought on board a few years ago, when the downtown theater seemed to be on the brink of bankruptcy. Beattie, who has been acting in and directing shows around Seattle for three decades (notably in the glory days of Empty Space) seems to have brought financial stability, and artistic unpredictability -- mixing classics and daring new works -- to ACT.
		What got you started in theater? I hung out at the university (UW) and did not major in theater, then a guy in my dorm told me that the theater department had great parties and pretty girls . . . it turned out to be true. What play best reflects your career? Oh my goodness . . .Alan Aykbourn’s Chorus of Disagreement . What play best reflects your life? I’m a happy guy, I think I’ve been lucky, and a lot of plays aren’t so happy. I would say maybe Midsummer Night’s Dream . Would you rather direct a brilliant cast in a mediocre play, or a mediocre cast in a brilliant play? I’d rather direct a brilliant cast in a mediocre play Have you ever had an actor who was weak in rehearsals, but brilliant at curtain time? Yeah, I have. I’ve seen this happen. Absolutely….I won’t name names . . .I was hoping for the best and got worried that it wasn’t going to happen, but I stuck with the actor, and the actor really achieved in the role. Some of us are slower learners than others. Certainly can be said of me. What do you reach for, after a trying rehearsal: a) a drink b) the remote control c) a good book d) other Sometimes all of the above. I like to go for a walk – so “other,” I guess When you feel a rehearsal is “getting away from you,” what do you do? I rarely feel that. I haven’t actually expereinced that. I’ve been in rehearsals where got away from other people. I’ve had rehearsals weren’t productive, problems didn’t get solved, never complete What are you most proud of, concerning your time at ACT: a) the Hansberry Program (an African-American theater lab) b) a particular play c) “we’re still here!” d) other You picked three things that are really great, I think all are equally true. I’m very proud of the Hansberry Project, very proud we’ve survived, and of the productions, I’m most proud of The Pillowman . . .it’s just a very difficult play, and I think we delivered it about as well as we could … If you weren’t making a living in theater, what would you be doing? I have no idea. I’ve been doing theater professionally since 1975, it’s been my whole life. There are other careers fantasized about having . . .maybe wild-life biologist, I really like nature. I…I can imagine myself writing fiction What, if any, qualities in an actor simply can’t be developed – they are there, or forget it? What you can’t develop is talent, that is, being interesting to an audience . . . if you don’t have that, you’re just never going to. What do you think are your best qualities, as a director? I wouldn’t know. It depends, I think sometimes I’m good with actors, sometimes I think I’m not good with actors. It depends on what kind of play. I think I’m pretty good with comedy. I like finding plausibility in the world. But I don’t know.