Behind the scenes: Getting to know the actors (Part 2)

Getting to know the actors (Part 2): The guests

Four women, four different personalities and characters with one thing in common; they were all once in love with the same man, Don Juan. These four women will have to face Don Juan on the stage of Hurjaruuth on Thespians Anonymous’ spring production Don Juan on Trial by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt. Let’s meet the people behind the characters! Here they are, sharing their thoughts with you.

Q: How and when did you start acting?

Stephany: When I was doing my masters, five years ago, I joined a group of international students. I also studied one year film production and we had to act to each other’s’ short films.

Anna: In the past, I took part in junior high productions.

Stefany Mazon plays Hortense de Hauteclaire

Siiri: I haven’t done that much acting before Thespians, I was always interested in doing it though. In school we had some school plays but my first major play was in high school when I was sixteen, it was a musical.

Anita: I started acting in St Petersburg in Russia, in 2006. We had a theater studio. There, we had classes twice a week with professional teachers; it was free for students and it was a great opportunity to study some theater.

Q: What theater means to you?

Stephany: Theater, because it is live and you are there, feels more organic, more intimate; you can really connect with the person, your emotions are stronger.

Anna: I’ve never been a theater person actually. I like a lot to act though.

Siiri: For me theater is a fun way to do something different. It is nice to play different characters and have these different games, the warm ups and the workshops. Especially in Thespians Anonymous I feel like I am not doing it only for myself but because I see that it has a meaning for many other people.

Anita: It is a magic place where you do not only transform yourself but also, as part of the audience, you enter a different world and you feel you are a part of the play. In theater you feel very involved because the feelings are very alive and you can see the actors yourself. It is something that always impresses me and engages me.

Anita Lankinen plays Comtesse de la Roche-Piquet

Q: Tell me a few things about your part in the play. Any challenges?

Stephany: I play the nun and I identify a lot myself with the character. She has this sort of innocent naivety and at the same time she is gossipy and really funny. She is self-conscious and makes a bit fool of herself. The first challenge is the acting part; you shouldn’t be so conscious of what you think you look like, this is not the point of the play and it is an obstacle to your acting.

Siiri Turunen plays Mademoiselle de la Frotte

Anna: Madame Cassin is quite down-to-earth and more like an uncomplicated character. She has this kiddy character, well-meaning, kind hearted and without complexes. Madame Cassin doesn’t have a lot of lines but she is always present so you have to think about what to do when the others are talking.

Siiti: I play this famous writer of romantic novels. She is kind of boring to people like Comtesse de la Roche-Piquet, the countess. At first she denies any connection with Don Juan, even that she has seen him or heard about him. In reality it seems that he broke her heart. He was her first love. When he abandoned her, she changed a lot, she became more serious and cynical. She hates Comtesse de la Roche-Piquet , she is not nice at all with her. She is not like that to everyone, only with the people she doesn’t like.

Anita: Comtesse de la Roche-Piquet  is very frivolous and thinks herself very high. She is not the nicest person and because I think about myself as a nice person, when I play somebody like that is completely new and exciting for me. Challenges? Sometimes I feel guilty about the things I say and the comments I have to make.

 

 

 

 

Dimitra Spyratou is a new Thespians Anonymous’ member and very interested in theater and anything related to it. Talking with enthousiastic actors about their experience and perception of theater was very inspiring! This blog post is the second part of getting to know the actors.

Don Juan on Trial by Eric- Emmanuel Schmitt is Thespians Anonymous’ play for Spring 1015. Shows are on the 23rd, 24th, 25th and 26th of April, 2015 in Hurjaruuth, Kaapelitehdas Tallberginkatu 1 A Helsinki. For more information visit Thespians Anonymous’ webpage or the Facebook event.

 

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