“I'm not a method actor but it certainly does help to have that kind of dedication. I treated my preparation like I was in the military. I didn't go out ever. I went out for drinks probably twice in five months. I lived very monastically.” KindDoeHelpingActorsFiveMilitaryMonthsDrinkMethodTreatedPreparationDedication Author:Patrick Heusinger
“For some roles, like when I was doing Bent, that was harder and I didn't find that helpful because I was so calorie deprived, my brain wasn't getting food. I would end up not being as focused or as clearheaded as I would have liked to be during the run of the performances. I would lose those quality impulses that you lean on when you're acting because of malnutrition. basically. But I looked skinny.” EndsRunningLosesActingBrainQualityRolesPerformancesHarderFocusedImpulseHelpfulBentDeprivedSkinnyCaloriesMalnutrition Author:Patrick Heusinger
“I was eating with the help of a nutritionist so I was definitely putting in the appropriate calories and vitamins and minerals into my body; however, it was still so little that if I had the tiniest piece of sugar, my brain would go crazy. If I had some alcohol during the run of that play, my brain would go crazy.” IfsLittlesStillsPlayHelpingBodyRunningBrainPiecesCrazyEatingAlcoholAppropriateSugarCaloriesVitaminsMineralsNutritionistVitamins And Minerals Author:Patrick Heusinger
“The director, Moisés Kaufman, just received the national medal of the arts from President [Barack] Obama . He wrote and directed The Laramie Project and he has directed several Pulitzer prize-winning plays. He's a pretty profound director in the theater.” ArtPlayWinningPresidentDirectorsProjectsTheaterProfoundBarackPrizeMedalPresident Barack ObamaPrize Winning Author:Patrick Heusinger
“The role I played [in theatre] was originated by Ian McKellen in 1979 and he came. I didn't know he was there and I walked out at the end of the play, which is a very intense play - my character is required to do some really horrible things - and the director was waiting backstage and he goes, "Obviously I didn't want to tell you guys, but Ian was here today" and we, of course, freaked out.Ian McKellen said some really beautiful, kind things, one of which was, "It's so much harder to watch than it is to do."” KnowsWantKindSaidEndsPlayCharacterTodayBeautifulGuyCoursesWaitingRolesWatchesDirectorsHarderTheatreIntenseHorribleReally BeautifulHorrible Things Author:Patrick Heusinger
“I do love to sing Jacques Brel songs, intensely. I get terribly excited, just by reading a couple of lines in any one of his songs.” SongReadingLinesCoupleExcited Author:Nina Simone
“I was reared in the church from the age of three. I've played piano since I was three. I performed at revivals and for my people around North Carolina for several years. People around town collected money to send me to school.” PeopleYearsAgeSchoolThreeChurchTownsPianoRevivalCarolinaNorth Carolina Author:Nina Simone
“By the time I was eight I was taking classical piano lessons and I wanted to be a concert pianist. But that didn't work out. I graduated from high school and my formal education ended.” WantedSchoolLessonsHigh SchoolWork OutEightPianoConcertsFormalPianistFormal EducationPiano Lesson Author:Nina Simone
“My singing, if you want to call it that is merely another medium of expression. Just an instrument I play. That's how I see my voice.” IfsWantPlayVoiceExpressionSingingInstrumentsMediums Author:Nina Simone