Roy, who stars with Jude Bishop in The Woman in Black, hasn’t been on Star Bar’s stage since True West. We’re thrilled to have him back. He was last seen as God in THEATREdART’s production of Jeff Keele’s original adaptation of Paradise Lost.
How long have you been doing theatre? Since my junior year in high school when a friend dared me to audition for a show. It was my first time setting foot in a theatre. It was 1985, I got the role and was hooked for life.
What was your first role? The play was The Curious Savage by John Patrick, I played Jeffrey.
What was your most difficult role? If you come see The Woman in Black you can see me perform it.
What was your most rewarding role? Hieronimo in Spanish Tragedie.
Worst onstage mishap? I don’t have one of those great onstage theatre stories about things going wrong or stuff exploding. I’m pretty obsessive-compulsive about checking my props and costumes. I like to have every moment mapped out and rehearsed. I guess I’ve been lucky.
Most terrifying moment? It was during The Merry Wives of Windsor for THEATREWORKS. Karl Brevik and I were the only two on stage, I turned to him to deliver a line and the entire script was instantly gone from my head. He saved the scene, and I had to go back over the script to get it to click back into my brain. It hasn’t happened since, but it was terrifying how it all just vanished like that.
Theatrical high point? I hope it hasn’t happened yet.
You as a performer in three words? Listening, Planning, Preparation
What do you want the audience to know about the current show? It fits into a category called “ghost plays”, and works best if you can pack away all the gory movies and television shows you’ve seen and find the horror and fear in the words. Remember the scary stories around the campfire? It’s like that.
Tell us three things about you that have nothing to do with theatre:
I love watching bad horror movies.
After all these years, I still can’t fold a fitted sheet correctly.
I have an obsession with door knobs.
What’s your Actor’s Nightmare? Having to go on stage and “wing it”.
Star Bar 