THEATER NEWS

I spoke with Kris Rusho who is directing the black comedy, “Murderers” by Jeffrey Hatcher at the Clayton Opera House this weekend. Five Questions:

CT: 1. Can you give us a little background on your previous theatrical experience, before you decided to direct?

KR: I am award winning playwright from college, and I have been in numerous local community productions as an actor. While at SUNY OSWEGO, I took directing courses and directed a few scenes as well as one of my own plays.

CT: 2. Can you tell us about “Murderers” and how you came to choose this project as your directorial debut?

KR: “Murderers” takes place at a retirement facility, not a nursing home. It’s about three individuals who are sort of forced to commit murder. There are three monologues, actually I prefer to call them performance pieces, because they are actually longer than monologues and they tell a story. It is really about storytelling. One of the reasons why the Little Theater chose this project is because there is a lot already going on at the Clayton Opera House, and this play just has minimal set-up and scenery. So the challenge was finding something that would work in the venue, but really be about character. I like the dark humor about it, and it feels to me like something that could happen. It’s quirky but could be real. You can imagine opening the paper and reading about these three murder cases and believing them.

CT: 3. What are some of the challenges that this particular show presents for a first time director?

KR: Because there is less action in this play, then in a traditional play, especially farce, it was sometimes challenging to find things for the actors, behavior for them to do to help with characterization and move the story forward. This was different for all of us involved, the three actors and myself, they weren’t used to an all monologue play either. All three actors are excellent, and had to face the added challenge of remembering thirteen to fifteen pages of dialog without other actors’ cues. Each line is important because it forwards the plot.

CT. 4. What has been the hardest part of the transition from actor to director?
KR: It’s not just about my character, but it’s about other people now, and it’s about doing justice to the writer’s work. You think about a lot of different things for example the playing space you are on, in this case a raised stage and of course it is a lot more responsibility.

CT. 5. How has your experience as an actor helped you in directing other actors?

I feel like it makes me less afraid to say to them what I feel about the character. Also if they are a little hesitant about taking direction I can reassure them, that I understand where they are coming from because I know their prospective. I feel like I can serve as a kind of editor and gage f their performance is over the top or not.

Kristina Rusho is an employee of WWNYTV, a writer, playwright and actress.

MURDERERS a play by Jeffrey Hatcher plays for three nights this weekend, Thursday July 24 at 7pm, Friday July 25 at 7pm and Saturday July 26 at 7pm at the Clayton Opera House
405 Riverside Drive, Clayton New York 13624
Opera House: 315-686-2200 / TIPAF Admin Office: 315-686-1037 / Fax: 315-686-4916

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