I have been cast in my next play. Sordid Lives by Del Shores, and directed by Frank Benge. We open May 15th at Sam Bass Community Theatre in Round Rock, and I will be playing Odell Owens. I have been trying to get a bit of insight into my character, since being cast, and have managed to find the following quote on an old, archived website:
"Jacob's ladder, witches hat... two tricks in one. Oh, sorry, I was in the middle of one of my string tricks. That's my hobby. String tricks. I'm Odell. Odell Owens. I started doing string tricks after the accident, about twenty years ago. See, I used to be the postman in Winters, Texas. It was a good job, paid good and had good health benefits. But then one day, a pitbull that was tied up by these trashy folks' trailer -- their name was Winkler. They lived out on Route 5 in the Shady Grove Trailer Court. Anyway, this pitbull named Killer got lose, chased me down the road and bit off half my left butt cheek. It left me scarred, inside and out. I'm sorry. Give me a minute. The memory of that pitbill named Killer biting about one quarter of my ass still haunts me. So, I'm on disability. I can't work. It's a psychological thing."
The character is the type that has a story for everything... although the relation to what's going on may not make sense to anyone but himself. And every story has shaped or scarred him in some way. I'm really somewhat excited about this play for several reasons. 1 - I've heard great things about Frank as a director, and am really looking forward to learning some things from him. 2 - It's an extremely funny story... "A Black Comedy About White Trash". 3 - This character is very different from anyone else that I have played in a long time. I have recently been playing either authoritarian figures or working class Joes, but always someone with all of their mental faculties. The chance to "turn off" my brain a bit seems fun to me. 4 - I've worked with some of the other cast members before, and they are a talented bunch. I'm looking forward to being a part of a great, energetic, and enthusiastic cast.
All in all... this has the makings of one of the funniest shows that you will have a chance to see this spring. I highly encourage you to put it on your calendar. Go to http://www.sambasstheatre.org to make a reservation (and people are already making them) or to read more about the play.
"Jacob's ladder, witches hat... two tricks in one. Oh, sorry, I was in the middle of one of my string tricks. That's my hobby. String tricks. I'm Odell. Odell Owens. I started doing string tricks after the accident, about twenty years ago. See, I used to be the postman in Winters, Texas. It was a good job, paid good and had good health benefits. But then one day, a pitbull that was tied up by these trashy folks' trailer -- their name was Winkler. They lived out on Route 5 in the Shady Grove Trailer Court. Anyway, this pitbull named Killer got lose, chased me down the road and bit off half my left butt cheek. It left me scarred, inside and out. I'm sorry. Give me a minute. The memory of that pitbill named Killer biting about one quarter of my ass still haunts me. So, I'm on disability. I can't work. It's a psychological thing."
The character is the type that has a story for everything... although the relation to what's going on may not make sense to anyone but himself. And every story has shaped or scarred him in some way. I'm really somewhat excited about this play for several reasons. 1 - I've heard great things about Frank as a director, and am really looking forward to learning some things from him. 2 - It's an extremely funny story... "A Black Comedy About White Trash". 3 - This character is very different from anyone else that I have played in a long time. I have recently been playing either authoritarian figures or working class Joes, but always someone with all of their mental faculties. The chance to "turn off" my brain a bit seems fun to me. 4 - I've worked with some of the other cast members before, and they are a talented bunch. I'm looking forward to being a part of a great, energetic, and enthusiastic cast.
All in all... this has the makings of one of the funniest shows that you will have a chance to see this spring. I highly encourage you to put it on your calendar. Go to http://www.sambasstheatre.org to make a reservation (and people are already making them) or to read more about the play.
2 comments:
Hi -- Del Shores here. I wrote that description of Odell when we launched the series for the LOGO website.
Odell is fun. I actually played him once or twice.
Have fun with it, don't think too hard about it and sit back and enjoy the laughs... give the cast my best.
Del Shores
Looking forward to it, David!
Del, you wrote "Daddy's Dyin'," right? I howled with laughter through that. We all know people like that, and you make them so real.
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