A co-founder of TheateRED (host of four Unrehearsed shows), Christopher Elst is Milwaukee-based fight director and actor, SAFD Advanced Actor Combatant, and DAI Apprentice Instructor. He’s also a gamer geek and self-proclaimed ‘ultra baldie.’
Q: How did you first start doing Unrehearsed Shakespeare?
CHRISTOPHER: “My main focus as an actor is movement, specifically stage combat, so I spend a lot of time traveling the country attending different workshops. When I attended the Central Illinois Stage Combat Workshop in 2009, Bill Kincaid and Jared McDaris taught a sister workshop in Unrehearsed Shakespeare, culminating in a performance of Henry V. Ever since, I’ve begged, pleaded, cajoled, and threatened to be involved as an actor as often as possible.”
Q: You play a fairly wide range of characters: plenty of bruisers, but also dukes and even clowns. Do you have a favorite type? Does your approach differ depending on whom you’re playing?
CHRISTOPHER: “Shakespeare was good at providing every character with an important function in the story, so whether a duke or a clown, or even a brute, an actor always has great poetry, philosophy, or profanity to give to an audience. I find my favorite type to play are fictional Dukes who come into a scene and set the tone for an act.”
Q: TheateRED has hosted and produced four Unrehearsed productions in Milwaukee. What can you tell us about your company and its goals/destiny?
CHRISTOPHER: “TheateRED allowed Marcee, my wife, and I to create a venue for the things we love most. Theater Education, unconventional productions, and opportunities for local artists. In the future, we intend to try and advance Unrehearsed Shakespeare even further by creating a permanent place for it in Milwaukee and a better understanding of its value.”
Q: How does Unrehearsed relate to more conventional productions? Do you see any overlap at all, or are they entirely different animals?
CHRISTOPHER: “I try to put a little unrehearsed into everything I do. All productions could benefit from better close-reading of the text, more listening, and clearer intentions. While I can see how most shows written with the fourth wall in mind would not benefit from the audience-friendly style of Unrehearsed, it does arm actors with tools they did not have before and, perhaps more importantly, makes Shakespeare instantly vital and relevant to audiences whom he might otherwise have missed.”
Q: Favorite role?
CHRISTOPHER: “Sir Toby Belch, of course. He’s a perfect character for me: boisterous, cowardly, manipulative, and filled to bursting with dirty-minded philosophy. And getting to play him in a bar meant I could drink everyone’s beer and have them cheer me for it.”
Chris returns to the bars next week!
JULIUS CAESAR
March 18 & 25
Justin’s, 3358 N Southport Ave (Just off the Southport Brownline stop)
Doors open at 7:00. Show starts at 7:30
$5 suggested donation at the door
Rome is calling! Come and answer it!
