BWW Interviews: Karen Alvarado, Director of Last Act's THE HAPPY COUPLE

Austin's Last Act Theater Company continues their 2012-2013 Season with THE HAPPY COUPLE by Texan playwright James Venhaus.

BroadwayWorld Contributing Editor Jeff Davis recently interviewed the production's director, Karen Alvarado, who shared lots of interesting information about this Austin premiere.

Karen Alvarado received a BA in theatre from Texas A&M Corpus Christi and is currently represented by Boulevard Talent Agency. A few Austin credits include roles in Women of Juarez, Doctor Faustus, Titus Andronicus, Spirits to Enforce, Story Seekers, Crumble, Keeping Track, and Kuka.

Here's what Karen had to say about THE HAPPY COUPLE....

BWW: Hello, Karen! Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with BroadwayWorld about your upcoming production.

KA: My pleasure! Thank you so much for calling.

BWW: I'm so excited to talk to you about THE HAPPY COUPLE, but before I do, I wanted to talk with you about your experience with Last Act Theater's recent production of DOCTOR FAUSTUS. One of the things I liked most about the production was actually you as Mephistopheles. I thought the casting of a woman in that role was a really fun choice.

KA: Yeah, it was definitely fun. I remember when Kevin, the director, offered me the role in advance. I was a little reluctant. I said, "Kevin, there are a lot of fantastic actors out there. Are you sure you want to put all your eggs in one basket or do you want me to audition with the other girls?" and he said "No, I think you'd bring the right intensity to the role and would also bring some sexual tension with whoever I choose to be Faustus." He knew what he wanted, and it worked out. It was pretty challenging, though, because obviously the role is not written for a woman, but when you look at it through that lens it comes out that there are all of these opportunities to make those moments between Faustus and Mephistopheles. It was definitely fun to do, and it's always fun to play those evil characters.

BWW: So following up a classic like DOCTOR FAUSTUS with a relatively new and unknown work like THE HAPPY COUPLE is a very interesting choice. Can you tell our readers what drew you to THE HAPPY COUPLE?

KA: Well, first off, Last Act Theater Company really tries to produce primarily new and original works. For our first season our options were pretty limited, but we chose the best of the submissions that we got. For the next year, though, our options pretty much tripled, and the level and intensity of the writing went up about tenfold. That's where James Venhaus came in to play. We found his script through Austin Scriptworks, and the first time I read it, I had a kind of visceral reaction to it. I was like, "Something really bothers me about some of these characters," and I put it aside and kept reading the other scripts, but I had to go back and re-read it to find out what about these characters kept bugging me, like literally bothering me. That was when I knew that I had to do this particular script. There was something about these characters that I had to explore. I knew that if it was bothering me that much just by reading it and if it was affecting me that much, it would have such a great impact on an audience when we actually performed it. So I was a big cheerleader for this script and the whole production team got on board. And then we met with James and he did a great job of clarifying a lot of things. When we did a first table reading and we heard voices behind these characters for the first time, everything really fell into place. We really knew we had gold in our hands.

BWW: And what is THE HAPPY COUPLE about?

KA: For me, the story is about the whole idea of stasis versus change. I think it's amazing how given the option to change your situation or remain stable, so many of us would choose to fight for the even ground because it's comfortable and familiar. If you change, you don't know where you're going to end up, and that's scary. Who knows if you're going to prosper? That's the case with this seemingly happy couple who are essentially anything but happy. You can make the argument that they're happy in their couplehood , but the fact of the matter is they haven't been a coherent pair in years. Even the youth that they remember is riddled in discrepancies. Mary Elizabeth, the wife, remembers them viewing their relationship as the best of times while Michael remembers it as the beginning of the storm.

Where the script takes off and where the audience is introduced to these characters, the causes that the happy couple are willing to fight for are no longer things like love and justice and truth and peace but sadly, stasis. That's true of many of the characters in the show. Even the hardest working characters are working so hard for nothing to change and for nothing to happen or be altered. And the truth of the matter is that stasis is a lie. As soon as we feel comfortable, in the very next instance everything is different. The drama is in the realization that despite efforts to maintain stagnation that metamorphosis always bubbles to the surface. What would have happened to the happy couple eventually anyway and what would happen to the squatters that they encounter is sort of expedited because these two worlds collide when they're forced in a house together overnight. That sort of instigates their metamorphosis and forces them to face change.

BWW: You mentioned that you had a very emotional and visceral response to the text. How did the other company members at Last Act respond to the script?

KA: Well, honestly when it came down to making a selection, I was the biggest cheerleader for the play. There were a couple other choices on the table regarding what show we wanted to do. When it came down to it, we did a lot of things as tie-breakers, and everyone saw the appeal of THE HAPPY COUPLE and of doing something that was really going to push us and our audience over the edge. After we had our first read through, that was the solidification everyone needed. I know for a lot of the other company members, the theme that resonates with them is about the classes in the play and how the upper class and lower class worlds collide, and that's something I will be exploring in the rehearsal process. But yes, everyone is 100% on board and excited to work with James and the cast that we got as well.

BWW: Well it sounds like a very interesting piece, and it's clear that you and the entire Last Act Theater Company are passionate about it. I can't wait to see the production!

KA: Thank you so much. We're very proud of it and very excited to present the show.

THE HAPPY COUPLE, directed by Karen Alvarado, stars Austin favorites Suzanne Balling and Scot Friedman as the titular Happy Couple, and Rob Novak, Derek Vandi, and Lindsay McKenna as the squatters. This stellar cast and James Venhaus' award-winning script are sure to take you on an emotional roller coaster ride.

THE HAPPY COUPLE plays The White House Ranch at 3410 E. Pennsylvania Ave, Austin TX May 8th thru May 25th. Performances are Wednesdays thru Saturdays at 8pm. Tickets are $12.

Please note that this is a site specific show, so seating is limited. It is suggested to order tickets in advance at www.lastacttheater.com.

This show includes strong language and simulated smoking. Not recommended for children.

1^st Photo: Karen Alvarado. 2^nd Photo: Ben McLemore and Karen Alvarado in Last Act Theater Company's DOCTOR FAUSTUS. Photo by Jim McKay. 3^rd Photo: Poster for Last Act Theater Company's THE HAPPY COUPLE.

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