INTERVIEW: Spotlighters' SISSIES Speak! (Part I)

The chemistry onstage at Spotlighters in their fantastic production of Southern Baptist Sissies is the kind that most directors can only dream about – it is genuine and runs deep.  Where that chemistry comes from became quickly apparent to this writer as I witnessed the arrival of each cast member while I waited to do this interview.  Each and every cast member was greeted warmly with a hug and a kiss and a sincere, "How are you today?"  The love they share for each other and for their work is exactly why this production succeeds where so many others like it fail.  And that warmth and good will was not limited to cast and crew, but to me, as well, an outsider quickly made to feel like family.  The result is a candid, bluntly honest and loving interview.  There may not be a more sincere group of actors appearing on any local stage at this time.

I had the pleasure of interviewing the four title characters and the lone newcomer to the stage: David Allen (Benny/Iona), Alex Peri (TJ), Andrew Syropoulos (Andrew), Tony Viglione (Mark) and Tammy Kugler (Odette Annette Barnette).  Each gave me a description of their character to get things started.  Of his character, Mark, the narrator, Tony says, " He is strong-willed, stubborn, but insecure – he wants to please everyone and wants everyone to like him for who he is.  Alex thinks TJ is "the quintessential example of someone in our society who feels he cannot be himself due to the external forces of society.  Andrew sees his character, also Andrew,  as "so torn.  He thinks what he feels and knows inside himself is right, but he is so worried about the external judgments of his mom, friends and God.  These judgments are what he fears."  Newcomer to the stage, Tammy says, "Odette is always 'on' – it is her defense mechanism – but she is full of sorrow and regret.  She knows she can only find peace again if she finds her estranged brother, Buddy."  David has the unique opportunity to see the world through the eyes of two people, Benny who is "just a fighter.  Everything is a fight with him – to get out of the trailer park, to be good at what he does, to keep his friends."  Benny's alter-ego, Iona Traylor speaks for herself – "I am more man than you'll ever be, more woman than you'll ever get!"  Clearly, these actors really know their characters, and over the course of the lengthy interview, each was more than willing to be open and honest. 

What follows are a series of questions asked of each cast member.  Part II will focus on each actor and character separately.

 James Howard (JH): Which part of your character do you most identify with personally?  Which other character do you most relate to personally?  Why?

David: I think I most identify with the part of Benny that is headstrong and determined.  He is determined to make as good a life for himself as he can, and that has been something I have done all my life.  Benny is also very protective of his friends, and I hope I am that way as well.  That [other character] would be the character of Mark.  He is also headstrong, but it manifests differently.  I have had the moments of rage; I have had the moments of clarity where I can write letters and work to create change without becoming so emotional.

Andrew: I think the part of Andrew I most identify with is his fear of being caught. Even though I am out to my parents and friends and everyone, that sense that I could get caught in some compromising position is still a little scary for me. I definitely think I relate to Mark, especially in his "where do I put this hate? It doesn't feel good to hate back" speech because with all of the marriage ban amendments and the protesters at the soldiers' funerals, it's really difficult to turn the other cheek and not dislike and/or hate people who are so adamant about making you a second class citizen and telling you you're going to hell simply because of the way you love. It's horribly frustrating not knowing where to put those horrible feelings towards people like that.

Alex: The part I identify with T.J. the most is the struggle with one's identity. Not to say necessarily struggling with being gay, but just that struggle people go through when trying to figure out who we are over time. It is something that we all have to go through as we grow up. We think we are one thing and then the next day we are something completely different. It's a hard concept to wrap your head around if you haven't been through such a life changing transition in a long time, but taking on a character such as this reminds us all of how powerful and earth shattering an inner struggle like that can be for a person.

Tammy: I can identify with the part of Odette that is good-natured, sincere and genuine, especially when she knows she has made a mistake.  Odette and I are similar in some ways.... social butterfly, loves to have fun, has sense of humor, and is very sincere.   I think I can personally relate to Tony's character, "Mark."  He says it best.... "Sometimes I close my eyes and create a perfect world..." Not only do I try to create that perfect world in my mind... I try to live my life so others can see it. 

Tony: The part of my character that I most identify with is the constant yearning for answers, "Why am I different?" "Why did God make me this way?" "How can this be wrong?"  I did a lot of questioning growing up in a Catholic home and going to Catholic school for 12 years and I could totally relate to the anger, the sadness and the hopelessness that Mark felt at times throughout the play.  I also very much relate to Andrew.  Again, growing up Catholic I can remember plenty of times when I would just pray for this (being gay) to go away and thinking if I just pray hard enough and long enough that God would answer my prayers.  Growing up I also had several instances when I did think of killing myself, never quite to the level of desperation Andrew felt, but serious contemplation.

 JH:  What do you hope audiences leave the theatre with from the show?

 Andrew: I hope the audience leaves with a feeling of hope and love and respect for those that are different then they are. Some people are so stubborn when it comes to the Gay/Straight issues in our world, and I hope that this piece will show people that we are all the same, and that each of us has a right to love whomever we want and should be respected for that.

Alex: I hope they leave with a sense of acceptance for all life styles. Though we never have to agree with everyone's lifestyle, we all need to accept them.  Also, a sense of hope for the future of mankind and an end to our lack of love for one another.

Tammy: Be honest with yourself, be proud of who you are, don't be afraid to make what you've done wrong in the past.... right again and above all, love all people no matter race, creed, sexual orientation, etc.  

Tony: I hope that people leave understanding that everyone has their differences and that God does love us just the way we are.

David: I hope that audiences leave the theater entertained first.  That is my primary goal as an actor, to entertain.  Secondly, from this play in particular, I hope that they leave with a new thought that they might not have recognized before.

 JH: What role does religion play in your own life?  How does this effect your performance or your thoughts about the play?

Alex: No comment.

Tammy: I consider myself a Christian, however, religion is not going to dictate who I can and cannot accept and love in my life.

Tony: I consider myself a religious person.  I don't go to church and I don't preach about the Lord, but I still believe in God and pray to him.  I am Catholic, meaning I believe in the basic fundamental teachings of the Catholic Church, but I don't believe in all the traditions and rules that leaders of the church have come up with along the way.  I believe that I have my own special relationship with God and I can talk to Him whenever and wherever I want.  I wouldn't say I pray a lot but I do thank Him for the blessings He has given me and do ask Him for help from time to time.

David: I do not participate in any organized religion and really never have.  Over the past several years I have created a set of practices and observations pulled from many sources.  I guess I would describe myself as very spiritual.   I don't know that is effects my performance per se, but I know that much of what happens in the play reinforces my thoughts about the darker side of organized religion.

Andrew: I was baptized twice. Once, Greek Orthodox, and then again Catholic. I was in Catholic school for 9 years before I went to Baltimore School for the Arts. When I was in grade school, religion was a HUGE part of my life because of the schooling, but when I got to high school it all faded away. I'm one of those Twice-a-Year churchgoers. Christmas and Easter, and sometimes not even then.  Since I'm so stuck in the middle between "practicing" and "non-practicing," the religious effect on my performance was a little one-sided.  I did a lot of research about Baptists and looked at the religious aspect of this show from a strictly educational and professional point of view. None of my own "beliefs", if you can call them that, bleed into this piece, simply because they are so far from each other.

 JH: What would you say to people who agree with the Bible-quoting Preacher in the play or who also use the Bible as a tool to "prove" that homosexuality is a sin?

 Tammy: That's just it.... this is not about proving right or wrong. The Bible is full of stories told for centuries...  where is the proof in that?  We make a choice to believe or not.   The message is "GOD IS LOVE" no matter if you are homosexual, heterosexual... or whatever is right for you. 

Tony: I tell people Jesus said that there are two commandments to follow above all else.  One, Love God above all else.  Two, love your neighbors, as you would want to be loved.  As long as I am trying to live by those two commandments, then I am doing good in God's eyes no matter what anyone tries to prove.  If you look at the absolute basic teachings of any religion these two commandments are the basis of all religions.

David: I would use the quote from [the character] Mark: "You can justify anything you want in the Bible".  It is like working with statistics, you can make those numbers mean anything you want.  Apologies to any statisticians reading this!

Andrew: I would probably do exactly what Mark does in the show, and throw all the other "silly" outdated things back in their face - even the stuff that contradicts other things. The Bible is a guide and is not to be taken literally. It was written by many people over many centuries/millennia and thus cannot be trusted to be "the word of God" simply because it is totally biased and ancient. Anyone who takes every word literally needs psychiatric help.

Alex: People like that use the Bible as a weapon rather than a tool. The Bible is not a weapon to spread God's word, but rather a tool to spread God's love. So when I do run into Bible-bangers and super religious freaks, I'll debate with them to humor my own sick sense of humor then tell them to do some more research and stop preaching – think before you speak and never, never use God's love as a weapon of hate or prejudice.

 JH: Has doing this show changed you in any way?  If so, how?

Tony: I think the show has made me think about my religion more and to be grateful for the things I have, a wonderful accepting family, a great husband (Love you, Ed!) and amazing friends.  Sometimes you get so caught up in daily life that you forget to take a look at the things you have and forget to thank God for them and this show has definitely reminded me of that.

David: If the show has changed me I have not yet recognized it, that insight may come later on.  I do know that my admiration for some of the actors has grown exponentially by working with them on this project.

Andrew: Before this show I literally had no gay friends. None. And as a gay man, trying to find a way to connect with a community to which I have no ties was a little difficult. Then I found all of these wonderful people and my world opened up so much. I felt like I belonged and was needed and was a part of a huge community, even though it was just the eight of us. The cast is amazing and now I have life-long friends and a place I feel I can belong.

Alex: It has not really changed me at all. But I have made some great friends.

Tammy: Absolutely! This show has given me more self-confidence, a theater family who I love and am very close with, and an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. 

It is my hope that this interview might provoke some discussion and thought.  The insight, warmth and love these gifted actors have for each other, themselves, their work and this production are nothing less than inspiring.  Would that all communities had this depth of feeling and honesty.  What a great way to celebrate Gay Pride month!

Southern Baptist Sissies continues at Spotlighters in Baltimore through July 1, with performances Fridays and Saturdays ay 8PM and Sundays at 2PM.  Readers of this site are eligible for a $5.00 discount per ticket.  Simply mention "BroadwayWorld.com" when you reserve by phone or at the box office, and receive your discount of 33% off the $15.00 ticket price - that's $10.00 a ticket!  Don't miss this wonderful piece of live theatre!

PHOTOS: The boys sing "The B-I-B-L-E. (L-R Benny (David Allen), Mark (Tony Vigilone), Andrew (Andrew Syropoulos) and TJ (Alex Peri).  Photos by Amy Jones.