BWW Interviews: Mason Ames Talks TRACES
By: Linda Ann Watt Apr. 27, 2013
TRACES with ensemble cast member, Mason Ames, is part of the 2012/13 Duke Energy Broadway Lights Series presented by Blumenthal Performing Arts, coming to the Knight Theater at Levine Center for the Arts on May 7-19.
Mason Ames is a porteur (the bottom of an acrobatic partnership). He has been performing with TRACES for three years. When I caught up with him in Los Angeles, there was definitely a three-hour time difference. Mason was yawning and just getting his morning in gear.
LAW: Where are you?
MA: I'm in Los Angeles. It's a sunny day.
LAW: How did you get involved with acrobatics?
MA: I started juggling with a woman named Susan Lord, when I was 10-years-old. And then I attended a summer camp called Circus Smircus in Vermont. I toured with them until I was 19-years-old.
LAW: Where were you born and raised?
MA: I was born in Rindge, North Hampshire. And after Circus Smircus, I moved to Montreal to train at the National Circus School.
LAW: Were your parents circus performers?
MA: [Laughs] No.
LAW: What was your first professional job?
MA: Midnight Circus in Chicago. It was a hip-hop circus.
LAW: What was your most memorable job?
MA: Whoa... I don't usually think that way. It would have to be Traces.
LAW: Did you audition for Traces or did they already know your work?
MC: They knew my work.
LAW: Tell me about an average day when you perform in Traces.
MC: Well, I'll tell you about today. I woke up, had breakfast and then did a bunch of telephone interviews. I will go to train later and then head to the theater for warm-up. After the show, there's a premier party. After that, I'll go back to the hotel and put a do-not-disturb sign on the door and get a good night's sleep. [pause] But normally, I explore when I'm in a new city.
LAW: What's been your best experience being on the road?
MA: They are all good experiences. Well, South Korea was a great experience with Cirque Eloize. They had us on a man-made island. It wasn't finished yet. They weren't finished putting in the trees. It was a very different, crazy experience. Also, being on tour in Europe, we went to France, Belgium and Copenhagen. I have a lineage of Danish, so it was great to go to Copenhagen.
LAW: What has been your worst experience on the road?
MA: When you're away from loved ones and your significant other.
LAW: What's your favorite thing to do when you are back home?
MA: Oh, to cook and spend time with my sweetie, who's in Wyoming and my family. And to go skiing and hiking.
LAW: How long are you on tour?
MA: Well I just started this tour. It goes until the end of May. We take a break and then we go to Dallas, Denver, Europe and New Zealand. I perform with 7 artists. They are awesome, a great group of peeps to be around.
LAW: Have you ever been to Charlotte before?
MA: Only in the airport. I am looking forward to Charlotte. I am going to be there for two weeks.
LAW: Is there a difference in the audience reaction, depending on what city you are in?
MA: Not so much depending on location, but really the time of day. We recently performed for 3,000 school kids. That was pretty inspiring and super-cool to see them getting excited about life, because of seeing the show. We are really lucky to have such an inspiring "product" for audiences.
Comments
Videos