BWW Interviews: Cameron Bautsch and Adrian Coco Anderson Talk LIFE COULD BE A DREAM, Acting and Living Their Dreams

Me: Cameron, what was it like finding out the show was so popular that it would be extended?

Cameron Bautsch: It was really flattering and really exciting. It meant that we got to stay with our friends a lot longer, which has been really cool. And we've had such great houses that we were just really pumped about the extension. It was really exciting.

Me: Coco, when did you start with the show?

Adrian Coco Anderson: Well, I started it the first day of the extension. I came in two weeks before too, and I watched the show like 12 times. That's a lot of times.

Cameron: More? Was it just 12?

Coco: No, it was just 12. I counted. [Cameron laughs] Then, I started the first day of the extension, and that was my first day to go on.

Me: What was it like coming into the show, since it was already established?

Coco: It was definitely nerve-wracking cause you have big shoes to fill, especially when you're going into a rehearsal process and they already know all the choreography, songs, and stuff. You don't want to be the one that messes them up so that they have to stay after for like a put-in rehearsal, so it...

Cameron: [Laughing] Yeah!

Coco: I just definitely had to be on my A-game at all times. So, it was nerve-wracking, but it was really awesome because I actually already know all four of them.

Cameron: And she did a really great job too. She didn't skip a beat. She came with all her lines down, all the choreo memorized, and we just kind of phased her in. Pretty seamless transition, I think.

Coco: Not in my mind. [Laughs] Walk, talk, act, sing now. That's how I felt. [Cameron laughs]

Me: The show is definitely a really fun show, but what are your favorite moments in it?

Cameron: Well, you know, it changes it every night, I think. As the show matures, I find that I enjoy different moments differently every time. Sometimes, I notice things that I've never seen before-little beats that I'll catch Mark (Ivy) doing that I haven't seen. It's just fun to exist in that kind of realm because we have done this show so many times now that we really can just live it because it's kind of our life at this point [Laughs]. So, I would say that's a really tough question to answer because I have new favorite moments all the time.

Coco: For me it's the same thing, different moments every night, but I think the part I enjoy the most is the end-whenever we're all signing together and we're all in our cheetah outfits-just to see the audience because all they're doing is just watching, smiling, nodding, and tapping their foot. It's really fun to see how much they enjoy it.

Me: I believe it. I remember the first night I came out to see it and when the back wall lowers...

Cameron: [Coco laughs] Ohhhhhh!!! Scene change!

Coco: [Cameron laughs] Some women freak out! People freak out. They're like, "The wall! The wall! Get the wall!" [We all laugh.]

Cameron: Yeah.

Me: I remember when I first saw the set, I thought, "Ok, this is a one set show. No changes." Then the back wall lowers.

Cameron: Right! That's a big thing. It looks sturdy. It looks like almost part of the theatre, I was blown away when they winched that thing on down.

Me: Then, I remember thinking, "Oh no, everything's going to fall off the shelves. Wait, this is professional theatre..."

Coco: They must have thought of this before.

Cameron: You know, surprisingly, we haven't had one thing come off of that.

Coco: That's weird.

Cameron: I would have thought the same thing.

Me: Screws. Glue...

Cameron: Yeah, super glue. Screws. String! [Laughs]

Coco: Yeah when you look at it, there's string covering everything.

Me: I know that there's only two weeks left in the run, so hopefully you guys have looked ahead and booked some more jobs. So, where can Houston audiences expect to see you next?

Cameron: Well, I'm in the next show here at Stages. Well, PANTO (MOTHER GOOSE), not the next show, which is WINTER WONDERETTES. But, I'm going to be doing PANTO here and then who knows. You know, the life and times of an actor equals uncertainty, which that is what has been so great about this gig. We have been able to stay here and feel kind of a family, you know, for about 5 months now. When we close, I think we'll be just there about, which is insane for theatre, especially in Houston. It's really something I think we can all be proud of.

Coco: Well, actually, I had a ticket to New York City for September 4^th. Then, they called me to do this, and so I took it. So, I'm moving to New York City after I get done here.

Cameron: Dun dun dunnnnnn! [Laughs]

Coco: It'll be fun. Scary, but fun.

Me: What advice do you have for other aspiring actors?

Coco: Goodness. I would say, I know it's so cliché, but it's all about hard work and dedication. It's about never giving up and listening to the things that can get you so down. You know, not taking every audition to heart, if you don't get it. It's just always pushing forward. The first time I went to college, I didn't get a single call back the whole entire year, and, now I'm here. So, I had to think that never giving up is probably the most important thing and working hard. Yeah!

Cameron: I think that was well said. I think this is a wonderful but really hard business to be in, and the more that...

Coco: They tell you that, but you don't really know.

Cameron: Right, the whole not knowing where your next job is going to come from really takes dedication. So, I would say if you're a young actor, consider all your options before you decide to do it. If it is something you decide you really have to do...

Coco: You really have to love it.

Cameron: ...then do what she said, and just go after it with no holds barred because its really the only way to push past. And even if you do that sometimes, the doors don't open for you. So, it's about...

Coco: Living the dream!

Cameron: ...luck and right place at the right time.

[The Cast of 2 PIANOS 4 HANDS walks through.]

Tom Frey (playing Ted in 2 PIANOS 4 HANDS): Living the dream.

Coco: [To The Cast of 2 PIANOS 4 HANDS] Living the dream, right!

Cameron: These gents know all about it!

Coco: [To The Cast of 2 PIANOS 4 HANDS] About living the dream. [Laughs]

Jeffrey Rockwell (playing Richard in 2 PIANOS 4 HANDS): How about living the nightmare? I'm not sure. [We all laugh]

Me: The Cast of 2 PIANOS, 4 HANDS walk through and they say it's...

Coco: [Finishing the thought] ...living the nightmare! End of statement. [Laughs]

Cameron: It's not doom and gloom. I've had a great time, and I wouldn't trade what I've done for anything or what I'm doing now for anything. But, I consider myself fortunate, and I know its kind of uncertain where life is headed. It's kind of an adventure, you know. And if you like adventures, this is the business for you because every day is a bit of an adventure. I also think this industry is very versatile and lends itself to a bunch of different industries, which is why you find a lot of Houston talent doing other things like working in election offices and newspapers. Its not just service industry here, and I think that that shows a lot about people really dedicating their off time to doing something that they love.

Me: I know you have a show to get ready for, so I don't want to take too much of your time.

Cameron: No worries. It's been a pleasure. So, you've seen the show already once?

Me: Yes, and I'm seeing it again tonight. So, I'm excited.

Cameron: I'm excited too.

Coco: It's a little different.

Cameron: It's a lot different, but its cool and that's what I love about it.

Coco: That's what is awesome actually, coming into a part and making it your own.

Cameron: And she came in at a great time for us because we had just gotten through to the point where we were really comfortable with it. Then they threw us something new, and it was like, "Okay! It's a new show again." It really is kind of a new dynamic, especially between she and I on stage. The chemistry between Bekah [Rebekah Stevens] and I and between Coco and I is different, but we...

Me: Had to work all that out.

Cameron: Yeah. We had worked together before...

Coco: Two times, so we kind of already knew each other.

Cameron: Yeah. [They laugh]

Houston audiences do not have much time left to catch LIFE COULD BE A DREAM. The must-see production must close on October 14, 2012. Also, playing at Stages Repertory Theatre, 2 PIANOS 4 HANDS runs until October 28, 2012. For more information and tickets to either show, please visit http://stagestheatre.com/ or call (713) 527 – 0123.

Promotional image courtesy of Stages Repertory Theatre.

Headshot of Adrian Coco Anderson. Photo courtesy of Adrian Coco Anderson.

L to R: Mark Ivy as EuGene Johnson, Cameron Bautsch as Skip Henderson, Adam Gibbs as Denny Varney, and Dylan Godwin as Wally Patton. Photo by Bruce Bennett.

L to R: Dylan Godwin as Wally Patton, Mark Ivy as EuGene Johnson, Cameron Bautsch as Skip Henderson, and Adam Gibbs as Denny Varney. Photo by Bruce Bennett.