Interview: Felix Livingston of URINETOWN at Ashland

How does it feel to have live audiences and theatres back?

It's honestly amazing. Theatre has been such a huge part of my life, so finally being able to share that joy of performance again has been a truly wonderful experience. I was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to take part in shows in the midst of the pandemic. But, whether they were being recorded on Zoom like "You Ain't Nothing but a Werewolf" was, or performed outside in freezing cold weather as I did during "Addams Family", nothing compares to being back in the theater with a full house.

What inspired you to pursue performing?

I am extremely lucky to come from a very musical household. Both of my parents took part in theater growing up and passed that love for the arts down to me and my brother Zander (who plays Old Man Strong in Urinetown). The multitude of people I've had the privilege to work with also contributes to my love for theatre. The amount of support I've gotten from directors, choreographers, teachers, and my fellow performers is outstanding. I don't think I would have the same passion for performing if I had not had this incredible community surrounding me.

How does this role compare to other roles you've played?

At first glance, Little Sally seems drastically different from some of the other roles I've played, but the more I thought about her as a character I realized that I can actually pull a lot of what I've done previously to accurately perform this character. She's sarcastic, stubborn, a tad bit annoying, curious, believes in love, and even has a little bit of a diva side to her. All of these traits are ones I've portrayed before onstage. The main thing that sets her apart is that she is all of these things, and also a young child.

What was your process for developing your character?

Our director, Christopher Teipner, spent a lot of time helping the cast with developing our characters. He sent out videos daily to show us his vision for the show. These videos helped all of us to create a starting point for developing our over-the-top characters. The rest was trial and error. You try something onstage and see if it works with the other actors, and the people watching. Sometimes it works, and sometimes you have to try something different.

Do you have a favorite song in the show?

I really enjoy Snuff That Girl. It's a super fun dance number where the audience really gets to see the crazy sides of all these characters.

Did you face any challenges with your character or the production?

I think my biggest challenge was changing the way I normally act. Our director described Little Sally as "the audience". I represent what the crowd is thinking, and a lot of my lines are delivered to the audience. I'm very used to basically ignoring the audience and playing mainly to my fellow actors onstage, but this show was very different. It was a different type of show, which as always presents new types of challenges.

How was working with the cast and the creative team?

Everyone working on this show is wonderful and supportive. It was a joy working with them. I've learned so much from the production staff and everyone that joined me onstage.

What do you hope the audience takes away from seeing this production?

I hope that this show absolutely blows them away. I want them to leave the theater thinking that they want to come back. Cause this is a show that no matter how many times you watch it you will always find something new.

What are your favorite local spots?

I love biking on the gateway trail. It's a gorgeous place to be.

Thank you Felix for your time!

For more ticket and show information, please click the ticket link button below.

Photo courtesy of Felix Livingston