It’s almost time for our Holiday production, A Christmas Carol: The Radio Play. That means it is time to meet a new set of actors. First up, we are beyond thrilled to have Steven Miller back on the Live Arts Theatre stage! He has been in over 100 community theatre productions over the years and will be playing Freddie Filmore, Ebenezer Scrooge, and Santa Claus.
Let’s get to know a little more about him:
Q: Is this your first show at Live Arts, and what other shows have you done with us?
A: This marks a return to Live Arts for me. In the early days of Live Arts, I starred in “Don’t Drink the Water” in 2011 and followed up in the musical revue “Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know” in 2012. I’ve worked with other local theatres in the intervening years, but always hoped to have a chance to work with Live Arts and the Parkers again. This is my chance to!
Q: Name two fun facts about you?
A: (1) I worked as a computer software programmer/analyst for over 35 years with the same company, performing in many plays and writing a few in my spare time.
(2) As a playwright, I’m a recent Metropolitan Atlanta Theatre Award winner for best original work (Broadway Bound Productions, Inc.’s production of “Chestnut Bluff” in Canton in 2015).
Q: What is your approach to playing multiple characters?
A: Each character needs a unique voice and outlook. The quality of the voice and the accent and the outlook have an effect on the physical appearance. In normal shows, costuming and makeup can help distinguish characters. In a radio play, the voice has to do most of the work, although the studio audience can see physical changes that come about from a different character’s bearing and expressions.
Q: How can you relate to your character(s)?
A: Freddie Filmore is self-obsessed, confident, and aloof. Ebenezer Scrooge is miserly, rude, dismissive, and aloof. Santa Claus is cheer personified, but pretty aloof for 11 months of the year. Do they have anything in common?
Q: LAT is producing a radio play version of “A Christmas Carol,” as we did last year for “It’s a Wonderful Life.” What are you looking forward to in presenting the show in this way?
A: Having a script in hand changes the dynamic completely in presenting a character to the audience. In some ways, it’s a new challenge, and in one way (omitting the need for complete memorization) it’s the removal of a challenge.
You don’t want to miss this special holiday production and the return of this amazing actor to our stage! Oh, and by the way, you might want to join our email list for special notices and surprises. Learn more about the show and purchase tickets here.