Ryan Wire has never performed in a play before, but here at Live Arts, it is not uncommon for an actor with no experience to be cast next to an actor with 100 shows under their belt. Ryan is, however an educator, so he is used to an audience, so to speak. His training is in Early Childhood Education, and he teaches 4th grade.
In preparation for The Importance of Being Ernest, where Ryan is cast as the maid (Lane/Merriman), he sat down with us for a few moments to share whatever possessed him to audition for this role.
Q: Is this your first show at Live Arts, and what other shows have you done with us?
A: Yes, this is my first show.
Q: What attracted you to audition for The Importance of Being Ernest?
A: Performing with my fiancé. (Ryan’s Fiance is JoAnne Meyer, a regular to the Live Arts Stage. She is playing Algy.)
Q: What made you audition for a flipped show?
A: My fiancé asked, and I found it intriguing. I jumped at the interesting proposition, and I liked the show.
Q: As a brand new actor, with having had two rehearsals so far, do you think this is easier or harder than you thought?
A: It is fairly easy. The director (Becca Parker) makes instructions easy to understand without micromanaging. She keeps the experience fun and friendly.
Q: What is your dream acting role?
A: Starring role if they ever made a movie out The Silmarillion.
Q: The full title of the show is The Importance of Being Ernest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People. What do you think that means in our approach to the show?
A: There are a lot of trivial aspects that will make even serious people laugh.
Q: Compare yourself to your character.
A: Like Lane, I am the eternal pessimist. Also, I like serving others.
Q: As a Live Arts Audience Regular, why should people come see this show?
A: As someone who loves Live Arts, this group puts together a good show and this is a good story to be told. It has comedy, drama, and romance.
Come see Ryan and cheer him on in our flipped show, The Importance of Being Ernest. It is running only one weekend and it is a fundraiser as we prepare for our summer musical, Fiorello, which will finish out our “Death and Taxes” season. http://liveartstheatre.org/fiorello/ Be sure to get your tickets for The Importance of Being Ernest now! http://liveartstheatre.org/flipped-show/