Katie Huntington has a BA in Theatre from Oglethorpe University with a minor in Shakespeare and Renaissance Studies. Her day job is currently at Barnes & Noble. Katie has been in several shows with Oglethorpe University Theatre; wrote for and acted in blind.Ed with Georgia Shakespeare Festival. She has previously worked for Georgia Shakespeare as freelance actor for the educational tour (Will on Wheels) as well as appearances at festivals. She also interned at Georgia Shakespeare.
Katie graciously shared her thoughts with us on her role as CB’s sister in Dog Sees God, and also shared a bit about herself:
- Q: Is this your first show with Live Arts Theatre? If not, what are some of the other shows you have done with us?
A: This is my first show with Live Arts, and I’m so excited to be here!
Q: Name two fun facts about you.
A: Two fun facts! Fact one: I am double-jointed in my hips and elbows. Which is weird. But cool. Fact two! I’m a dungeon master! That means I play Dungeons & Dragons; I’m the person who writes and narrates the story while everyone else plays characters that interact with the story in awesome ways. It’s like being part of a really cool private improv group set in a fantasy setting.
Q: What is your dream acting role?
A: I would love to play any of the really interesting characters in Shakespeare’s canon. Iago, Mercutio, Rosalind—I would love to explore their stories as an actor! And this is maybe totally weird, but I would love to be a voice actor for the Persona video game series.
Q: What attracted you to Dog Sees God?
A: I’d actually worked a couple monologues from the show before for a workshop; when I heard Live Arts wanted to stage the show I was really excited to audition and see which role I’d get, just out of curiosity. I really like how clever the show is—it taps into the truth of high school in the modern day, but it is acutely aware of the source material and pays homage to that in a touching, honest way. And some of the tie-ins are just gorgeous. My favorite: when we find out just who CB’s pen pal has been this whole time. I cry every single time we do that scene.
Q: If you could be a comic book character, what one would you be?
A: This is probably super dorky, but I would be Tohru Honda from the manga series Fruits Basket. When I was fourteen I was a really snarky angry teenager, and I had this major turnaround one day when I just decided: I would be Tohru Honda. She’s so cheerful and optimistic and energetic, she’s always ready to help anyone however she can and she’s the BEST cook. Everybody loves her! (It doesn’t hurt that she’s surrounded by gorgeous people.) At fourteen that was something I desperately wanted to emulate, and it’s still true today. Everybody loves a happy person!
Q: How does your character compare to you (similarities and differences)?
A: CB’s Sister (Sally) and I actually have a lot in common! When I was a teen I would be so awkwardly demonstrative about my crushes. I was the kind of girl who actually would chase after a guy to say hi. To this day I have mornings when I get up, look at my closet, and say, “Who do I want to be today?” and pick an outfit based on a made-up persona. And like CB’s Sister, I can completely dive into something new that’s grabbed my attention—and then four days later I’ve moved on to some other new and interesting thing. But I’m happy to say that even at our worst, my sister and I have always gotten along SO much better than CB and his sister.
Q: Dog Sees God is based a beloved comic strip, and we get a look of what might happens when life gets real. Why do you think this is a good way to present difficult topics?
A: Here’s what I think: people in pain are, for the most part, unable to think clearly. For a lot of people the issues this play talks about are too real, too personal, and too painful. Escapism, bullying, trash talk, sexuality, repressed feelings, death, who you are and where you belong—these are important concepts that affect a lot of people in ways that can trigger pain and make them recoil into a defensive mindset. When you’re that focused on defending yourself, you can’t hear or see other people’s opinions. Framing the questions these issues present through a familiar medium that isn’t associated with pain but with laughter and love and comfort can—hopefully—create a safe enough space that we can think beyond our own experiences, and speak in a way that doesn’t invite pain or anger. Comics are short narratives that face off with irony and frustrations of life, just like plays. We’re bodies on a stage instead of drawings on paper, but the message is the same: why are we hurting each other? Let’s just talk about it.
We are Live Arts Theatre are excited to present Katie Huntington and Dog Sees God on our stage! The show runs from October 21-November 5, 2016 at the Belfry Playhouse (downstairs at Norcross Presbyterian Church), 3324 Medlock Bridge Rd, Norcross GA