Episode 6 - Children of Eden Director Interview (Featuring Holt Kirkindoll)

RJ and Patrick are joined by the director of the Arts Center's production of Children of Eden, Holt Kirkindoll. In this episode, they discuss all things production process, as well as talk about their experiences.

Website: artscenterofcc.com

YouTube: Arts Center of Cannon County

Email: castlist@artscenterofcc.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:01

The new cast list is up in five, four, three, two, one. Welcome back to the cast list.

SPEAKER_04 0:22

Never ever do that again. I'm Patrick. And I'm RJ, and we were having such a good day. We've actually had a really fun day. You've done something so bizarrely stupid after we just listened to an excellent song to start the show.

SPEAKER_03 0:41

Patrick's off the notebook today.

SPEAKER_04 0:43

Yeah. Oh yeah. You going wild.

SPEAKER_03 0:45

I'm going off script today, baby. Yep.

SPEAKER_04 0:48

Um are you going off or did you just forget it?

SPEAKER_03 0:50

No, I I didn't have the energy to write down things. So I was just like, eh.

SPEAKER_04 0:55

Yeah. Um well welcome back to the pod uh to the podcast, everyone. To the cast lists.

SPEAKER_03 1:00

Welcome back. We're very glad you're here. Um if you're new here, welcome. We hope you enjoy it. This is episode six, which is crazy. Episode six.

SPEAKER_04 1:09

Now you're saying that every episode is crazy.

SPEAKER_03 1:11

Now while it's but like I do feel that way.

SPEAKER_04 1:14

Well, it is crazy. We have gotten into a rhythm. They say it takes three things to, you know, get into a rhythm. I say when we get to like 1020, then it's gonna be crazy.

SPEAKER_03 1:25

Yeah, true. Okay. We do have a good episode for you today. It's our first director interview ever.

SPEAKER_04 1:31

Yeah, we uh later on in the show we're gonna have Holt Kirkendahl, director of Children of Eden here at the Arts Center of Cannon County. Hear his behind-the-scenes thoughts on all things children of Eden.

SPEAKER_03 1:43

Yep. Um, before we get into it, I do want to talk about what we did this morning. We've had a very, very fun day.

SPEAKER_04 1:50

Uh, at time of recording today, it is a good Friday. Uh, on April 3rd, Friday, April 3rd. Easter is uh coming, even though this episode comes out Monday after Easter.

SPEAKER_03 2:03

Big boss Beth.

SPEAKER_04 2:05

Big boss. What on earth Big Boss Beth. Big Beth Boss Beth. What on earth is going on with you? Pull it together. Big boss. This is episode six. And it's crazy.

SPEAKER_03 2:16

Say it five times fast. Big boss beth, big boss.

SPEAKER_04 2:18

Big boss beth, big boss beth, big boss beth, big boss beth. I didn't mess up once. Well, listen fast. Big boss beth, big boss beth, big boss beth, Beth. Paint me a Birmingham.

SPEAKER_03 2:29

Beth. What's do you hear that?

SPEAKER_04 2:32

Yeah, your uh recliners.

SPEAKER_03 2:34

My recliner is like squeaking.

SPEAKER_04 2:36

Well, I don't think they can hear it.

SPEAKER_03 2:39

Okay.

SPEAKER_04 2:39

Um press on, Patrick. Come on now.

SPEAKER_03 2:42

Anyway, Beth put together an Easter egg hunt for us this morning, and it was really fun, but I was expecting, you know, just like your neighborhood fri your friendly neighborhood Easter egg hunt.

SPEAKER_04 2:55

Walk around, find some eggs.

SPEAKER_03 2:56

Yeah. Beth like if you ever need to hide anything, give it to Beth to hide. Beth made it impossible. This Easter egg hunt lasted an hour and a half.

SPEAKER_04 3:07

It took how many of us were there? There's you, me, the whole staff. You, me, Cameron, Marion, Amanda, Corinne, Heather. Is that everyone? I think. You. Yeah, so seven to eight people. Yeah. It took us an hour and a half to find about 70 eggs in this building.

SPEAKER_03 3:26

Yeah. I did find one of the golden eggs though.

SPEAKER_04 3:28

Yeah, what was in the golden egg? I didn't even find out.

SPEAKER_03 3:31

The golden egg had it had a lot of candy, but then it had a number in it, you know, for so Beth also put together like a prize table full of like mystery items and she crushed it for Easter. There were like different numbers and different eggs, and like based on your number, y it determined what prize you got. Anyway, I got a really nice gift card to Puckets in the Golden East in the Golden Egg. Okay. So thank you, Beth. Um, I've said thank you already to you, but this is me saying thank you publicly on the internet. As a result of us doing this, you're awesome. That was so fun.

SPEAKER_04 4:06

As a result of us doing this Easter egg hunt, we are all now exhausted. I'm so tired. And haven't it has been a very unproductive day here at the Arts Center of Cannon County. But as always, we will press on and we will give everyone the highest quality podcasting episodes that only Patrick and RJ can't provide here on the cast list. Go team go.

SPEAKER_03 4:29

Um, last episode we talked about our process with the dragon we're building for the Hobbit.

SPEAKER_04 4:36

For smog smog update of the podcast.

SPEAKER_03 4:39

So for this week's smog update, first of all, he's way bigger than I thought he was. Yep. And this is probably week three or four working on him. And we have finished like the main skeletal structure of the head.

SPEAKER_04 4:55

His first layer of skin.

SPEAKER_03 4:56

His first layer of skin. None of the detailing or anything. And then like we've started working on his teeth are done? Yeah. His like massive like horns that he has like behind his head. Um, he's gonna be like six feet long when all is said and done. Uh he's gonna be huge. So if you want to see him get tickets for the Hobbit. Get tickets to the Hobbit.

SPEAKER_04 5:16

May 2nd to May 9th, 2 p.m. here at the Art Center, Cannon County.

SPEAKER_03 5:20

Unfortunately, I say unfortunately. It's not unfortunate. I'm just saying it is time for the business-y segment of the episode.

SPEAKER_04 5:26

Oh, well, you even thought of that without your notebook. Look at you go. You're improving, you're getting better.

SPEAKER_03 5:32

It's not unfortunate though, because actually we have really good news for you, the listener.

SPEAKER_04 5:36

Well, I think everything we tell the listeners are good news. I've never heard one bad thing come out of our mouths. Ever. Ever.

SPEAKER_03 5:42

Ever. But this is especially good because for the entire month of April, the whole month of April, it is tax-free April at the Art Center of Cannon County. That doesn't mean we're committing tax fraud. No. I want to make that very clear.

SPEAKER_04 5:58

No, not at all.

SPEAKER_03 5:59

We're still paying our taxes. The art center is just covering them for our patrons. So anything you buy in the gift shop, completely tax-free. Completely tax-free. For the whole month of April. So take advantage of that while you can.

SPEAKER_04 6:13

Yep. Come and get all the trinkets and tchotchkis and soaps and shampoos you could get your hands on.

SPEAKER_03 6:20

Yeah. It's also a big, big time for uh the artists and the art patrons here of the art center of Canon County because we have Tell us about us. Yeah, we have two big announcements. Announcement number one, we have an artist reception coming up on April 12th. So it's coming up very quickly. But it's coming up on April 12th from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. And that is a reception for anyone who wants to attend, and most of the artists who have artwork hanging in the burger gallery will be attending to answer questions about their art, and people can just mingle and chat and appreciate art together.

SPEAKER_04 6:58

I've gotta say, I really, really like the art that's up in the gallery.

SPEAKER_03 7:03

This is one of my favorite exhibits we've had.

SPEAKER_04 7:04

Without a doubt, one of my favorite exhibits.

SPEAKER_03 7:07

We have so so we have two galleries. Both of them right now are very strong. It's very splendid. Very like high very eye-pleasing. Yeah, please come check it out. Like so many pieces have sold already. Deservingly. Deservingly, yeah. Um, so if you want any more information about that, uh visit our website, artcenterfcc.com.

SPEAKER_04 7:28

Or just come on in when we're open. Come to the reception.

SPEAKER_03 7:31

And then artist announcement number two is a phone one, especially for all of you artists listening. Um, we are having a a group art show opening on July twenty-second. That is an open call for all art submissions. Now, you know, you still have to apply to have your art accepted and put on display here at the at the art center. But we're having an open call to anyone and everyone um to make a community-wide uh art exhibit here at the art center.

SPEAKER_04 8:11

Patrick, are you saying anyone could submit any art?

SPEAKER_03 8:14

Anyone could submit any art.

SPEAKER_04 8:16

That's absolutely bonkers.

SPEAKER_03 8:18

If it is if it is if it is physical media, if it is any version of physical media, you can submit it. That means if RJ drew a pretty picture of a butterfly with some crayons, he could submit it.

SPEAKER_04 8:31

Now I need to get to work on my pretty butterfly picture with crayons.

SPEAKER_03 8:34

Yeah. So if you're interested in that, um check out uh our website, but also you can email white oak at artsenterofcc.com for more information about that and potentially have your art displayed here. So that would be super cool.

SPEAKER_04 8:52

That'd be super swell.

SPEAKER_03 8:54

Uh fun fact, I have never had any of my art on display here, but every year during our White Oak Craft Fair, I do draw some pretty pictures with crayons, and they are hanging on our fridge in the kitchen.

SPEAKER_04 9:09

Yes, well, we have uh we have to show off something that you've halfway accomplished, and those uh those those drawings with crayons certainly certainly show that you do stuff around here, Patrick.

SPEAKER_03 9:23

I've gotten many compliments about them.

SPEAKER_04 9:25

Yeah. They go, oh, it's so sweet that you let some of the summer camp kids draw you guys some pictures and you put it on display in your kitchen for you all to work at look at.

SPEAKER_02 9:35

Whose child drew that?

SPEAKER_04 9:36

Yeah, whose whose child drew that? I go, oh, that's our college graduate assistant, Patrick.

SPEAKER_03 9:43

Yeah. Well, I'm not I'm not gonna stop doing it.

SPEAKER_04 9:47

Speaking of you moving up into the adult world and all, last episode we talked about this thing, but now it has happened. You have acquired your dog Penelope Potato.

SPEAKER_03 10:00

Yeah, so I have adopted the dog. And guys, Penelope Potato, for people who didn't listen last episode, Penelope Potato is a rescue French bulldog. She is one year old. Um she had a rough past, she was starved and abused, and she had to have puppies, um and she wasn't doing well. But now I have her and she's the cutest dog ever. She sleeps all day long, and I took her on a walk the other day, and about halfway through the walk, she decided that walking wasn't for her, and I had to carry her all the way back. And she'll never learn. I've never heard her bark once, and she just sits and looks at you and wants you to hold her. She's kind of like a cat. And I love her with Except not at all. Except not at all.

SPEAKER_04 10:55

And I love her with my whole heart and You must really love the dog because you gave up doing something to go get Penelope Potato. If yeah, to put into perspective What what did you give up that I got to do and had a glorious time doing that you missed out on?

SPEAKER_03 11:15

So to put into perspective how much I love this dog, on the day last week, on the day I was getting my dog for the first time, I had to miss out on going with RJ and a bunch of other um friends, theater friends, to go see The Mummy Returns, starring Brendan Fraser at the And Rachel Wise. And Rachel Wise and Dwayne the Rock Johnson. Yes.

SPEAKER_04 11:42

It's the sequel to, for those of you who don't know, The Mummy Returns is the sequel to the 1999 cinematic masterpiece, The Mummy, and starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Wise.

SPEAKER_03 11:50

The Mummy is a perfect cinematic masterpiece.

SPEAKER_04 11:56

It is. I think if people continue to listen and they continue to get to know us, they're gonna learn how much I especially love the mummy.

SPEAKER_03 12:04

It's so good. It is one of my favorite movies of all time. It's got romance, it's got mummies, it's got it's ridiculous. But it's so great.

SPEAKER_04 12:19

And the sequel is just it's like uh good leftovers. Yeah, you know, it's literally the same thing as the first one, except a little dried out. Yeah. But oh, we had a great time, and I know you went to go rescue a dog, and that's very admirable, but oh, did you miss out?

SPEAKER_03 12:37

So yeah, I was really excited to have the chance to go see the mummy returns in theaters on the big screen, but I had better things to do. I had to get Penelope Potato.

SPEAKER_04 12:47

You had to get Penelope Potato.

SPEAKER_03 12:48

Um, well, RJ, we have a really good interview to get into. Yes, we did, and I want to leave the listeners with enough time to get into that. Yeah. Um, and so without further ado, let's talk to Holt. Let's talk to Holt Kirkendall, the director of Children of Eden in 321 Woosh. Holt's here.

SPEAKER_01 13:11

Welcome back.

SPEAKER_03 13:13

Um, Holt Kirkendahl. Thank you so much for being here. You're welcome. Um, we did have technical difficulties before we filmed this, and Holt had to wait here for like half an hour while I figured it out. So I appreciate it was fun. Patrick, why don't you tell the people why Holt is here? Holt is here because we are doing our first ever director interview on the cast list. Yeah. Very, very exciting. We've had guests before, but this is like the first of like our director interview series, and so we're hoping starting with Holt's every show we do, we'll be interviewing the directors for that show. Uh typically at the towards like the middle or the end of the process, so we can just like get an idea of like what their vision was, how their experience was, and then they can advertise the last weekend of their show.

SPEAKER_04 13:54

So they're spoilers for children of Eden. Yeah. Yeah. Everyone should have seen it by now, but you have a chance this last weekend to see the. If you are not one of the spoilers, you may want to fast forward to the end a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 14:07

I mean, it's the Bible, so I'm pretty sure that there's nothing to be spoiled. Yeah. But that is true.

SPEAKER_03 14:13

Just in case. That is true. Um, but thank you very much for being here. We appreciate it. We have a bunch of questions for you, and then at the end, um, just so we don't catch you off guard, we have a rapid fire section.

SPEAKER_01 14:26

Yeah, I heard about this.

SPEAKER_03 14:27

Yeah, so Cam was the first one ever did the rapid fire section, and so we're gonna keep it going.

SPEAKER_01 14:32

Cool. And so I promise to stay as appropriate as possible.

SPEAKER_03 14:35

Cool, cool, no pressure. Yeah. So if you don't mind us diving into it, I'm gonna pull up my notebook that RJ makes so much fun of me for it.

SPEAKER_04 14:43

Well, it's just he pulls it out and starts talking like a sixth grade. Well, come on, it's Steve with his handy dandy notebook.

SPEAKER_03 14:48

I yeah. I get I okay, I've been compared to that man many times, actually. I even have a recliner. Okay, anyway, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. Okay, Holt. Holt. Besides Beth coming to you and being like, Will you direct the show? What made you actually want to direct this show?

SPEAKER_01 15:11

Um, several things. I I think along with RJ, somebody else I know also did, but I actually submitted this show. It's one of the shows that I wanted to consider. Oh, really? Okay. Yeah, this was in my 15 or 16 that I suggested. Um this was also my first show ever. Um when I was 14. And I thought you meant like right now.

SPEAKER_03 15:31

I was like, no, it's not. No. I was like, dang, you crushed it for your first show ever.

SPEAKER_01 15:35

No, when I was uh 14 and a freshman in high school, um, this was the first actual licensed show that I was ever part of.

SPEAKER_03 15:44

Okay. Who um what did you do with that?

SPEAKER_01 15:46

I was just a storyteller. My the musical theater program at my high school was I mean, this was a long before Glee, like 15 years before Glee. Um, but it wasn't really a cool thing to do, but my high school musical theater program was very good um for the time. And I happened to be one of the first freshmen ever let into the class. Nice. Um, and so I just was part of it, but I didn't get any like roles or anything because I was a child.

SPEAKER_03 16:20

If like knowing how you were in high school, how like if you had to compare yourself to one Glee character in high school, oh like were you like Rachel Barry, or were you like like a trouty mouth, like they like didn't like care like that?

SPEAKER_01 16:36

Um probably lane for obvious reasons. Okay, sure. Um, but also I wasn't really cool, but yet again, I was also liked, but I was also part of the nerd dumb. Um so I kind of fit in everywhere, but also didn't really fit in anywhere. Okay.

SPEAKER_04 17:02

I okay. No, I can see it. I can see it for sure. That took a tangent. I have no idea what we're talking about. You've never seen Glee? No. You've never seen like any of Glee. I've seen some songs.

SPEAKER_01 17:12

I may be older, but he is more middle-aged in mentality than I am.

SPEAKER_04 17:17

I am actually like a 70-year-old man trapped in a 30-year-old body. I know, yeah, I know. Okay. Back to the notebook. So back to the notebook. Um just fire it off the cuff.

SPEAKER_03 17:28

I'm here for it. I'm all for going in the order we come on, conversation. Yeah. That's just what it is. Okay. So can you walk us through like what your directorial take, I guess, would be um on the show was? I know that's like a brilliant elegant way to put it, but but like what were the themes you were trying to focus on in this show?

SPEAKER_01 17:52

So there are several facets to how I approach the show. Um, first and foremost is thinking about how to make it accessible to everyone. Okay. Because I could take the hyper-religious standpoint, um, but that would alienate our patrons who aren't necessarily religious or um Christian in nature. Yep. But I also didn't want to do anything sacrilegious with it, A, because that violates my own faith journey, but it also isn't true to the source material source material. Um so I thought, how do I tell the best story? Um and so I approached it as a family story because that's essentially what it is. Um, and then tried to uh incorporate my personal belief and or faith into the perspective that I led the actors to with their characters. Um so for instance, God at the beginning of the Genesis, the first nine books of Genesis are what is the subject matter for the show. Um, and God is not the most layered or um complex being outside of the fact that he is God at the beginning of the Bible. Um and a lot of productions of the show take that viewpoint on God that we just accept what he's feeling as he's feeling it because that's what the Bible says. Right. Um, and that is neither relatable nor interesting to me. Um, because anger for no reason or anger and wrath just because you're told to have it isn't justifiable. Um and so I thought, well, if we are talking scripturally and father and God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then the same God that came in the form of Jesus and the same God that is present in the New Testament must also be present in the Old Testament. And so we tried to create a much more human uh emotional path um for that character specifically. Um but also I from a physical standpoint, because I'm also a choreographer, um Act one is very amorphic in the fact that it takes a place in so many different varied locations with different climates and um environmental factors between the Garden of Eden and the Wilderness and uh Ring of Stones that I'm attributing to Stonehenge or whatever, where it is really hard to conceptualize a set that can work in such a fluid way. Um and so we have these storytellers that um are the chorus that most of the time are treated more like a choir than an actual ensemble.

SPEAKER_03 20:57

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 20:58

Where they just kind of stand around and they might become plants or whatever, but the it's not usually a very physical show. Um whereas ours is extremely physical uh because I decided that I wanted the storytellers to function more like the idea of a Greek chorus or or demons D-A-M-O-N-S, um, from the Greek theatrical um idea and the fact that they are just spirits and beings that exist within the world but aren't necessarily characters and say they become the tree of knowledge, they become the ring of stones that they're in, they become the plants in the garden, they become um at one point when Kane and Abel are growing up, uh we build a tent on stage and they become the structural foundation of the tent and then use the tent in a choreographic way that makes it grow to show passage of time. And so um the other, I guess, viewpoint on my um directorial tent. Is how to incorporate the the ensemble in a way that is effective and story driven without having to add anything to the story.

SPEAKER_04 22:14

Speaking of that with your storytellers and all, because this is I'd guess heavy is the best way to describe the source material. I mean, you have someone as the father who is the representation of God. When you were going through casting, like what were you looking for? Were you hoping for? Because you have a stellar, stellar cast. I do have a stellar cast. Um Adam and Darcy Pingle, Tucker Young, uh Wesley Cox, I mean, are just absolutely flawless in the show. Rachel Ottman and Rachel Ottman, flawless and everything showed. Absolutely. Um but with this, you know, that you're trying to walk the line of you don't want to be sacrilegious, but you're still telling the story. What were you looking for in casting? And then when you got to rehearsal, how was that process?

SPEAKER_01 23:01

Um so that's a really interesting question in the fact that it depends on the group of characters. Um so the way the story is written is most characters, uh Act One is Adam and Eve, and the story of the garden um up through Eve's death, and act two is Noah and the Ark, up through get uh his family and the animals getting off the ark. Um and so most actors in the show play one character in Act One and one character in Act Two. And so, specifically for uh Tucker and Darcy, who play Adam and Eve and Noah and Mama Noah, I needed versatility because I mean, sp specifically, Darcy has to play a physical adult with a mentality of a five-year-old, eight-year-old at the beginning of the show, and then within the same body, be able to grow mannerisms and physical stature and wisdom and worldly knowledge into an adult within that really spans about a 10-year, 15-year period, um, 18-year period, and then again further age herself to what in the show is probably only about 125 years, but if we're looking biblically, it's probably about 800 years. Um and so I needed a vast array of physical, emotional, and visual versatility that could be manipulated. Um, and Tucker's kind of the same, uh, especially in Act Two, whenever they both are adults the whole time, but they have to make big kind of ideological shifts. And as anybody who's dealt with an ideological shift, it it not only perceives or changed where you perceive the world, but it a lot of times changes the way that you physically move about the world. Um, but then you know, Wesley and Rachel who play Wesley has a huge range because Kane is obviously famous for being the first murderer and whatnot. Um, but then he switches from that kind of angsty, angry, resentful being that is fully realized, and the audience kind of gets to relate with where that comes from, to the typical kind of love interest, the dough eyed um male ingenue, and Rachel is the same. Um, while Rachel has more of the heavy lifting of grappling with what is her faith and how does it affect her character and how she how the character is able to ask questions while maintaining the core element of faith, and so there had to be a real vulnerability there as well. Um for Adam's father, um I didn't I had a few people that I knew kind of in mind that I was cons wanting to come audition and considering if they did happen to come audition, but the biggest issue for me outside of being able to, you know, physically do the role and vocally do the role was what kind what was the quality of human um, you know, when you're putting somebody on stage as God, it cannot be somebody that I feel the audience looks around as like that's a crappy person because they're mean to everybody else. They're talented, right? But they're crappy. I can't accept them as a loving father. I can't accept them no matter how good of an actor they are, because then they see them great points. They see them as human, they don't see them as ethereally positive.

SPEAKER_03 26:45

They also have to be able to grow a wicked beard.

SPEAKER_01 26:49

That was actually his choice. Really? I didn't so I was wondering if you made him do that or not. No, visually for the cast, I told them that I didn't want them to make any cosmetic changes that they didn't feel served the character that they were interested in. They were able to keep all tattoos, they were able to have whatever hair color they wanted or hairstyle, they could keep any piercings, they could have facial hair, not have facial hair. The only requirement that I have, and this is pretty typical, is glasses wouldn't have really functioned well. Yeah. Um, yeah. And just for the show, especially with the amount of movement that they do. But as far as visually, I didn't have I told them that I wanted it was important to me that we had as many visual representations on stage as possible. Because another thing with making the story accessible is I wanted um, you know, I was really adamant about having people of color in our show. Um, because I wanted anybody who came to the audience to look on stage and be able to find somebody that they related to or that they saw themselves in so that they could have more buy-in to the story. Um, because the subject matter can be alienating between religious trauma or just growing up in a different faith or having a very specific idea of what the Christian faith looks like, you know, being able to relate to the story is the first way to get the message out. Um, and so I actually didn't put anything on them about how they looked. That was completely Adam's idea.

SPEAKER_04 28:12

I just have to say, I'm loving this. I could sit here and listen to a director talk about their show for hours on end. Well, thanks. Yeah, it's um again, as we said, uh the show closes this weekend. Everyone needs to go see it. Uh, Patrick, go to your notebook quickly because I have another question, but I think it's gonna lead into what's on the notebook.

SPEAKER_03 28:34

Well, then just ask your question.

SPEAKER_04 28:36

If you have a question, then what's on your it's uh so it's obvious the first act is Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. My favorite part of the show, I've still talked about it with people, was the snake in the snake song. Yeah. It is, and I don't mean this as an insult to the rest of the show, because the whole show was great. I loved it. But I was like, dang, I really wanted another snake song. I really wanted another snake moment. Yeah, it was so cool. The song's really cool. How you blocked it and choreographed it. It's thank you.

SPEAKER_03 29:10

Please tell me everyone about the snake. But don't give specifics because it should make people want to come see the show. Uh well, do like yeah, don't give anything away.

SPEAKER_01 29:20

Okay, we'll see how good you are in post if I say too much.

SPEAKER_03 29:23

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_04 29:24

We already told people to fast forward to come see the show. Fast forward, see the show, then come back and listen to this episode because it's gonna be just the cherry on top for you.

SPEAKER_01 29:33

Um so uh there are several takes here. First of all, the five people who make up the snake, um, Paige Level, Cameron Clark, Caroline Humphreys, uh Dylan Ellis, and Logan Stewart are just powerhouse performers. They're just absolutely brilliant. Um because I gave them I essentially gave them, led them in questions to ask them to discover a villainous archetype. Um, and then everything that I gave them as far as movement or motivation was filtered by uh motivation that they had to filter through the archetype that they chose, um, which is kind of how we got five distinct different personalities within the snake. Um as a challenge, um previously I Corey gruffed a show called Alice by Heart, um, where everything was Alice and Wonderland and big and through life. And so I wanted to It was a really pretty show, by the way. Yeah, it was a really pretty show. I'm proud of that one and Lindsay Wortham, shout out Bestie. Um But I challenged myself to create something as otherworldly as possible as possible physically while still giving Snake. Um and so there's a lot of twists and turns and partner work and hyper-realistic or yeah, hyper-realistic movement, um, and the way that they interact with Eve and with the Apple. Um But it wasn't my favorite part about the snake, and I can't say this about most of the show, but I think the snake is also the best written part of the show for multiple reasons. Um, number one, if you just listen to the text and we were very specific in the blocking and the directing of the the lines in that portion of the script, um, because in just on paper, you know, the snake is known to deceive and to um tempt and to get Eve to let her guard down so that she chooses the to make the wrong choice, if you believe in that element of the story. Um and the lines where the snake is actually subverting Eve's understanding of what is right and wrong are very direct, where any time in the script the snake is dancing around the issue before they get straight to the point is when they incorporate the long S's in these in the snake sound. And so the actual script itself is very intentional about when they're getting to the point and when it's working around. Um and and that same kind of pattern follows in the song. Um, but then I also worked with the cast and tried to, after I understood their archetypes and how they were going to approach the characters in the choreography, I tried to have the snake led by the person whose archetype best fit the intention of the movement. And so they there's an a head of the snake, the head of the snake is continually interchanged by the the actor who whose archetype would use that specific tactic that that is being used within the lyrics of the song at that moment.

SPEAKER_04 33:16

It's it's really fascinating how you just I mean what you just said because it's how you gave them different archetypes and how you said not one is uh the head of the snake, that it sort of uh functions and switches around because it's just one of those light bulb moments where it's I subconsciously was like I'm like, yeah, I saw all of that. That thing makes so much complete sense. And it's how just kudos to your actors and to you because you gave them go make these archetypes, and I'm assuming they all came up with some sort of different something, but how well they complement each other and just really form that bond and that team.

SPEAKER_01 33:55

Well, and that's and that's something that I love collaboration. There's so many leaders and directors and anybody in authority who, if they've relinquish any decision-making skills, it feels like their vision is threatened. And I believe in the absolute opposite. I mean, Adam Pingle will tell you a story where we were in read-through and he read something, and it's where he was coming in and trying to kind of disguise himself was the intention that he was feeling first. And so he threw out the idea of wearing those stupid light glasses with the nose with a mustache. And I was like, Okay, talk me through this. I help me understand. He's like, I'm just kidding. But like, if an actor comes to me and says, I feel this for this moment, what do you think? I'm like, try it. I want to see. And so, like, the entire time that we were working on the snake, and it's again these five brilliant human beings who are just so creative and fearless in what they bring on stage and how clear they are on stage. Um, that I would watch it and I would work on it with them, and then they would have other ideas and they would talk outside a rehearsal and incorporate it so that the next time I saw it, like I was getting new things every time that they had already worked on and incorporated. So even most of the time, I wasn't like that doesn't work because they had already flushed it out so clearly amongst themselves. Um, that I just got to say, let's tweak this. This movement isn't giving what you think what you think it's giving, and really just adjust the picture of it because they all brought so much to the table with intentionality.

SPEAKER_02 35:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 35:44

And all that intentionality shows, it's I've I know I've told you, I've told the people, but it's it was such a great show. Thank you. And everyone needs to go see us. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 35:53

We're real proud of it. I want to ask one more question, and then for time's sake, I want to get into rapid fire. Okay. Oh yes. You were you were I do want to ask this question just because you had mentioned it a few times just now. Um you this is not the first show you've worked on here. Yeah. Um you've you've been in shows here, correct?

SPEAKER_01 36:10

Yes, I've been into choreograph two and then directed and choreographed this one.

SPEAKER_03 36:15

Yeah. So you are a choreographer and you have a choreographer's brain. This is the first time you've directed here. What has that been like switching from you know, you core you've choreographed two shows, Alice Bahart being one of them that we just talked about. Um but like for you is it is that difficult like watching, like you know, having to like focus on things that like aren't choreography at times when um no.

SPEAKER_01 36:44

I've truthfully I've uh probably directed around 40 shows. So okay. Um and if I direct I choreograph because I do have a choreographer's brain, and I was a dancer before I sung, was a singer or actor or anything like that. Um but choreographing when I'm not the director is much harder.

SPEAKER_03 37:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:13

Um because it's my job to fit into the vision of someone else that's not in my head. So there's a lot more, there are a lot of conversations about, you know, what's your view on the objective of this character or how um, especially like with Alice, um, Lindsay and I were already very close because we had done, I don't know, four shows or six shows or something like that together. Um but like that script is so open-ended and the language is so inactive. It's more about emotional exploration than actual objectives of the character. She just kind of figures out her way in each song, and so then having an external character that is already part of the fantasy of Alice in Wonderland who is teaching her about something, and I have to use the lyrics to take the character on the emotional journey without ever having an active word in the script about what they're doing or what's happening. Yeah. Um, Lindsay and I had so many in-depth conversations um just about how to we wanted to exhibit that on stage. And when I'm directing, the whole vision's in my head. I know where it's all coming from. Um and so it's not really very different, but I approach choreography just like I approach direction. What, you know, what's the what's the intent, what's the objective, what is what's what's the growth in the number, what is um, what are the themes of this show? What's the aesthetic? It's all I don't really change the difference because to me, good blocking should seem natural, but it's nothing more than spoken word choreography. Like where the picture that the characters are creating on stage should tell more of a story than the dance sometimes purely because there's not music underneath it to add the emotion to what's supposed to be there. Um, so I don't really approach them any differently. Because if it if it doesn't feel natural to do for an actor in a line, it won't feel natural for them to do it in a song.

SPEAKER_04 39:37

Yeah. Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. I love this. This is my favorite episode.

SPEAKER_03 39:42

I could I could I could talk about this for hours. Yes. I'm really bad at time management whenever we start talking about stuff I enjoy. Yeah, but our time is now coming to an end. We must go to rapid fire questions. I'm sorry. As much as it pains me. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 39:57

Well, we can continue this out of or we can do a part two if we want.

SPEAKER_03 40:00

Okay, so welcome to the rapid fire section. I'm gonna throw some questions at you. You just say whatever comes to your head. All right, ready? All right, sensor on. Sensor on. No pressure. Okay. You are deserted on an island, and you can only take three items with you to survive. What are those three items?

SPEAKER_01 40:21

I'm guessing a cell phone is cheating to call somebody.

SPEAKER_03 40:24

It's it's your three items.

SPEAKER_04 40:25

Your three items. Correct. Yeah, a range.

SPEAKER_03 40:31

Um rapid fire, rapid fire, rapid fire.

SPEAKER_01 40:35

A book that I will come up with a title later because that's what I like to do in my spare time. Um a source of fire, and a hatchet. Because I can build a structure and I can set things on fire to cook. And read. And read. And done.

SPEAKER_03 40:53

Okay. Pick any show to direct.

unknown 40:57

Dang.

SPEAKER_00 40:58

Um, there are so many um rapid fire.

SPEAKER_01 41:07

I know. Uh I'm gonna go through my phone and just pick the first one. My god. Because there are so many, a chorus line. Ooh. Pick a new show to be in.

SPEAKER_03 41:17

Company. Rapid fire, Patrick. Who's lasting longer than the apocalypse? Me or RJ? RJ. That's two. That's a second week in a row they picked you.

SPEAKER_01 41:30

What kind of apocalypse? Zombie. RJ. Apparently because I think if a zombie was you know chasing after him, I do believe that he could put beat down a door. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 41:41

Okay. Final question. Final question. Who is winning the Major League Baseball World Series this year?

SPEAKER_01 41:48

The Savannah Merman. I don't freaking know.

SPEAKER_00 41:55

I neither know nor care.

SPEAKER_03 41:58

Savannah Merman.

SPEAKER_00 42:00

I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 42:01

I would, I mean, I don't want the Yankees to win because who likes the Yankees?

SPEAKER_04 42:07

Um, that's your answer. We take it. Sure.

SPEAKER_03 42:10

Just cover up my Yankees in it.

SPEAKER_04 42:12

Thank you so, so, so much. You're welcome. Thank you. Thanks for having me. So insightful.

SPEAKER_03 42:17

Yep. The first director on the show. Yeah. Yay. Thank you so much, Holt. Thank you for your time. My pleasure.

SPEAKER_04 42:23

Thank you all. Your last chance to see Children of Eden is this Friday and Saturday tickets on sale by Please come.

SPEAKER_01 42:30

They've worked so hard and they deserve to be seen.

SPEAKER_04 42:32

You will regret it if you miss this one. I promise you that. Alright. Thanks again, Holt.

SPEAKER_03 42:37

You're welcome. Thank you. Thank you so much, Holt. It was very exciting to have our first ever director interview.

SPEAKER_04 42:44

It was so enlightening. It's I love talking to directors about their show and their process. You get to really it not that the show wasn't clear, but you get just such a greater understanding and appreciation for Children of Eden, and you all should definitely get tickets for the final weekend.

SPEAKER_03 43:00

Yes, you should. There's one more weekend left. Now, you have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to see it because we took Easter Sunday off. So you still have three more chances. So please get those tickets while you can. Do not miss out on Children of Eden here at the Arts Center of Cannon County. Now, RJ, it's the end of the episode, which means we need to read um emails.

SPEAKER_04 43:25

We got an email. Guys, we got an email. I can't wait.

SPEAKER_03 43:31

Oh, oh, oh, I also forgot to mention before I get into the email, I totally forgot to mention this. Guys, Patrick. We discovered last week that we have an international audience.

SPEAKER_04 43:42

We do have an international audience. Yeah. So if you're those fine folks in uh we have listeners in Asia, Asia, and like two listeners in South America. Yeah, if you are those fine folks who are listening to us um from outside the US and North America, please shoot us. An email at Castlist at ArtCenterofCc.com because we'd love to hear from y'all.

SPEAKER_03 44:04

Don't really know why y'all are listening, but we're not complaining, and we really love it. We love it and we appreciate it. Anyway, we have an email from Sunshine Robins.

SPEAKER_04 44:15

Sunshine Robins, my school mom?

SPEAKER_03 44:18

Yep. She says, RJ, your school mom has listened to all the podcast episodes. You and Patrick are doing great. Oh. Patrick, I'm so excited to hear about the escapades with Penelope Potato. Way to go for rescuing her. Have a wonderful week and keep up the fun. Oh, well.

SPEAKER_04 44:35

That is just that's Miss Sunshine for you. Thank you, Miss Sunshine. Oh, Miss Sunshine, you old rascal, you.

SPEAKER_03 44:42

Well, RJ, another episode is coming gone.

SPEAKER_04 44:46

Another episode is coming gone. Crazy, as you say.

SPEAKER_03 44:49

Crazy, crazy, crazy.

SPEAKER_04 44:51

Crazy, crazy, crazy.

SPEAKER_03 44:52

Y'all, thank you so much for listening. Yeah. We really do appreciate it.

SPEAKER_04 44:56

Be sure to leave us a review and leave five stars on your podcast listener of choice. Helps other people find the podcast.

SPEAKER_03 45:02

And share us. Share us to your friends, share us to your family. Yeah. It really does help.

SPEAKER_04 45:06

And we hope to see you here at the Art Center, either for Children of Eden, for one of our artist receptions, for our art show, for The Hobbit, or for anything else we have coming up.

SPEAKER_03 45:17

In the meantime, I'm Patrick. I'm RJ. And this has been the cast list. See you next time. Until next time. Bye-bye. You've been listening to the cast list. Hey, if you like what you hear, go ahead and leave the Art Center of Cannon County a good review. To see more information about current events at the Art Center, visit www.artcenterofc.com. Or give us a call at six one five five six three two seven eight seven. We hope you enjoyed this episode, and we hope to see you at the Art Center soon.