It’s always a treat for our family to go to a play at Northwest Children’s Theater and Little Red “Riding Hood” was no exception. Set in the 1950’s, complete with do-wop music, slicked back hair, poodle skirts and revving engines, Little Red “Riding Hood,” is the latest musical (original adaptation) by Melody Bridges that explores and questions gender roles in fairy tales in a delightfully entertaining manner.
As a mother of young daughters it’s great to see strong female characters on the stage. It’s also fun to see children enjoying the play and be excited to meet the actors afterwards. My girls couldn’t wait to meet Jenny Bunce who plays Granny and Miss Mary Kay in the play. She is reminiscent of a young Carol Burnett and absolutely lights up the stage with her stellar voice and comedic delivery. After graduating from University of Connecticut, Jenny moved to Portland and has been working, teaching and performing at NWCT for over 4 years.
I had the pleasure of asking Jenny a ton of questions and she was kind enough to answer them all and then some. Thanks, Jenny!
How did you get involved in acting?
I am lucky enough to say that I have been acting since the tender age of 6. My elementary school began doing musical reviews that year, and I was both a lost boy singing “I Won’t Grow Up” in Peter Pan, and an orphan singing “Food, Glorious Food” in Oliver. It all came full circle in 5th grade when I got to play Peter Pan myself! I have been performing ever since.
What do you love about acting and performing?
I love the rush of energy I get whenever I’m performing. It’s unlike any other feeling! One of my favorite things in the world to do is make people laugh, and luckily I’m able to do that most times I’m on stage. Performing is something that I hope to be doing in some capacity for the better part of my life.
In Little Red “Riding Hood” you play 2 characters –what do you like about this particular role?
Granny and Miss Mary Kay are so incredibly different, and it was really fun creating the two characters and the worlds they live in. Granny is nurturing and encouraging, while Miss Mary Kay is a bit more… narrow minded. Everything from their accents, to their dress, to their posture is different. I loved working on the contrast between the two, but it took a little bit of experimentation to get them to where they ended up.
How do you develop a character and prepare for a role?
There’s a lot that goes into creating a character! When we introduce a story to the world, we also introduce these characters to the world. For Little Red, the writers and Sarah Jane, our director, had an idea of how they wanted these characters to tell the story, but we as the actors are also able to help create the personalities of the characters. You have to think about how that character walks, talks, reacts, shows emotion, and has relationships with the other characters. I like to play a lot with the other actors and think about how the characters would interact with one another if we weren’t just following the script. It takes time, and your character continues to develop throughout the run of the show even though rehearsals are over. You get to know them very well!
Do you ever get nervous? How do you feel when you perform?
I absolutely get nervous! Luckily most of the time when I’m on stage the nerves go away and it just turns into energy. Usually while I’m performing I just get excited!
What is a good age to begin acting and taking classes?
As soon as you feel inspired by performing and telling a story on stage, that is the best time to start acting. If you’re like me, all you will need is that first taste of being on stage and you’ll be hooked. At NWCT, classes for kids start at age 3! The fun thing about taking classes is you can learn so many different kinds of theater and acting skills, and you can get a really good idea of the kind of acting and performing you’d like to pursue. Plus you get the opportunity to work with very talented professionals.
Do you have any advice for young actors or people who want to do what you do?
Go for it! As someone who has loved performing all my life, I can tell you that I am who I am today thanks to the experiences I have had connected to the arts. Not only will you find out so much about yourself as a performer, but you will be able to learn from so many different performers with different levels of skill and experience. You’ll never stop learning, and hopefully you’ll never stop performing.
What actors do you admire?
Most of the actors I admire are female comediennes – Tina Fey, Gilda Radner, Carol Burnett, Lucille Ball. I also love Mel Brooks and Tom Hanks. Many of them are writers too, which I also admire very much.
What is special about NWCT?
I joined the NWCT family 4 years ago and found that the best part about it is exactly that – it’s family. I am from CT, so I didn’t grow up coming to shows or taking classes at NWCT, but being both a full time employee and a performer, it is one of the most welcoming places I have ever worked. Creating art with other people is such a unique experience, and there is no shortage of talent, creativity, and ideas here!
What can we look forward to seeing you in next?
My next upcoming show will be Bike Play with The Working Theatre Collective. We just began rehearsals so I don’t have much information on it quite yet!
Little Red “Riding Hood” runs now though May 26th. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit: http://www.nwcts.org
