Spelled the Same Way You Spell the Political Theorist

Karl Miller. I could write some more about him but what is the point really. I mean I could go to all this effort and talk about his talent, but what would be the point. I could tell you about when he and I shared one of the worst theatrical experiences of our lives in a unnamed theater in a warehouse in Virginia. I could tell you about how he is one of the smartest people I know and I could then direct you to his blog to prove my point. I could also tell you that he has a sparkling personallity rivaled only by his sense of irony.

For Rorschach he has appeared in Lord of the Flies and Acciental Death of an Anarchist. He has been on stage at Arena, Studio and this spring he will be making a certain Danish Prince his bitch for a couple of weeks at Rep Stage. Please enjoy Mr. Karl Miller!

1. Place of birth?

Detroit, Michigan

2. First experience in theater?

6yrs old -- sock puppet show at dare care. I was terrified. You couldn't call it stage-fright since all I had to do was stick my covered hand above a refrigerator box and say "I am a cat. Meow." But I remember thinking of the whole show as one big, exploitative cute-fest. They had to force my hand into view. And after I squeaked my line, the orgasmic "Awwwwww!" from the parents in the audience made me feel ... well ... D'y'ever wonder if your whole adult career is just misplaced vengeance for an emotionally-abusive day care worker? Nah.

3. Where you went to school?

Valley High School -- West Des Moines, Iowa. Wittenberg University -- Springfield, Ohio.

4. What do you do?

Actor, Writer.

5. What was your first experience with Rorschach?

Lord of the Flies was my first experience. I played "Simon." I was killed on the beach. The mob killed me. Dead before intermission. Gotta love it.

6. Company member you would most like to be if you were not yourself?

If one could somehow splice Tim Getman with Jason Linkins, then give it Jenny's laugh, Hugh's voice, Rahaleh's eyes and Grady's left arm ... I think the resultant cyborg could conquer the whole DC theatre scene. I've tried photoshopping the above creature and it is beautiful.

7. Some story about working on a Rorschach play that either made you laugh or touched you deeply?

Grady Weatherford first introduced me to the notion: Do the opposite of what you're doing and it'll probably be right. It's like that episode of Seinfeld, I know, where George becomes a lady magnet by doing the opposite of everything, but for Lord of the Flies ... come to think of it, for EVERYTHING I've done since ... this axiom has made the most sense.

8. Where do you think Rorschach will be in the next ten years?

In the next ten years ...

a) Rorschach will be discovered by a manic-depressive billionaire and part-time vigilante who will pad the coffers with his/her fortune. This windfall will come with a catch, of course: the billionaire will DEMAND to play the title role in Waiting for Godot and will INSIST on designing all the postcards him/herself. Also, half the season will be committed to "works that explore the Scottish condition."

b) Rorschach will move out of cushy Casa del Peublo and take to spontaneous performances of Sarah Kane plays in the twisted girders of post-empire DC. The Rorschach kids will make pageants in the streets long after the Kennedy Center takes a valaint shelling from WWIII.

c) Rorschach will become a way of life through the clever, almost subliminal, infusion of merchandise, cryptic bumper-stickers, secret hand-shakes, etc. It will have a legion of graffiti poets, and a hushed aura surrounding it -- kind of like the Freemasons, but with better costumes.

9. What is your favorite Rorschach show that you were not in?

Family Stories -- so many amazing minds converged on this one: Grady, Rahaleh, Mark, Maggie, Andrew, Sarah ... and everyone on the design team, too. Matt, Mark, David, Denise, Suzen. All Rorschach shows are their own shade of Spaz, but this one shook me up, smacked me around, and left a wonderful retina-burn.

10. Scott McCormick harmless adolescent or world conquering super villain?

Scott McCormick -- if he keeps up this blogging thing (and if he ever read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card), he could most definitely become a world-conquering super-villain.