Wednesday, February 22, 2006

DCeiver Meets Dcepticon

There are two power houses of nature behind the this here blog. One of them is your's truly and the other is a man who seems to be on the hit list of at least a dozen people on the internet and local club scene. His reviews of the television programs 24 and Lost have become the stuff of legend. He's so good there is at proof of at least one member of the blogging community trying to pass his material off as their own.

Jason Linkins is the man responsible for our slick black look and the ease with which I get to post to this here blog. His blog The Deceiver is one of the first things I check out on the internet each morning and a couple of times later in the day just in case.

An actor of no small accomplishment, he has appeared in three Rorschach shows, Master and Margarita, The Scarlet Letter and Behold! Recently he has become my favorite curtain speech provider and I consider him a close friend. And he has taken on the 10 questions and answered them the only way a mad genius can. Enjoy!

1. Place of birth?

I was born in Washington, DC at the now defunct Columbia Hospital for Women.

2. First experience in theater?

I am part of a large subset of people currently working in theatre who began the journey with a simple hope in mind--that by doing so, it might present circumstances that favored my chances of having sexual intercourse with a specific person. Like many who seek this path, my hopes of nailing that certain someone fell to ruin, leaving me with a theatrical career that I had to answer for. Thankfully, I am now regularly banging a talented actress in addition to being a Rorschach Company Member, so: Mission Accomplished, my dirties.

3. Where you went to school?

As anyone who spends more than four seconds with me quickly realizes, I bleed the blue and orange blood of the University of Virginia. However, it was the faculty of Virginia Commonwealth University who played the most significant role in my training. It was also at VCU that I met Jenny, Randy, and a significant number of Randy's ex-girlfriends.

4. What do you do?

I am a member of the acting company. I code the Rorschach blog. I do my best to aid and abet all of Rahaleh's tiny deceptions. I continually point out that Hugh Owen's pants are more expensive than my car. I delight audiences with veiled threats at curtain speech time. I have not, nor will I ever, contribute to Liz Chomko's delinquency, okay Liz's mom? Outside of Rorschach, I write my fingers to the nub for The DCeiver and DCist.com. Last winter, Ana Marie Cox allowed me the opportunity to rant my ass off over at Wonkette. I listen to Canadian indie rock. I watch Lost and anything Amy Poehler is in. I stay up too late. I have a cat named Talullah.

5. What was your first experience with Rorschach?

Auditioning for Rhinoceros. Poorly, I might add.

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

With all due respect, I don't really want to be any of them. But it's an extraordinary blessing to get to work with and learn from all of them. The company is packed, stem to stern with some of the people I've long admired since returning to Washington. The foursome who appeared in The Illusion are reason enough to want to be a part of Rorschach. I think one of the very first people I rehearsed with at Rorschach, was Tim Getman, a guy who raises the stakes in a scene just by walking out on the floor. He may not realize it, but I really try to take everything Grady Weatherford says to me to heart. Karl Miller is like a kind of crack that doesn't hurt people, divide families or inspire drecky movies like New Jack City. But, of course, for me, it all boils down to Scott McCormick. We are superfly dynamite in a show together. Just check the receipts, baby.

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

I had been told that, to Russians of the latter half of the 20th Century, there was no text more dear to them than Bulgakov's Master and Margarita, but simply being told that didn't compare at all to experiencing their reaction firsthand. It seemed like every Russian-born person in the area come out to see that show, and it was profoundly amazing to hear them talk about the novel and what it meant to them. If I had the chance to restage any single play that I'd done before, it would be that one--however, I would endeavor to add the one thing that was missing from the experience: central air conditioning.

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

Near a Bed Bath and Beyond, it would seem.

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

Some years ago, I ended up having to choose between remaining in a show and standing up for just about every moral and ethical precept I hold dear. I chose the latter, but, while it was important to do so, it was nevertheless a vast and disillusioning thing. About a week later, I went to go see Family Stories, and its near indescribable awesomeness went miles toward putting everything right with me again. A few hours after seeing it, it was like all the world's asininity had vaporized. Plus, later that evening, I bumped into Blelvis, and had a long conversation, making it the Best Night Ever. Soon after, Jenny invited me to join Master and Margarita, a decision she would come to regret, I imagine.

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

Wait! I was under the impression that Scott was going to be the next person to propose to a company member at opening night of Season 7! If that's not the case, world conquering super villain.

2 comments:

The Deceiver said...

Whoo! Columbia Hospital reprahzent!

Those pictures? So photogenic. Egad.

Anonymous said...

jason linkins i just bought a butterstick pin so you can be nearer to me