Stage Whisper
Whisper in the Wings Episode 657
(upbeat music) - Welcome back in everyone to a fabulous new Whisper in the Wings from Stage Whisper. We have a wonderful show to talk to you about today and joining us to talk about the wonderful show. We've got an incredible, incredible guest. Joining us today, we have the actress, Mariah Jackson. She's here to talk to us about her piece "Vile Isle", which is playing now through October 6th at The Tank. And you can get your tickets and more information by visiting thetanknyc.org. This is a show that has been running for a little while now over at The Tank, and we're so happy that we've gotten a chance to get them on before they're gone. So with that, let us welcome on our guest, Mariah, welcome in to Whisper in the Wings from Stage Whisper. - Hi everybody. Hello, hello, hello. I'm so happy to be here. - I'm so excited that you're here today. I'm so excited to learn more about this piece. I mean, the title alone is a book, "Vile Isle". Can we start by having you tell us a little bit about what "Vile Isle" is about? - Yes, yes, yes. So "Vile Isle" is a play about a drag queen who receives a prophecy of the end of the world. She becomes a bit of a subplot to a group of four friends who are navigating relationships, love choosing each other, unshosing each other, all at the end of the world. So you get to watch these characters, all five of them, just grapple with their understanding of doomsday, of the world ending, of what they want to be like, who they want to be like, how they want to be like, when the world ends. - Wow, that is awesome. - Yeah, it's a fun one. It's a very, very crazy play that I love to do. - It sounds amazing. So how is it that you came upon this piece? - So last year, this piece began at Columbia University, our playwright, Justin, and our director, Spencer. We're both in the MFA program. This was Justin's thesis project, thesis play, and Spencer was a director. They were looking for actors to cover the role of Lizzie Fine, which is the character that I play. The dramaturter on the production is a good friend of mine, Desi Tibbs, and they reached out, asked me if I was available, when I auditioned, and I've been with the piece ever since then. - That is amazing. What a great place to originate the show, too. We love the playwriting department over at Columbia University. - Yes, we do. - So I want to kind of snowball off of that, and I'd love to be developing this piece, not only from Columbia, but currently right now at the tank. - The development process was really, really fun for me. I would say personally, it was a new play. - So last year, it was just very much about hearing it out loud, getting it on its feet, like imagining the possibilities that this world could look like and sound like and be like. So I would say the Columbia portion of it was more about just getting the play to feel like a play, whereas this time around now that we had one under our belt and we got to kind of tinker around and play with things, for me, I would say developing round two or this second drop has been even more exciting, even more fun. Justin definitely did some rewrites. The fun thing about coming back to this character is that there were clearly some things written with me in mind that I really appreciate it and got to like really sink into and dive into in a new way. And then it's at the tank. I did not expect us to be able to squeeze the insane amount of tech that we've been able to squeeze into that tank stage, but just watching this play grow with new life and new perspective has been really exciting. We started rehearsing in August and we opened in mid September and we are going through until this Friday. So yeah, I'm praying that we get around three, four, five with this one, I love it so much. - It was fabulous. Now with this incredible story that you're telling, I mean, truly, if the title wasn't enough to hook you in when you told us what it's about, I was like, okay, let's go. - He's been a message or a thought, you hope, that audiences take away from the piece? - Yeah, I think for me personally, I hope that the audience kind of takes away this idea of just making sure that you're intentional about how you are living, how you are showing up for yourself and showing up for other people. And that's pretty much all I can say to that. Just increasing your intention on how you're choosing to live your life because at any moment, the storm could come and we cannot be wiped away. So more than anything, choosing intention, choosing to be very decisive about yourself, the people in your life, the people around you. - It's a beautiful message, a beautiful message. And it leads to my final question for this first part, which is who are you hoping have access to vile aisle? - I think there's a play that everyone should see. Obviously, it's about a group of four game in a drag queen, so that can definitely have a sort of perception for a lot of people in a way that, I don't think has to matter. I think this is a story to me that feels very universal. It's about love, it's about choosing love, it's about running away from love, it's about fear, and choosing fear and running away from fear. It's about all the things that we as humanity often have to grapple with, especially at that at any time where the world feels like it's ending anyway. Obviously, it's not ending. But just the height of the heat of the moment that we're in and the time that we're in right now, it's a tense time. So a story reminding us what it's like to choose ourselves or choose others or choose love at the time of the world is literally falling apart. It was very palpable and necessary for everyone. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) - Well, on the second part of our interviews, we love giving our listeners a chance to get to know our guests a little bit better. Pick your brains, if you will. And I would love to know, what are who inspires you? What playwrights, composers or shows have inspired you in the past? Or are just some of your favorites? - Oh, my theater inspirations. I'm a Sondheim girl forever and always and it shocks people often to know that about me, but I love any everything off Sondheim. I think they're one of my favorite composers just because of what I was talking about earlier. I think they have this distinct ability to capture universal emotions in a way that is fun and approachable in 5,000 words in one phrase of a song and crazy notes and crazy structures to the sound, to the music. And I don't know, anytime I hear a Sondheim play or see a Sondheim play, there's just a sigh of humanity that sparks in me that I really, really love. In terms of some of my favorite performers, Audre McDonald, Always, Patty LaPone. Full stop, full stop. I hope that there is a world where if Audre does not want to go on one night, we get a patty, a revival, a gypsy. I would love to see it. Renee, at least, feels very husbandly heart, always, always, always. MJ Rodriguez, the work that she does is a black trans woman in the theater artist is definitely something that I am looking to push toward at any given moment in my career. Those are a few. I have an insane list, but on the top of the list right now, I think those are some of my bigger theater inspirations for sure. - I love that list. That is an amazing list. - Thank you so much for sharing that. Well, let me ask you now, what is your favorite part about working in the theater? - Ooh, I have not been asked that question in a long time. That's a really good question. I guess I would say the ability to create and recreate the ability to kind of show people possibility in terms of other worlds that can be stepped into other modes of existing, other ways of creating relationship and humanity, other ways of seeing each other. I think my favorite thing about being a theater artist is just this idea of creating possibility. This world is really hard and really scary. And there are a lot of things that build very finite and settled and no room for change or growth. So the theater to me is that space to remind people that what is given to us does not have to be the end result. We have so much capacity to imagine different, to create different, to be different. And that's why I stay in the theater. - I love that answer, that is a beautiful answer. And actually a great lead into my favorite question to ask guests, which is what is your favorite theater memory? - Ooh, I guess I do have to take it back to high school. It always goes back to high school theater. So one of the first big, big musicals I ever did in high school was "Dream Girls" actually. And I would say that was probably the show that really secured the, "I'm going to school for theater. I'm doing this forever. This is my career." There was just, "A Dream Girls" is my favorite musical of all time, and it had been up until that point. So getting to do it in high school nonetheless was a really, really big deal for me. But also just watching myself really soak it up and dive in and be so professional about it all at 16, 17 years old was very, very inspiring to a point where I will never forget the feelings of being on the stage doing that show at that time in my life. - So yeah, "Dream Girls" in high school for sure. - That is such a wonderful memory and an incredible show. Wow, thank you so much for sharing that. - Thank you, babe. Yeah, we love "Dream Girls" in this house. - Well, as we wrap things up, I would love to know, do you have any other projects or productions coming on the pipeline that we might be able to plug for you? - Ooh, so much like my character, I am a drag artist. So there's always a place where I'm ripping, running, twirling, stunting that girl, as we like to say, work fairly consistently throughout the city. So there's always the easiest way to just keep up with wherever I'm up and performing. In terms of theater projects, I guess it's time to audition again. We are hitting audition season, yay. But I do have a movie coming out to Paramount plus January, February, or March. We have not gotten our official date, but we do know it's first quarter of 2022-25. So that's the fun thing on the lookout right now. And yeah, I can kind of get my hands on being on the stage. - That is amazing. So some great, great things going on with you that we need to keep tabs on. And then it's a wonderful lead into my final question, which is, if our listeners would like more information about VioEil, or about you, maybe they'd like to reach out to you, how can they do so? - Yes, so tickets for VioEil, you can find on thetank.com/vioEil, if you need some more specificity. We are going through to the end of Sunday. We will be closing with the Sunday matinee. So you have tonight, so you have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to catch us before we are closing and let us pray that we will be back sometime soon, picked up by a theater who wants to show to happen more. You can keep up with me on Instagram @marrier, that is m-a-r-i-y-e-a-a-a-a. All of my schedules, things that I'm doing, shows that I'm in, we'll all be posted there always. - Yeah. - So wonderful, Marier, thank you so much for joining me. - Thank you for love. - Your wonderful work, your wonderful insight. This has been so wonderful. I can't wait to see you on stage. Anyway, everywhere, as well as on the screen. So truly, thank you so much for your time today. - Thank you, thank you, and thank you for having me. - My pleasure. My guest today has been an amazing, amazing artist, the actress, Marier Jackson, who joined us today to talk about her piece, Vile Isle. It's playing now through October 6th at the tank, and you can get your tickets and more information by visiting thetanknyc.org. We also have some contact information for our guests, which we'll be posting on our episode description, as well as on our social media posts. But right now, head to thetanknyc.org. You've only got a few chances left to see this brilliant show, until it is redone again. But the show again is Vile Isle, playing now through October 6th. And we wanna add for our American listeners that election day is November 5th. Make sure you are registered to vote, have a plan to cast your ballot, and do your democratic duty. You can find out how and where you can register and vote by visiting vote.gov. The future demands that we fight for it now. So until next time, I'm Andrew Cortez, reminding you to turn off your cell phones, unwrap your candies, and keep talking about the theater in a stage whisper. Thank you. (upbeat music) - If you like what you hear, please leave a five-star review, like and subscribe. - You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram at stagewhisperpah. - And feel free to reach out to us with your comments and personal stories at stagewhisperpahd@gmail.com. - And be sure to check out our website for all things stage whisper and theater. You'll be able to find merchandise, tours, tickets, and more. Simply visit stagewhisperpahd.com. Our theme song is Maniac by Jazzar. Other music on this episode provided by Jazzar and Billy Murray. You can also become a patron of our show by logging on to patreon.com/stagewhisperpahd. There you will find all the information about our backstage pass as well as our tip jar. Thank you so much for your generosity. We could not do this show without you. ♪ A long way from there ♪ ♪ I swear I don't care ♪ ♪ Anywhere will your town ♪ ♪ Make me there ♪ [BLANK_AUDIO]