| Director's Page | |
| Micki Voelkel, Director of All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten | |
 An
interview with Micki Voelkel, 31 December 2007Micki Voelkel is a teacher of Computer Applications at University of Arkansas Fort Smith and lives in Van Buren with her husband Bob. FSLT: When did you start in theater? DIRECTOR: My first play was my own version of the Christmas Story plagiarized from the pages of the Children's Bible. I was in the second grade. I gave myself the role of narrator and I directed! My opening performance was spoiled by a wayward shepherd who refused to come out of the coat closet. FSLT: How did you get started in the Fort Smith Little Theater? DIRECTOR: I did An Evening with Cole Porter way back in 1983 at the old theatre on North O Street. FSLT: You were very active until 1991, but then you were absent until 2003. Why? DIRECTOR: I went through a number of life changes. I had to figure out who I was in real life for a while. I was a recent college grad during my first incarnation at the theatre. I came back in 2003 after 10 years of marriage, a career change and a lot of growing up. Actually it was nice, because when I came back at 39 I was finally old enough for all the roles I had been auditioning for since I was 25. FSLT: You have directed 2 shows at FSLT before this one. What were they? DIRECTOR: The Man Who Came to Dinner and Shadowlands. FSLT: Were there any Directing Disasters during the first show? DIRECTOR: Only coming to grips with scale. I chose a show (Man Who Came to Dinner) with a cast of THOUSANDS. (Well 25 or so...) including children, penguins, a mummy, cockroaches. It was hard to find crew members because everyone I knew was already in the show... But no real disasters... FSLT: Why did you choose the current play to direct? DIRECTOR: I enjoyed the Fulgham book All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. But honestly one of our young directors, Dusty Westfall had submitted two off-season shows which appealed to our Production Committee. Since I wasn't directing on the main season, I opted to direct Kindergarten so that our patrons could experience both of the excellent shows that Dusty chose to submit. FSLT: Are their any other plays would you like to direct? DIRECTOR: Only millions. I would love to direct the 50s comedy Desk Set and the new Broadway adaptation of the sixties film classic The Graduate. I'll probably submit those choices for the 2009 season. FSLT: You've done several roles as an actor. Do you have a favorite? DIRECTOR: I have a few favorites.... Boo in Last Night of Ballyhoo was good fun because she was such a Mommy Monster. I also loved Rosemary in Picnic--it's just a classic role. And then of course I got a chance to really stretch when I played Rose in Enchanted April so that 's a favorite as well. FSLT: Are there any other roles you would like to play? DIRECTOR: Only millions. Let's just say there are several roles I plan to audition for this year. FSLT: How do you choose a role to play? DIRECTOR: When the director chooses me to play it! Well actually I try to only audition for roles that would be meaningful to me or that I think I particularly suit. FSLT: What acting disaster sticks out in your mind? DIRECTOR: Years ago I did a touring production of A Christmas Carol in which I wore a Christmas Tree dress complete with tinsel, Christmas balls and a star on top of my head. I had to dance in it and nightly the tinsel on the dress would twist around the heel of my shoes and I had more than one fall in it. It's hard to play off falling on your rear dressed as a Christmas tree. FSLT: You have done several jobs in theater, (possibly acting and directing, building sets and props and special effects). Do you have a favorite activity? DIRECTOR: I'm an actor... It's always my favorite. But I love directing because I love seeing my particular vision come to life. FSLT: In addition to working in shows, you have been (position - volunteer, board committee) for the theater since (year). How does that fit in with theater work? DIRECTOR: It's about paying your dues. You get the privilege of performing on stage, so board work is a way of paying back the theatre for that privilege. FSLT: Do you consider yourself primarily and actor, director or technical person? DIRECTOR: I'm an actor who directs. FSLT: Where do you get your energy? What keeps you going in theater? DIRECTOR: Audiences. They are like the batteries that keep a show going. FSLT: What do you find rewarding about theatre? DIRECTOR: It's a collaborative art form. It's not something you can do alone... I think that's very cool. FSLT: Anything you'd like to add? DIRECTOR: NOPE Directing Credits: Shadowlands 2007 Man Who Came to Dinner 2006 Acting Credits: Backstage Credits Info about me:
(You can meet Micki in person after any of the performances during the run of All I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten) |
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| This Page Last Updated Thursday, January 03, 2008 |