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Or at least that’s how Philip Zimmermann views his job at the Great River Shakespeare Festival.
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Anna Sundberg, Nicole Rodenburg and David ’Rudi’utter, performing as Caius Cassius, Metellus Cimber and Brutus, rehearse Monday for tonight’s opening of "Julius Caesar" presented by The Great River Shakespeare Festival Apprentice and Intern Company. The play starts at 7:30 p.m. in Winona State’s Performing Arts Center. (Photo by Katie Derus/Winona Daily News) |
The 20-year-old Appleton, Wis., native is one of 14 acting apprentices spending their summer memorizing up to four different roles that they may never play.
In addition to living in the shadows of the limelight, the aspiring actors get a chance to test their abilities (and memories) for two performances of “Julius Caesar” this week. This is on top of their other duties, of course.
“It’s tricky with the understudy part and now headlong into this,” said apprentice David “Rudi” Utter, who plays Brutus for the apprentice guild performance.
Utter is also an understudy for Orlando in “As You Like It.”
“(This play) shows how well our director and interns can put (a production) together on a barebones budget in three weeks,” Utter said. “It’s great in its simplicity and that’s the goal in this festival.”
This is the first time in the festival’s four-year history in which the apprentices will offer two performances. It’s also the first time the company has charged for the show; ticket prices are $15. However, the money will go toward the apprentice scholarship program, which will help next year’s incoming apprentices.
The unpaid apprentices have to juggle their understudy roles, including all rehearsals, with three weeks to prepare for their own performances. Their nights and days off are often spent memorizing lines, they said.
The long hours and hard work is not a drudgery, said director Rick Barbour. “It takes a lot of self-discipline, courage and heart to navigate that as a person,” Barbour said.
“It’s a terribly important job, and it’s really pretty thankless.”
Barbour said understudying is about paying dues, because most stage actors go through a period early in their career where they do a fair amount of understudying. He had six understudy roles in his early acting career.
“It’s sort of a rite of passage,” he said.
The job teaches the apprentices the value of being prepared and committed to the bigger picture of the company, Barbour said.
When actor Zach Fine injured his foot last week, apprentice Evan Farrior had to be ready to step in for technical rehearsals.
“I almost got a chance to step in,” Farrior said. “You sit through rehearsal and watch them all and have an idea in mind, but you’ve never done it on your feet. It’s scary.”
Because the understudies could be called to perform sometimes a half an hour before the show, they too get nervous before the show — complete with sweating and fretting.
“I’ll be afraid if my phone rings,” Zimmermann said.
IF YOU GO
What: “Julius Caesar”
Who: Apprentice guild of the Great River Shakespeare Festival
When: 7:30 p.m. today and 3 p.m. Friday
Where: WSU’s Performing Arts Center Mainstage
Cost: $15
Reporter Amber Dulek can be reached at (507) 453-3513 or amber.dulek@lee.net.
