Angela Iannone is a busy woman, in fact, it could even be said that for the past few months, she’s been a “super-busy” woman. Angela’s schedule has filled with directing a steampunk-costumed version of “Romeo and Juliet” at UW-Whitewater (which opens this Tuesday) and at the same time, acting in the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre’s “The History of Invulnerability” where she gets to play the role of Superman’s Kryptonian mother! Lucky for me, she was willing to answer my interview questions via email, and then sit for a portrait just before a tech rehearsal for “R & J” began!
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TF: How long have you been involved in the theatre arts? Did you go to school for it?
AI: “Theatre Arts” sounds like a high school curriculum title. I have been a professional, Union actor since 1983. I was a non-union professional for 10 years before joining the union. I have two degrees. A BFA from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio and an MFA from Illinois State University in Bloomington/Normal.
TF: How tightly do you hold to your vision of the script? Do you follow a very “tight” vision, or do you allow for the actors to bring a fair amount of their own interpretation to the script?
AI: I don’t know what this question means. It seems to imply that there is some difference between what the actors understand and what the director understands about the script. Any differences of opinion in the direction of the script should be sorted out beforehand – when the casting is going on. Once the production gets to rehearsals, everyone should be on the same page.
TF: In choosing scripts to work with, do you consciously seek a balance between what >you< want to put on stage and what you think will attract an audience?
AI: No. Interesting scripts done well will draw an audience
TF: What role does theatre serve in modern culture?
AI: Theatre of any time period and from any culture always and only presents a ‘snapshot’ of those issues and situations that we as humans find interesting and worthy of attention. Theatre has no more onus of producing ‘significant’ events than does any other event in any other venue. We are a spectating species. We like to watch.
TF: How would you define the director’s role in a production?
AI: The “director” is a relatively new idea in performance. The Greeks used a Choregos, who was in charge of assisting to shape the choral dances and who funded the production at the twice yearly festivals. The Romans had a patron who was in charge of funding the production and selecting what script or series of variety type ‘acts’ he was interested in presenting. The pre-Shakespeare dramas also had to be guided in some way, usually by the person designing the event.
The famous Jacobian ‘masques’ that Inigo Jones designed, were also directed by him, in collaboration with the dance master and music master. Scholarship indicates that from the time of Shakespeare on, the playwright, in combination with the actors, was in charge of ‘stage business’ and helping the actors to craft a performance. In the 19th century, the ‘stage manager’, in collaboration with the lead actors, would teach the extras and supers their ‘business’, design the curtain and scene shift plot, assist to execute all the onstage business that had to be done, and search for the set pieces, backdrops, sound effects, weaponry and anything else that might be needed. With the advent of the ‘star system’ in the American theatre in the mid 1800’s, the lead actors would ‘take’ the rehearsals, and instruct secondary players about ‘blocking’, business and emotional content they desired. Some business became tradition, and stock company actors could be counted on to do the ‘traditional business’ in Shakespeare plays or Restoration comedies. Henry Irving, the sole owner and leading actor of the Lyceum Theatre in London, was counted a brilliant ‘stage artist’—by which is meant, he was a brilliant director.
Edwin Booth was among the first American ‘directors’ when he was owner and manager of the Booth Theatre in NYC. Augustin Daly, David Belasco, Mrs. John Drew (Louisa Lane) at The Park and Joseph Jefferson are among the first Americans who we might call ‘directors’, though they weren’t the first to do what we would call ‘directing’.
In terms of university productions, I have two tasks, to ‘direct’ the stage business, and coordinate with designers and production team to present a unified stage picture that includes set, costumes, lights, sound, props and efficient use of the space, and to work with student actors not only to learn the role or roles in which they have been cast, but to teach them how to rehearse and how to work easily and happily in a large group—IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER. The goal is always to be pointing the student designers and actors towards a career in professional, Union theatre. (emphasis added – TF)
TF: Why should people come out for more theatre?
AI: Theatre doesn‘t have to prove it has a right to exist and doesn’t have to validate itself. Come if you are interested, if you aren’t, stay home. People have been predicting the death of live theatre since 2000 BC. We aren’t dead yet.
TF: What is your current production? When/where does it open and how long does it run?
AI: I am performing in “The History of Invulnerability” at Milwaukee Rep. Currently running, check the website (linked above) for more info. I am directing “Romeo & Juliet” at UW Whitewater, opening April 29th and running through May 3rd.
