Adam Lishawa returns to the GCP stage to comically run up and down a lot of stairs. A LOT of stairs.
Character(s): Garry LeJeune / Roger Tramplemain
GCP Girl: Tell me a little about yourself, such as your past shows here or elsewhere, a particular area of study, occupation, hobby, etc.
Adam: Some of my favorite shows that I've done have been "Bug," "A Christmas Story," "Hunter Gatherers," "True West," and so many others. I've done voice work for the radio and audiobooks, some independent films, and performed as a singer and guitarist for local bands.
GCP Girl: Tell me about your character(s). What makes her/him fun or rewarding to play?
Adam: Garry / Roger is possibly the most physical character in the Noises Off ensemble. Racing up and down stairs, working with his particular disfluencies, and moving from loving to vindictive to absolutely bewildered make him an absolute blast to play.
GCP Girl: What is your favorite scene in 'Noises Off'?
Adam: Since this is such a talented ensemble, it's hard to pick just one. One which never fails to make me laugh, though, is when Belinda chases herself up the stairs performing two roles at once!
GCP Girl: Madness ensues and jeopardizes the play within a play in 'Noises Off'. Think about a time when things started to go really wrong during a performance of a pervious show. What happened and how did you overcome the mayhem to finish the show?
Adam: The joy of live theater is that anything can happen, and performers and techs need to just take it in stride. One of the more entertaining ones which happened to me was when I was the onstage narrator for "A Christmas Story" at the GCP, speaking to the audience from the upstairs bedroom. Out of nowhere, a large and heavy batten dropped within a foot of my face. All I could do was duck, keep on talking, and wait for the lights to change. That's live theater.
GCP Girl: Why did you decide to audition for Noises Off?
Adam: I've wanted to do this play since high school when I saw the 1992 film version of it. It was the first movie to quite literally make me weak from laughing. This has been one of my most-wanted comedic roles and I was jubilant when I saw GCP was putting it on, and even more so when I saw Erin was directing it.
GCP Girl: Why should everyone see this production?
Adam: Anyone who has even a passing interest in theater needs to see this show! Performers and techs will see themselves in every scene, and theater-goers will see a (slightly) exaggerated series of events which can and do happen offstage and on. Smooth sailing is hard work!
GCP Girl: Talk about one of your most memorable theatrical experiences ever, either as a performer or audience member.
Adam: One of the most memorable was when I played bass onstage for a production of "Hair." Claude has been sent off to war, and we see the Tribe dancing around a ladder, chanting and protesting. Claude climbs the ladder, begging for the Tribe to see him, culminating in a soul-ripping "I'm here!" Blackout. Silence. A great inrush of breaths. Beat. Beat. I began playing the first few notes of "The Flesh Failures / Let The Sunshine In." Goosebumps everywhere.
Thanks, Adam! I'm so glad you are able to make a long time theatre dream a reality!
xoxo GCP Girl
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