Seven in Heaven with Nicole Kaiser as Prior Pitt
1) Who are you? What's your favorite role you've ever played? What roles/shows might patrons have seen you in previously? I’ve been involved in local theater in Colorado for a little over a year in small parts or backstage. This has been my biggest undertaking in this amazing theater community, and I am so happy and grateful it’s with Vintage Theater. One of my favorite roles I played was Mary in Juno and the Paycock. It was such a unique experience to add dialect to the work of building and understanding a character.
2) What is your role in the cast/creative team? What drew you to this production? I am very grateful to be playing Harper Pitt. She’s a Mormon dealing with addiction and a failing marriage who experiences hallucinations that, despite not literally being the reality of the situation, guide her towards much larger truths. I had initially read this play as a closeted queer Mormon high schooler who was desperately seeking anything that made me feel less singular in my own personal life. Happening across a play that not only had queer characters but also people struggling with the religious aspects of their lives (whether that be gay mormons or newly appointed prophets) quickly made Angels in America an absolute bucket list production for myself personally.
3) Why do you think this play is still relevant 35 years later? I think the messages of change and progress, and how it is reacted to, are very much still relevant today. Angels In America has characters who choose to strive forward, characters who must strive forward, characters who resist, and characters who strive to move back. Those aspects of Kushner’s writing can always be seen across humankind whenever the world changes
4) How does your character interact with the themes of change vs resistance to change? Harper’s relationship with change is that of someone who is desperate for a different situation in life, but struggles to accept what change looks like in its totality. Harper wants change, but only in specificity. Wanting something different but only if it is controllable is an incredibly human feeling, but that is not true change. Harper’s journey with change is one that includes the need to be willing to accept the chaos and the pain that comes with it. To accept the “painful progress” (*wink wink*).
5) Is there a moment in the script (part one or two) that you find especially powerful or meaningful? There are so many moments in Kushner’s script that are incredibly powerful, but I will selfishly pick a moment I’m lucky enough to experience on stage every week. There is a scene where both Prior and Harper meet once again, for the last time, in heaven. There are many openly powerful moments within that exchange, but I think there is a beautifully quiet power that comes from the simplicity of two friends existing together for a moment. Using community and found family to find the strength to confront the difficulties ahead is an honest answer to some of the most challenging questions and problems everyone faces through their lives. The fact that Harper and Prior have this moment together before both pushing onward is so very powerful to me.
6) Staging a six‑hour live piece is no small feat. What’s the biggest challenge—and the biggest joy—of that marathon experience? There were so many interesting aspects to performing a six-hour play. I think overall I was surprised by just how immense the satisfaction I experienced was when we had our first Saturday performance. To get to perform both pieces, and really lean into the “six hours” of it all, had satisfied my subconscious itch to complete the whole story. Taking part in a two part play has been a massive undertaking, but I absolutely think it is well worth it. I have also been lucky enough to be around an amazing cast and crew that made this whole process so rewarding in so many ways. I feel very special to have experienced working with, creating with, and playing in this world with some of the most talented and kind people around.
7) Do you have any rituals, routines, or must‑have snacks that help you stay energized throughout?
I don’t know if I have any intentional rituals, but accidentally falling asleep to an episode of one of my comfort shows after rehearsals inevitably became a ritual throughout the rehearsal process.
One thing that maybe comes close to rituals is listening to music. If you took a look in my script you’d find (embarrassingly illegible) scribbles at the start of each of my scenes that are actually a list of songs I think fit the characters and story of that scene. I’ll listen to it as I’m getting ready or driving to the theater to get me in the right mindset. Of course, I still think I need a lot more 80's jams in the mix.