Mike Stephens - Brian Greer

I apologize for the extremely late posting of all these blogs, however these are records from various rehearsals and conversations with actors.

Mike Stephens plays the character of Monsieur Poulette in the play. Like Brad, I’ve known Mike from other theatre work at Oregon State University, most notably Bard in the Quad’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I have had acting classes with Mike, so I also have some understanding of how he works and how he works with others. Again, being in the lab theatre, the show calls for an over-the-top nature. And Mike has delivered so far. Poulette is ridiculously stereotypically French. The costume choice is a turtle neck, scarf, beret, and mustache. Mike is excellent to work with as he constantly wants to try something new.

I asked each of my actors five questions to respond to:

What is your character’s primary goal?

He wants to rule/conquer the world.

Who does your character trust the most? It does not have to be another character.

Can I say himself? That would be my answer. Obviously he doesn't trust the two goons to do anything.

What is your character’s relation to his parents?

I have a feeling his mom would have died when he was young and his father didn't really care for him. It sounds so Bond-like, but that’s a lot of villains.

What is your character’s favorite novel?

I have a view that are engrained in French culture, and the world knows it. The Stranger by Albert Camus, Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo, and In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust.

Is your character a virgin?

Probably. Since we’ve determined that part of him taking over the world is a form of overcompensation, I assume he's a virgin as well. The power that would come with ruling the world may allow him to have that first time finally.

The last is obviously an odd question, but it opens up a very personal side of the character and makes the actor think about something they wouldn't normally think about.