Meet Strother Stingley, they are joining us for our next production of It’s the Most _____ Time of the Year: Oil on Canvas written by Erin McCarson and directed by Jessica Johnson.
In this production, it's Thanksgiving Eve, and Jean and Doug couldn't be more excited about the holiday season. The halls are decked, the trees are up, and the kids, Rosemary and Bing, will be arriving any minute. Son-in-law Mike and new grandbaby Suzie round out the family gathering, and loving tolerance and charity abounds. But Jean has arranged a surprise for them all that makes them question her sanity, and as Thanksgiving Day dawns, the family must decide: How far will they go to make Jean's ultimate Christmas wish come true?
We reached out to Strother to tell us a bit about themselves and about what their experience has been like working on this production!
1. What is your favorite or least favorite holiday season tradition and why?
Faves- Dressing up/decorating for Halloween, decorating for Christmas (and eating a lot of fatty foods).
Naves- modern commercialism of holidays and kvetching about family stuff.
2. Do you relate to your character or to any character in the show? How similar / different are you?
I might personally identify with Bing as much as (or more at times than) Paul. Bing's anxiety and "otherness" hits close to home. Paul's desire to do meaningful work (which really touches people) goes straight to my heart. And overall I definitely understand sudden loss.
3. What are the top 5 songs on your holiday season playlist?
Loud electronic music. Year-round. I mean, I have other tastes but I'm just being realistic here. I kinda prefer to sing holiday songs instead of hearing them anyway?
4. How would you spend your ideal Thanksgiving / Christmas / Hanukkah / Kwanza / other holiday season holiday?
Somehow mixing distant travel with intimate fambly time.
5. What is one memorable gift you've given or received and why has it stuck out as something special?
Kindness, thoughtfulness, and consideration. Whatever significant gifts I can remember giving or receiving, all of them involve the three concepts above.
6. How did you get into theatre?
I was 14 and tried out for a free summer fine arts theatre program. Got the role of Merlin in Camelot. Found a place I could belong.
7. How is working with The Magnetic different from working with other theatres?
I can use theatre tools here from all over my experience/education without being mired in any of the unnecessary stodginess or supposed-tos which can tend to haunt both professional and regional theatres. Structure and rules can take the shape they need for the piece at hand rather than THIS IS HOW WE MUST DO THINGS ALWAYS AMEN.
8. What is your favorite dish to cook (or eat) during the holiday season? Feel free to share a recipe and/or anecdote if you'd like!
Turkey with stuffing, bacon pinned to every inch of the surface area. Love me my pigbird.
9. Do you have any upcoming projects that we should check out?
By now Sleepy Hollow at Parkway Playhouse has closed and my Brom Bones has been put down for a nap. My next/current project is a film called The Library At The End Of The Universe. I can't wait!
Biography
Strother is rather relieved (and very pleased) to be back on The Mag's stage. With floods canceling shows which Covid hadn't already squashed, it's so good to keep trying to make theatre happen, as safely as possible. Thank you to The Magnetic for doing just that. Strother's grateful for this opportunity and can't wait for you to see this wonderful show. He's been acting professionally for 15+ years, mostly in the form of character roles, and feels lucky to play a subtler, more "real" role here now. Past roles/shows include quite a few musicals and comedies regionally as well as radio theatre tours across the Northeast and Midwest US.
It’s the Most _____ Time of the Year: Oil on Canvas is showing December 3-18, 2021. Grab your tickets here: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=129115