Meet Zak Hamrick! He will be joining us for our next production, Wandering With Magnetic: something i cared about which follows the story of Alyx and Dru, as it unfolds throughout their lives, performed along the Reed Creek Greenway.
Audiences will walk the trail and see scenes of the same couple, played by a different pair of actors in each scene. We reached out to Zak to tell us a bit about himself and about what his experience has been like during this production.
1. What is your favorite Asheville area walking trail/ greenway?
Richmond Hill Park! My dogs and I have walked the trails so often that they feel like our turf. If you see a tall guy with headphones, vaguely panting as he follows two perfect puppies, feel free to say hi! I promise none of us will bark.
2. Do you relate to your character? How similar/different are you?
I've been Team Alyx since the audition process, reading their sides and hoping I hit all their big emotions just right. That said, I'm much more of a Dru myself, so maybe I was always meant to love Alyx's character.
3. What's your favorite line in this show? Why?
"I’m not gonna compromise the rest of my life with someone constantly tossing crisis bombs at my feet." Finding our personal boundaries is hard, and enforcing them is often harder. The scene this line is featured in is such a critical point for our characters, and presents an opportunity to break a cycle that, in the play, endures for decades. It feels authentic and relatable; I loved to read it, and I can't wait to see it.
4. What is one thing you’d be willing to give up for someone else?
Oof, what wouldn't I give up? I'm a people pleaser. I simply love to please the people.
5. What are the biggest challenges of this rehearsal process?
I'm still relatively new to theatre. I didn't get some of the experiences that my fellows enjoyed, and every production feels like catching up on all the things that I've spent years missing out on. Rehearsals were always a chance to take in every technique, tip, trick, emotion, exercise, and nuance that I could possibly soak up from my castmates. They've been my very best teachers, and not getting to see most of them has been a bit of a heartbreak.
6. What makes this experience special for you?
I've never been a main character before! I mean, most of us are in this play, but still!
7. How did you get into theatre?
I was often tangential to it in school, but was a band geek instead. I always intended to try it but sort of thought I'd missed the opportunity. I saw several plays when I moved to Asheville, then finally marched myself into a season audition with MPP in 2019. A week later, I'd been cast in two shows for the summer and have been chasing auditions ever since.
8. How is working with The Magnetic different from working with other theatres?
My previous productions have been large casts, often with a number of moving parts and many people onstage at once. I've seen some incredible, intimate work come out of Magnetic, and I've loved exploring the close, intricate emotional shifts in my scene.
9. Do you have any upcoming projects that we should check out?
I'm very excited to join Different Strokes PAC in Roe, planned for their 2022 season!
Biography
Zak began acting in 2019, and this will be his eighth performance since. You may have seen him in person with the Montford Park Players and Nemesis Theatre, or virtually with Different Strokes PAC. He’s very excited for his first role with Magnetic, and wants to thank everyone who has made this a safe, welcoming experience back into live, in-person theatre. Much love to his partner Eliza, brother Luke, mother Josephine, and all of the friends, lovers, and enemies that have supported him along the way.
Wandering With Magnetic: something i cared about shows February 27th-March 14th with staggered showings on Saturdays and Sundays. Grab your tickets here: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=121100