Broadway Today: Douglas Sills
Westchester Newspaper
Douglas has made his Broadway debut as Percy/The Scarlet Pimpernel
in the hit Broadway musical THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL. His previous
work includes the first national tours of THE SECRET GARDEN and
INTO THE WOODS. TV audiences know him from starring roles in
"Murphy Brown," "Sisters," "Coach," and "Party of Five."
CUE: What is your background and training in theatre?
DS: I was always interested in theatre. I watched my siblings do it at
summer camp, and that's what made me want to try my hand at it. I soon
realized I wasn't terrible. People say to me that I could never do this
for a living, and that's probablywhat made me decide to try. I was somewhat
skeptical because I was interested in so many things. I took some acting
classes but I was tired of musical theatre and I didn't find it very rich.
I initially decided to pursue acting outside of musical theatre. Eventually
I went to San Francisco to ACT, and that's where my perception of the performing
arts changed -- I looked into what were the dynamics, what is the process --
and I learned to love the process.
CUE: What brought you to New York?
DS: I took a term off from school and decided to come to New York because
I felt it was important to find out if I wanted to do this, then I needed
to know whether or not I could compete. I came to NY for five month.
I went to every audition just to see where I would fall. I realized that
I could certainly compete, but I knew I needed more training. So I went
back to school. I also knew I wanted my Equity card so I made a list of
four or five places for summer theatre where I could possibly get my card.
The first audition was at Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera. I went, auditioned
and was hired. I was Equity before I went to graduate school.
CUE: Was having your Equity card early on a benefit?
DS: It was and it wasn't. There was a definite downside. When you come
out of school there is so little opportunity, and by already being Equity,
you limit your options even further. Theatres are not going to hire Equity
members if they can get away with it. So, it was a little bittersweet.
CUE: Your interest lies with both the musical and non-musical theatre.
Are there different perceptions?
DS: I consider myself quite lucky to have been able to continuously move
back and forth with some success between the two genres. Actually, I hid
the fact that I could sing until the end of graduate school. I found out
quickly that those studying musical theatre are not always taken seriously.
It was at the end of my last year of graduate school that I even let on
that I could sing. I felt the need to keep my singing a secret in order
to be taken seriously as an actor. And, when I left graduate school I
knew that I was going to need to have two resumes to appease both venues.
CUE: So you believe that the two areas are looked upon differently?
DS: "Straight theatre" will just not look at you the same way if you have
a lot of musical theatre training experience. So yes, they do operate
independently of one another. I think that in this business there is
a built-in prejudice.
CUE: If the industy segregates, do you believe the public does? And is
the public aware of good acting?
DS: I think they are aware. When you watch a good actor like Kevin Kline
you know you are watching someone in method. Of course some parts call
for better acting than others, but you knoew if when you see it. For
SCARLET PIMPERNEL, Peter Hunt wanted to cast actors, and yet I don't
know whether people realize it consciously or not. If people are riveted
by a performance they are affected by good acting. I don't think that the
public analyzes the determine if someone sings well or acts better, but
they do have a visceral response.
CUE: What was the biggest obstacle you needed to overcome?
DS: I think the biggest obstacle was having a very prominent, active
left brain -- dealing with the strong, logical process of the brain.
It can be a real deterrent. I was brought up understanding the importance
of education, and then had to go through a process where I needed to learn
to circumvent that in order to get in touch with my visceral self. I
needed to find the emotional body where Douglas came from. And, I needed
to see that it wasn't a matter of either or, but learning how to unify the
two processes and understanding the synergy between the visceral and the
mental became more than just the sum of its parts. I felt at times
that my brain was getting in the way, so I had to get in touch with
myself and get past the brain. And, what I learned is that the most
successful moments were when the two worked together and I didn't try to
get around anything, but instead moved through it so that both elements
were unified. In short, it's a matter of being smart and gutsy.
CUE: What were your expectations of Broadway?
DS: It fulfilled my wildest expectations. It is as exciting and as
wonderful as I thought it would be and that's the big surprise -- having
something live up to the expectations of what you think. But the other
ancillary surprise is that there are people, productions and performances
outside the Broadway environment which are every bit as good and better
than what's going on here. And, I think there is an inherent condescension
from both these outside regions who are made to feel inferior, and
Broadway, which looks down at the theatres. So somehow the perception
exists that these outside theatres are lesser and sometimes only not
"lesser," but it can be better. I think I expected to come to Broadway
and have that perception magnified -- this is it! And, that's not
the case. Now don't get me wrong, it is as wonderful and terrific as
you can imagine here, but you suddenly understand that it's pretty darn
good out there too.
CUE: What was the most challenging aspect of doing the SCARLET PIMPERNEL?
DS: Finding the modulation between the different personas that the
characters call for -- i.e. Percy and the Scarlet Pimpernel. How to
create those different people -- from both the inside and the outside.
To modulate the shift that occurs from on-stage and off, and keeping
it constant. Like a woman's lipstick, the characters can bleed together.
It is a difficult thing to create a physical, vocal and emotional response
and allow these different characters to occur and enable the shift
to happen on stage. Another challenging aspect has been handling the
weight of what has happened before and after the show opened. The publicity
demands, the rehearsal demands, vocal demands of doing the show eight
times a week, and the pressure of the show itself, and how much of its
success is or isn't on my shoulders.
CUE: What is it about a role that intrigues you to go for it?
DS: Money -- no I'm only kidding. A challenge, just a challenge --
something I haven't done yet, someone I haven't worked with, a director
I have a high regard for. I like to go for things that to some degree
I'm scared of. If I'm frightened of it, it probably means that I've
got to go there.
CUE: What are your thoughts about celebrities on Broadway?
DS: They're just people. I think celebrity is a lovely thing, if
you're old enough and mature enough to handle it, and what it is. You
can't step on "it" and expect it to hold you up. I don't think it
serves the craft well because I look at acting and actors like a cabinetmaker -
you are a craftsman. So the celebrity must have his wits about him
and not fall prey to the seduction of "celebrity" and what it implies.
It may not be great for the craft, but it sells tickets and that's great.
It had its place and if you're smart enough to keep it in its place, it
will be wonderful, as long as you are careful not to take it too seriously.
CUE: Broadway has been accused of being more flash than substance.
Do you agree?
DS: I'm not sure what the point is in all the segregation. If you are
interested in "substance," than there are certainly many places you can
find it. If that's what you want, go find it and stop complaining.
Broadway has its place and it wouldn't be here if it weren't selling
tickets. If you're tired of it, there are options. But, I'll tell
you that there is a place for spectacle, and we've -- the public -- chosen
it. People wouldn't go if it wasn't want they wanted to see.
CUE: How do you feel about reviewers?
DS: I think that they are absolutely necessary, but at the same time,
I believe that absolute power corrupts. Reviews help raise the art
form to be the best it can be. But, is there a problem when there's too
much economic muscle behind the words of a critic? Absolutely -- that's
a problem. But I think we are seeing a shift and finding a balance.
CUE: What was the best career advice you're been given?
DS: Forget everything you learned. Helen Hayes once said in an interview,
"Yes go to school, study. But there comes a point when you have to
forget about it." I believe that what she meant was that hopefully the
residue of the training will make itself felt and that's where you
get the perfect indiscernible meld of talent, technique and art. You
have to have the training, but you can't rest on it.
CUE: What was the worst career advice you were told?
DS: If you have any questions about doing this for a living then you
shouldn't be in it. I think that's stupid. I hear it all the time.
For me, I had plenty of doubts, and I was interested in 100 things. I
believe those interests are what make for a good actor. I believe that
if you don't have any doubts, then you're kidding yourself and you
haven't looked very deep. This is a very difficult business and you
should have concerns and doubts.
CUE: Finally, what advice would you give to someone pursuing a professional carrer?
DS: Follow your bliss. Make yourself happy, and that includes not
onlu following this, if it's what you want, but being able to leave
the business when it's time. When you've done what you came to do --
whether you succeed or not -- feel okay about moving on. Remember, every
great actor is more than just an actor.
-Jim DeBlasi
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