Kellams: This is Ozarks at Large. It's time for Becca Martin Brown from her office in Bella Vista to lead us the other way, as she does most Wednesdays.
Brown: Happy mid-September. Oh my gosh, how is it mid-September? I don’t know where I’m going and I don’t know why you people follow me the other way. Random thoughts.
Kellams: Well, I will say that I’m excited about our conversation. Last week we talked about what is apparently the oldest community theatre still in continuous operation west of the Mississippi. This week, we’re focusing on the oldest continuing community theatre in Arkansas.
Brown: And a show that I absolutely love. We’re going to talk about Fort Smith Little Theatre, and they’re doing Wait Until Dark. Even if you’re sitting there watching it in a theater and you know where you are, it’s still terrifying. We’re going to talk to the actor playing the lead, Melissa Vitale, who is playing Susy Hendrix, the woman who cannot see all the things that are coming at her in this very scary play.
Kellams: All right, let’s reach Melissa and talk to her about the role and the play. And we have now reached Melissa Vitale, who is Susy Hendrix in the production from Fort Smith Little Theatre of Wait Until Dark. Melissa, welcome to Ozarks at Large.
Vitale: Oh, thank you.
Kellams: And with me is Becca Martin Brown from her office in Bella Vista. Becca, I think you’ve got the first question.
Brown: I love the fact that your history with Fort Smith Little Theatre goes way back. Tell us how you found FSLT and then how you got back to FSLT.
Vitale: Well, I originally found it. A friend was performing there back when I was in high school, and so I knew of it. Then I moved away from Fort Smith for several years, had done theater in college, and moved back to Fort Smith. I had wanted to find a theater or some sort of creative outlet I could get involved in. I looked them up, went down and auditioned for a show, and I got a part. Next thing I know, I’ve been down there for many years now.
Brown: And you’ve done some great roles—Mousetrap, Dixie Swim Club, Curtain Up on Murder, and Florence Unger in The Odd Couple (female version). What are the challenges and the rewards of this part?
Vitale: This one is particularly interesting in that Susy is blind, and she’s recently blind. She wasn’t born blind. She’s gone from seeing to being blind, and so I’m trying to get part of her frustration of learning to live her life in this new way.
She has become somewhat dependent in that she doesn’t want to do certain things. Her husband pushes her to be more independent, and that frustrates her. But she also wants to be able to do things and realizes, “Maybe I can’t. This isn’t working.”
And then eventually in the show, she can fight these three con men who have found their way into her apartment.
Kellams: You have to have a sense of vulnerability in this character, but also, as you mentioned, that transforms to empowerment. What is it like working with the director and your fellow cast members to make that transition as we watch you on stage?
Vitale: It’s interesting in that she picks up on things they don’t anticipate her picking up on. They assume she can’t see, so therefore she doesn’t know what’s happening. But her other senses have taught her there are certain sounds and things that she’s aware of. Small things. She starts to put two and two together and realizes that she’s being conned, and she tries to figure out a way to fight back and just uses the tools at her disposal. “Here’s what I’ve got. I’m trapped here. I’m going to play these cards that I was dealt, and off we go.”
Kellams: With a stage comedy, timing is everything. You’ve got to hit the lines and the delivery. What is it about a thriller, a suspenseful stage production, that challenges actors and crew?
Vitale: We honestly refer to it as a dance. There are certain moves, and you don’t want to be the one out there with two left feet or be the one that steps on someone’s toes. Lights have to go on and off at certain times. Certain movements have to be made, certain lines have to be said. If it’s not said, then the thing doesn’t happen. It’s very much a dance.
At the end, the motions have to happen in coordination with the lines. Sometimes you can get away with flubbing a line here and there, but this one is very specific. So we do, we refer to it as our dance, with the way we are moving around on the stage.
Kellams: This premiered on Broadway in 1966. The movie with Audrey Hepburn and Alan Arkin came out soon after. Will we be in the mid-’60s when we’re watching this, or is it sort of a generic time?
Vitale: It does in a way. It is very 1960s—the time period that we have set it in. I think the introduction of cell phones would put a twist on the show, so we kept it in the ’60s. That’s kind of fun—having some of the vintage appliances or things on stage, or poofing my hair out. That’s fun.
Kellams: Melissa Vitale, cannot wait to see Wait Until Dark. It will run through Oct. 4 at Fort Smith Little Theatre. Thank you so much for your time.
Vitale: Oh, thank you. I appreciate it.
Kellams: And people can find out more at Fort Smith Little Theatre's website. Becca, as always, thanks for your time.
Brown: Delighted to see you next week.
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