How long have you been involved with Zero Untitled and what was your first production?

I first became involved in Zero Untitled by accident; I had attended a Mardi Gras party for extra credit, and one of my friends saw a flyer asking for actors to contribute to Into Hell: A Trek Through Dante’s Inferno. She pretty much shoved me in the direction of the first rehearsal, and even though I had never done theatre before that, I was pretty much obsessed and dedicated from the first rehearsal. The atmosphere, the people, the ingenuity was all so inspiring that I never thought to separate myself from it once I became part of it. Even now, it’s so much a part of me that it doesn’t feel like a “company” or a “group.” It’s just me.

What is your best memory of any ZU production?

This is pretty difficult. I mean, I could say the first day that I started working with ZU, or even the day I got my first lead role, or the first day I saw anyone perform something I’d written, but I think my favorite memory that sails above all of the others is kind of a two part one. I remember standing in a room
with a bunch of other people, discussing our rehearsal that had just ended, when Mike came into the room, with this almost stupidly large grin on his face, practically bouncing on his feet, and announced to the room that we had been invited to perform at Shake38 in St. Louis, MO. Invited. The connotation of that word just ignites this indistinguishable sense of pride in my chest. It almost brings me to tears today, thinking of all the hard work we had been doing was validated by the largest Shakespeare festival in the entire county.

The second part woud be standing in Soulard Station, listening to the applause after our Shake38 performance, and opening my eyes after the final bow and realizing that everyone was standing. A standing ovation from the organizers of the entire festival, who took time out of their impossibly busy schedules to see us, and they loved us so much that they stood up. Seeing people wiping away tears after that bow will always be one my favorite moments in my entire life.

There are a lot of people who try to belittle what we do, and they try to tell us that what we do is not as important as other more traditional theatre endeavors. Those people have, most of the time, never even seen us perform. Whenever those thoughts get to me, I think of the faces of Shake38 standing and weeping after our performance of “The Rape of Lucrece.” They can never take that away. And we didn’t need a stage, or microphones, or any gimmicks to make our show that profound. All of our doubters can never take that away.

What project or projects are you currently working on with the company?

Currently, I’m playing Dr. Faustus in our 100^th show, and working on several writing projects. Unfortunately, the sheer volume of lines Dr.
Faustus has keeps me from completely burying myself in separate projects. I am also working on a couple of musical pieces with some other members of the company, such as Andrea Lorin and Ryann Haese.

What kind of future project would you like to dabble in?

My goal is to be a part of every single Shakespearean play ever written (comin’ atchu, Cardenio!), but limiting myself to Early Modern plays would be a little irresponsible. I’m ravenous for theatre, so I would gladly be a part of any play. Anything weird, and you can count me in. Oh, and anything Don Nigro.

What is it like playing the role of Dr. Faustus, who was written for a man?

You have no idea how gratifying it is to have Early Modern lines where I don’t have to play chaste, sweet, and submissive. I can feel the power in the lines, in the movements, and in the character. It is such a different experience, playing a male character that not only has a significant amount of intelligence, but also a modicum of his own power. After playing roles like Juliet, Desdemona, Portia, and Lucrece, Dr. Faustus is heavier and more deliberate, rather than the floating, sweeping feeling of playing a Shakespearean woman. I can feel the deeper significance in the things Faustus says, the way the silence has immediate tension, and it feels…I guess intoxicating is the right word.

There’s also a significant increase in bodily awareness; I have a very feminine way of sitting, moving my hands, and so on. My height works in my favor, but after doing a bit of modeling, a lot of my movements are inherently very feminine. I have to now be aware of every single movement that I make, including how I sit, how I cry, and how I show fear. Dr. Faustus is being played as a woman, but we’re looking for an almost androgynous portrayal. That balance is hard to strike.

How do you prepare for a role once you are cast?

I’ve said this a thousand times, but I don’t really feel like I’m portraying my character correctly until my script is out of my hands and I can respond to the other characters as if I’m thinking of my lines just then. So, memorization is incredibly important. There’s a lack of internalization sometimes, when the script is still bogging you down; at least, there is for me. Costumes and makeup really help, especially since a lot of my favorite roles were makeup heavy. I can drown in the character when all of the accessories are put in place. Then, once I get a feel for the character, I make a playlist for them and listen to it the day of the show. I also always stretch like I’m getting ready to exercise. Acting is so physical that I feel my performance is always better and more comfortable when my body is warmed up.

What do you expect from the audiences of ZU shows?

Curiosity immediately comes to mind. Why else do you come to a nontraditional theatre experience? We’ve had so many great, thirsty audiences, ready to drink from the fountain of theatre innovation, that they always seem so receptive, so willing to accept our bare stages, our weird adaptations. I’m incredibly grateful for them.

From a directorial standpoint, how do you keep theatre alive in interesting when so many entertainment mediums are digital?

Mix them! Why can’t you use film on a stage? And why can’t you use theatrical acting conventions in film? Most of the digital age involves chronicling what you’re doing almost constantly, and with so many people proud of their work and ready to tell the world about their experiences, we never have a shortage of web presence. I also think that breaking down more barriers on the stage helps combat the looming presence of film. Immersive theatre is something that cannot be done in film; no matter what, those characters are on a screen. But when you go to an immersive theatre experience with ZU, you can touch the actors, interact with them, change their performance. That’s an important aspect of immersive theatre.

What are your expectations for the ZU productions you spearhead?

I mostly handle main stage productions, and the dark tours. The dark tours, especially, are where I look for full commitment from actors and audience alike. There’s so much hinging on that suspension of disbelief that when the actors finally let go and go nuts, so to speak, so do the audiences. Dark tours are such a great place for actors to really spread their wings and show everyone what they can do, because we allow more freedom. And then, you’re performing over and over again, so you can change your performance every time, if that appeals to you. Actors really get to explore their own talent in a dark tour, and I find that actors (as well as myself, as a director/writer/actor) find that to be immensely rewarding.

Any final statements?

ZU, in the span of six years, has become more than just a theatre company. It’s my family, my entire world, and knowing that there are people out there that are just as dedicated to it as I am makes me feel like a proud mother. We are the ZU family, and if you ever feel like you don’t belong, we’re here to welcome you with open arms. We want to lock into everyone’s talents, no matter how deep they’re buried. We want you to feel the electricity in applause. We want you to be able to play the roles you’ve always dreamed of.

All I’ve ever wanted is a medium through which to inspire others and ourselves. Zero Untitled has given me that, and in thanks, I will protect it and nurture it forever.

Thank you, Zero Untitled, everyone who has ever been a part of it, and every single person who didn’t believe in us. You guys are the reason that we continue to knock down the walls of theatre convention. You are the reason we are successful.

#BeYouWithZU

As part of a directing workshop class at the University of Texas in Austin, Katherine Orozco-Verderber’s play “From Inside” will be produced into a short film project. At press, audition information is as follows:
Saturday, April 9 – UT Campus, CMB Studio 4A (4.116) from 12:30 – 2:15pm.

The play premiered in Los Angeles, CA with Playwright’s Express and was fully-produced by Zero Untitled back in 2014 as part of the New Foundations Festival.

Note: This film and production is NOT associated with Zero Untitled.

Welcome to another entry in our Divided by Zero interview series. In this entry, we are interviewing Andrea Lorin, who plays the title role of “Medea” in the upcoming production of “Medea: Cerberus” an adaptation of Euripides’s classic Greek tragedy (adapted by Michael Verderber).

How long have you been involved with Zero Untitled and what was your first production?

I’ve been involved with Zero Untitled for about two years now. My first production was the dark tour, The Factory, back in 2014.

Lorin and Brandon Galvan in 2015’s “Causa Mortis.”

What projects are you currently working on with the company?

Currently I’m focusing on Medea (obviously, haha). I usually try to extend myself to the best of my abilities so I can take part in as many Zero Untitled projects as I can, but this is my first lead role with the company and I have to prioritize my work with this project as well as with school work and the like.

What is it like to play the title role of “Medea: Cerberus”? 

Exhausting, but immensely rewarding. It’s definitely a challenge, which I love. I’m really grateful to be able to take on the challenge of playing Medea. She’s a more complex person, I think, underneath the anger and heartbreak. Not to mention, I was quite intimidated by the sheer amount of lines she had – her monologue was enough to make me second guess my abilities as an actress. But my directors and castmates have all helped me in bringing the character to life and it’s so much fun to play her.

Emotionally, how taxing is the rehearsal process and how do you stay “angry” in the role?  

It can get really really exhausting during the more anger-fueled scenes (which are most of them). Medea moves around a lot, especially when she’s alone, that’s when her emotions really overtake her. Even when she’s in the presence of others and her movement is subdued a bit, there’s still quite a bit of tenseness in my body. At this point, a lot of that tenseness is involuntary, it comes with channeling that sort of emotion for an extended amount of time. I don’t think there’s a single moment when I’m not doing some sort of fidgeting or shaking or tensed movement. Emotionally, of course, can be even more exhausting than the physical aspect. Medea is heartbroken and angry and, y’know, we’ve all been there before but not quite at this level. You have to amp it up a LOT and that’s what gets really tiring a lot of the time.  Staying angry can be tough sometimes. I have a playlist of music that I listen to before rehearsal starts so I can get into the “angry zone.” It’s sadly a lot easier to slip out of character than it is to get into character, so I try to keep a little in character between the rehearsals of certain scenes so I don’t have to start over the entire process of getting into character. The biggest downside is that, in order to stay angry, I have to keep my distance from a lot of people. Medea is a very isolated character, she spends so much time inside her own mind so when I’m preparing to go on stage a few minutes before a scene, I have to ignore everyone around me and think about things that make me angry and it has to sort of stay that way until we take a break or until rehearsal is over. It’s worth it though, to feel the character pulsing through me by the time I walk on stage. Definitely worth it.

Lorin with K. Verderber and C. Lillie in a rehearsal shot of “Medea: Cerberus.”

Now that you have been inside the head of a very hurt and deranged woman, what would you say to another actress taking the role of Medea? 

Take care of yourself. Embody Medea, get inside her head and feel the rage, the heartbreak, the fear, and the confliction. But remember to step out of her head every now and again. Find the balance between living in her madness when your director calls “lights up” and coming away from it when they call “scene.” Although I think it’s easier to come out of character than it is to get into character, there have been times that a scene has ended and I still find myself shaking and trying to steady my breath, times that I still felt the sadness in my chest, times that I still felt rattled and frightened. It can be a lot and it can get a little overwhelming. Also, take care of your voice, depending on how you play the character, there can be a lot of screaming involved. Conserve your energy and pace yourself throughout the show, otherwise you’ll burn out quickly. Above all, of course, have fun! Go crazy!

What should the audience expect from “Medea: Cerberus”?

Lots of f*cked up sh*t. A lot of madness and a lot of yelling and emotion. There’s an overwhelming amount of emotion most of the time – it’s a very emotion-driven play, I feel. An amazing cast, with extremely talented actors. A wonderfully written script, it’s a brilliant adaptation of Euripides’ original story that really delves into Medea’s heartbroken descent into madness and I think that the audience, whether they know the original story or not, will really enjoy the adaptation.

If you could play any role in any show for ZU, what would it be? 

Every role. Every single one that has ever existed! Haha, honestly, I can’t think of a particular role at the moment, although I’m sure there are a lot. Right now, I’m enjoying the challenge of trying out different characters and pushing myself to portray the next one better than the last. I trust my directors to give me characters that will not only benefit myself and my craft, but the shows we put on in general.

Lorin (center) with D. Gerd and J. Martinez in a recent production “Happy All The Days” in 2015.

Any final statements?   

Zero Untitled is such a great environment for exploring your own talent and creativity as well as flexibility of theatre off the traditional stage. I’m so happy to call these people my family and I’m so honored to work alongside them I hope I get to continue to do so for a very long time.

Half of Lorin’s face for the flyer for “Medea: Cerberus” and “Faustus” (also pictured K. Verderber).  

Performances will happen on February 23, 24 and 29 in the Blue Room on the TAMUK campus at 8:00. Admission is $3 as a fundraiser for The English Club.

CALL FOR NEW WORK:
Zero Untitled Films/Productions is looking for holiday or Christmas-themed short plays, poems, and performances for our upcoming reading in December (dates TBA). The performance will be called “Textual Overture 2015 Holiday Show.”
– For plays, small casts of up to 4 are preferred. Easy set up required (we perform in local coffee shops).
– For poems, any work that you would like to come read or have someone else read in your absence; shorter works preferred.

Please submit work to: zero_untitled_films@yahoo.com

Here are some behind the scenes photos from last night’s filming of the “Still Standing Still” trailer! More images and the full trailer coming soon. For now, enjoy these photos by Jubilee.

Cinematographer Jaz Ley and actor Robert Trujillo.

Image from the “tied up” scene.

Actress Katherine Orozco in make up.

Getting bloody!

Here are a few behind-the-scene pics from the recent filming of our “Gumball Badges” book trailer!

Zero Untitled’s 90th production “Carnival Night” had its one-day run! The event which was held at Youga Yoga was a collection of short works both new and old. The night featured three events:

“Pollock’s Process” – a body art piece directed and conceived by Katherine Orozco. Her piece is a body painting exercise used to embody the fluidity of the creative process by having multiple artists paint one persons canvas.

“The Mindless Men” – a revisited piece last staged twice last year. This is a pseudo online and live piece. The actors (or Mindless Men) await commands that are given ala improvisationally. The audience livestreamed from YouTube and posted commands on Facebook.

MIMES! – As it often does, the Zero Untitled mimes ran around downtown Corpus Christi doing what mimes do – mock people.

Check out the main page for more information!

Zero Untitled has been selected as Youga Yoga Corpus Christi’s Featured Artist for the month of May! In addition to moving one of our “Ravenscroft” performances to Corpus Christi, we have planned 5 weeks (every Friday) worth of events:

Z e r o   U n t i t l e d

Featured Artist – May Events

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May 1^st – Don Nigro’s “Ravenscroft”*

Murder, madness, and women in lingerie! This dark comedy unravels the suspicious murder of the only man of the house. Who did it?      *produced through special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

May 8th @ 8:00 p.m. – Premature Punchline

Improv Comedy troupe. Sketch, improv games, and interactive comedy

May 15^th  @ 8:00 p.m. – Carnivale Night

Short performances of mime, firebreathing (possibly), music, and other acts

May 22^nd  @ 8:00 p.m. – Textual Overture

Open mic poetry, short plays, and live music. Bring your instrument or writing for an evening of live performances.

May 29^th –  @ 8:00 p.m. “Nightmare of Oz”

An immersive theatre experience spanning downtown Corpus Christi. Follow two detectives around “Emerald City” while they investigate the murder of Dorothy in this noir thriller. Mature audiences only.

(Pictured: 2012’s “Nightmare of Oz” promo shot)

For more information, visit www.zerountitled.com and like “Zero Untitled Films/Productions” on Facebook!

Our twelfth Textual Overture production went over swimmingly last night in the last TO show at the current Café 5 location. Café 5 will be moving locations in late June.  Fear not, we will be there for their reopening and have another show as well! Here are some pics from the show:

(TOP to BOTTOM: Ramcharan performing “Story of a Mirror Girl”; Beth Cantu reading a poem; the group during preshow; and a view from outside of Café 5. LEFT: Rebekah Ramos, Julio Martinez, and Robert Trujillo (outside) in “Seeing is Misbelieving: The Rorschach Test.”