Meet the Team of She Kills Monsters: Caden Pazo, Theatrical Everyman
There are not many aspects of theatre I haven't tried at least once. For She Kills Monsters this January/February I have the esteemed honor of Fight Choreographing and Stage Managing.
You might guess that a Fight Choreographer teaches the actors how to hold swords safely and which ways to swing them on stage. What may surprise you is that as Fight Choreographer I also have to work with the Designers on costumes, props, scenic, lights, and sound as well as the production's Director!
If the actor is in a skirt or if the lights will flash affects what the actor can safely do on stage so I work closely with all of the design team to ensure my choreography is badass and safe to act. I've been blessed with the opportunity to work with these collaborative and kind artists to bring all of our geek dreams to life at their fullest. I consider my job as the choreographer to teach the story of epic Dungeons and Dragons tales to audiences who've maybe never heard of a 'D20' while satisfying the nerd craving for critical roles and well-timed charisma checks.
Rehearsals have been a blast and a half. On day two of rehearsals, I realized his cast was a group of clowns. They're funny and weird and love to make each other laugh. And while there has been limitless laughter, my favorite part so far has been watching the actors get "off-book" and act without scripts in hand.
Memorizing 90 minutes of walking, crawling, or sword fighting takes time, so there is a brief period in which the actors say "line" in rehearsal when they've forgotten what comes next. As stage manager, I read the line aloud to help them remember. Whenever this happens, I take notes on small slips of paper so the actors know what to study after rehearsal. We've only had one week of line-notes and this cast has gotten better every day. Literally. I can count it. On the first day off-book I easily gave 50+ notes in total. At our last rehearsal, I only gave 14. And that was one full month before opening night! The other magic of being "off-book" is watching them start to connect with each other and more fully become the character. It has been a pleasure to work with a cast so dedicated to this craft and this story.
I am in fact a DnD dork. I've been in one consistent campaign (shocking I know) for the past year and a half. I play a Goblin Monk named Treigz. He is the chaotic good child of the group that is known for eating bugs, cartwheels, and not knowing how to read. To compare him to pop culture, he's like Flounder from The Little Mermaid or the Baby Groot of our adventuring party.
At first, Dungeons and Dragons was incredibly hard. I'm a former perfectionist who struggles with conflict and in DnD nothing ever goes to plan and a story can't happen without conflict. As a player, I've discovered I need to play characters who are extremely unlike myself and entertain every "what if" thought that comes to my head. In this campaign I provide comedic relief and gentle relationship-building more than plot development - but that's why the others take notes :)
You don't need to know anything about Dungeons and Dragons to enjoy this show; if you do, it's just a bonus to all the easter eggs. Yes, this show is a DnD extravaganza with a splash of 90's pop culture. However, the play starts with an older sister losing her entire family in a tragic accident and she discovers DnD as a way to reconnect and understand her weird little sister. At its core, this show is about grief and identity with some sword-wielding bonuses. And for the DnD nerd, remember the DM always has more in store than slaying monsters.
If you're debating possibly skipping this one I'm telling you now: you will regret it. Pull out your calendar now, pick a date, invite a friend, and buy those tickets at this exact second. Not only is this story make-yourself-cry funny with a tear-jerking ending, but this cast and design team are working tirelessly to give you a magical experience. I've worked on dozens of theatrical performances and it is rare to find something that every single person has a personal emotional tie to. Watching this show, you'll feel each person's passion emanate through every aspect of your experience. You'll come for the play pretend, you'll stay for the story. Please enjoy She Kills Monsters. Weekends from January 17-February 24 at Vintage Theatre.
-Caden Pazo