Marcus Turner
Marcus Turner
The Inheritance
April 7th — May 14th
The Inheritance is a production not a lot of theatres take on for the simple fact that it’s broken into two parts. What do you feel are some of the biggest challenges behind-the-scenes?
These two plays are epic, in every meaning of the word. The story that Matthew Lopez is telling here covers some of the most sweeping and yet relatable aspects of the human experience. Love and heartbreak, trauma and healing, friendships and evolution. Behind the scenes, it's a responsibility that all of us take seriously and want to do justice. We want this story to be meaningful to everyone - regardless of sexuality - and so we are investing a lot of emotional capital to make that happen.
What excites you about The Inheritance and the role you are playing?
I play a number of roles in the two plays but my home base is Young Man #7. It's exciting to be able to be a part of an ensemble that collaborates so seamlessly and functions as a "Greek chorus" to move the story forward. I also feel lucky that I get to play different roles throughout the story - each of them present opportunities to show real people moving through the world but I only have a few lines to do it.
Do you feel an epic like this can feel a bit daunting? Is there more pressure on you as a performer, and how do you prepare for that?
The pressure of this play can come in a few different ways. In some parts, the length and breadth of the story can be intimidating because you want the audience to be with you every step of the way. How do we keep the audience with us and engaged when there's so much story to tell? Endurance is also a factor in an epic set of plays like these - if we allow ourselves to lag on energy, we risk not doing a service to the story and the playwright.
It’s not often you see a two-part theatre production. I’d imagine family or friends are either super intrigued by the idea or hesitant when you tell them. Have you heard any of these?
When a playwright decides that a story needs to be told in two parts, it really speaks to how much they have to say. My friends are intrigued by the idea of "binging theater" - a lot like the way we binge Netflix shows. It used to be extremely common in theatre, but revisiting the idea of spending most of the day immersed in the same story is potentially exciting to a lot of audience members.
What’s your biggest challenge about taking on this role?
The vast amount of story there is to tell in these plays presents a huge challenge. Fortunately, we are helped by the incredible clarity of Matthew Lopez's writing - the humor, the sadness, the humanity makes telling the story all the more rewarding despite the sheer length of the plays themselves.
How did you get started performing?
I started performing as a classical musician when I was young. The prospect of being on stage and performing for an audience has always been appealing to me and I feel extremely lucky that I have found the magic of theater as a way to fulfill my creative outlets.
Why do you still perform?
I'm never happier than when I feel my life is well-rounded and filled with different things. I'm lucky that I get to work in the arts for my career and also have the chance to be an artist on stage. The notion of combining all the sides of my life - administrator, artist, community member - is extremely rewarding.
What’s your dream role, and what do you feel you would bring to it?
I've had the good fortune to perform in classic plays as well as contemporary new works. I love the idea of taking something and making it your own so the roles I would love to play are ones that I feel are so contrary to my actual personality. For instance, I think playing Iago from Othello would be amazing and inspiring.
What’s a fun fact people may not know about you?
I went to college for music education and so I had to learn how to play just about every single classical instrument. Besides acting, I am a bassoonist but I also play the flute, clarinet, oboe, saxophone, and more.
