Scotty Shaffer
Scotty Shaffer (Jonathan)
The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong
APRIL 15 — MAY 20
What excites you about The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong and the role you are playing?
I. LOVE. THIS. SHOW!!! I saw a video for this show online years ago and I made sure to see it when the tour came through Denver a few years ago (pre-pandemic?). I have been a professional actor for the last 20 years or so and have done thousands of performances BUT not every one of those performances were perfect, lol! Not that I'm not professional—I love doing things right. But let's say that in a good year there's 40 weeks of performances or so. At 3-5 or more shows a week, that's 120-200 performances a year. AT LEAST one of those performances will have a mistake in them. Maybe the gun doesn't go off, maybe a sound effect is late (or wrong!), or a fire alarm goes off, or the musical is accompanied by tracks instead of a band and the song stops mid-number and you have to sing Acapella the rest of the song! (aLL of those have happened to me, lol). And in all of those shows there would have been funny things that happened in rehearsals too that no audience saw! What I'm saying is that doing a full year of shows will give a person a handful of stories to tell about how the "show went on", despite some hilarious disaster. And for me—after YEARS of this—I've got books full of funny stories! I am just tickled at the thought of an audience finally getting to see all those kinds of "how can it get any worse?" problems! I've yet to meet a group of theatre geeks in the world who didn't love to hear these stories. It's like a little Industry secret—that we all have these stories.
So, what excited me about this show? That thousands of audience members get to experience what those of us on stage have (at least on a small scale) to witness this hilarious mess happening! That we get to put on such a fun and funny show! And that *I* get to be a part of it! I'm positively pickled—I mean tickled!!
What’s your process like in preparing for a show like this, and how does that process change (if at all) from other shows?
LOTS of memorization- not just lines but also all the comedy bits and timing and everything.
In musicals, it's about memorizing the acting stuff, singing stuff and dancing stuff. If it's a comedy musical like Young Frankenstein, the you also add in memorizing the comedy stuff. This show is so much more than that AND it's stuff that hasn't really be a big part of my life before—how many years does a normal human practice acting with 100% pure commitment while also holding a falling thing against the wall so it doesn't shatter and ruin the show? Because I have practiced zero years before this. Turns out it's a skill people need in this show!
Usually In one speech it's usually just about lines and blocking (and I won't bore you but also "acting stuff"). But with this show, it's about nailing that stuff and also so much more—because you're performing while your co-star is trying to enter for her scene while the door is wedged shut! Or a prop is missing, (or an actor is missing!) or any number of things could be happening all at the same time—and it's the actors job to have that all in mind while still bringing for the stage all the director calls from us. It's a LOT! But it's also a lot for fun!
What’s your biggest challenge about taking on this role?
As I said There is SO much stuff going on in this show! It's a challenge to be fully focused on lines, blocking, pacing, COMEDY, prop work, character, all while being surrounded by yelling, and fighting and stuff literally flying around you! It's a lot more work than just being in a normal play or a musical. This is intense!! I'm loving it! But it's Intense. We have people stretching before rehearsal. And there's not even dancing in this show lol! Shoot maybe *I* should be stretching too—It's crazy, this show!
How did you get started performing?
Making my family laugh.
Making my friends laugh.
Wanting people to watch me do stuff. ("Watch me do this jump!)
Was shy in public but then was goofy with my friends.
Asked the teacher if I could join an acting class for the first time in junior year of high school.
Got in.
Realized you can get paid to do this silly stuff.
Haven't stopped acting since.
Why do you still perform?
Two reasons!
Reason #1)
Being onstage in a theatre, with a living audience in this day and age is… magic! There's no tvs, no phones being looked at, no screens. It's all real and really happening right there in front of you. And to be the one on stage, performing for those seated in the audience- there's a power in that! Whether it's used in dramatic ways for the audience to see how someone hurts, it's intimate. Of course with comedy the same thing happens when they get bonked in the crotch or some other comedic pain and that's intimate too haha! Watching a comedy live on stage is just like the physical embodiment of those stories -the kind where the person says "you Just had to be there…" but with theatre you ARE! You are there and you are eating up every second of it. And (hopefully) the jokes are landing, haha.
So why do I still perform?
Because the opportunity to be present in a moment -with a crowd—it's almost a paradox isn't it? It should be impossible—but it isn't! It's live theatre! And it's wonderful and it has ebbs and flows of popularity, but it will never fully be replaced. Plots and characters and story can be replicated on screens and in books. But moments, real moments—belong to the stage.
Reason #2) I like the hours.
What’s a fun fact people may not know about you?
I am a guitar teacher! And acting coach. And dialect coach. And stage director. And film director. I got my degree in directing and acting from UNC Greeley. I was born in the 70's, was a child in the 80's, was a teen in the 90's and was in college in the 'aughts! I'm an eagle scout. Previous jobs include preschool teacher, insurance claims adjuster and travel agent!
But one secret you may not know about me is that I am actually the most lifelike robot ever created.
What type of audience would you say this play is for? Who do you think it will appeal to most?
I say there are two groups of people who will absolutely LOVE this show.
Group one: People who see shows!
If you are a seasoned theatre patron, odds are you have already seen at least one snafu on stage before, though you may not have noticed since the actors (hopefully) covered it so flawlessly. Being able to see how many things could and do go wrong in one show I think brings an appreciation for seeing when a show is done right! Plus this show is just. So. FUNNY! You'll be sure to enjoy yourselves and even come back and bring friends for a second viewing! THAT'S the best! Repeat viewings!
Group two: People who DON'T see shows!
If there's a stubborn person in your life who never comes with you to the theatre DRAG them to see this show. There's nothing to hate about it! No singing. No dancing. IT'S SHORT. Where the intermission would be is just the end of the show! (There's even a pretty person in their underwear for crying out loud) ANNNND they will laugh a lot and absolutely love it. And THAT'S A SCOTTY GUARANTEE*
*Scotty guarantee has no resale value. No substitutions, exchanges or refunds. Barbie does not actually talk. Void where prohibited.
You recently played Inspector Kemp/Hermit in Young Frankenstein! How did you feel when the run ended? How did you feel about the musical as a whole? Any interesting takeaways?
I loved that show! I did feel sad the run ended—I could have taken that show on the road and played those roles for a year at least and still not have been sick of it! I felt the musical was really well casted, directed, costumed, lighted, sound'ed and scenic'ed. I talked to several audience members after each show who didn't notice that I played two parts and I took that as a compliment in my acting abilities.
All in all, it was SO MUCH FUN! I made new friends in front of the scenes and behind the scenes.
My biggest takeaway was just feeling like a family member here at Vintage.
What have you been filling your time with since your performance in Young Frankenstein?
Over the holiday I enjoyed performing in Polar Express (with real trains!) In Golden, Colorado. In that show I was being directed by The One-Act Play That Goes Wrongs' very own Rachel McCombs-Graham, and I got to work with some other very lovely people. Then I also spent some time with my friends and family. I auditioned for many things, got this part and have been excitedly rehearsing ever since!
