Interviews by Alexa Pilgrim and Josette Thornhill
Aragon Drama’s spring production “Noises Off,” performed April 11 – 15, was a play within a play that took a comedic look at the backstage workings of performances. The show followed a cast of actors and crew as they attempt to put on the play “Nothing On,” a light comedy set in a 16th century mill in England.
Isabel Quinteros as Belinda Blair
What character are you playing and how do you relate to her?
I play Belinda Blair, who is the actress who plays Flavia Brent in the play within the play. I relate to her because she’s constantly trying to take care of everyone in the cast, and I feel like this was definitely type casting because I am kind of always doing that to my cast.
Who is your personal hero?
I’m going to say my mother. She was one of 10 children, with immigrant parents, and she was the first one to go to college in her family. She worked hard to give us the life that we have, so I think that’s really cool.
Do you want to pursue acting as a career?
I definitely want to do it in the future. I don’t know about professionally, but definitely in college as a hobby. I want to keep on acting, because it’s my favorite thing.
What has been the best part about being in “Noises Off”?
The best part for me is the cast. It’s such a small cast that we’re all just like best friends. We have a group chat that we’re always talking in, and I think it’s really brought us all together. It’s what I love to do, and I think the people in it make it even better.
Preston Schoenherr as Garry Lejeune
What character are you playing?
I’m playing Garry Lejeune, and he is the lead actor I believe of “Nothing On,” and during rehearsals he tries to make himself as important as the director Lloyd but nobody actually cares about him.
What made you interested in drama?
I joined drama class freshman year due to a scheduling mistake and just forgot to change out, and now here we are.
Who is your personal hero?
Bill Murray. He made a lot of mistakes in the past but he’s been able to come back from them.
What’s your favorite movie?
It’s probably something between “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”
What makes “Noises Off” such a great play?
I think “Noises Off” is really great because you can choose to pay attention or you can just not pay attention and just watch and you can enjoy it both ways. You can enjoy in a pure ‘ha, that’s funny’ sort of way or in a ‘that’s smart I see where that came from that’s cool haha.’ It’s just a lot of fun it’s really funny, it’s great.
Do you want to do acting or performing as a career?
Well, I feel like theater is the only thing I can see myself going into and enjoying, so yes.
What is the most difficult part about playing your character?
Falling is the most difficult and most fun part of my character because I had to make it convincing without actually hurting myself, which sometimes I did.
Granger Brenneman as Selson Mowbray
What character are you playing?
I am playing Selson Mowbray, he’s sort of the veteran actor … hitting the end of his career, I guess you could say washed out. He’s got a bit of an alcohol problem.
What’s your favorite thing about performing?
To be completely honest, I am a bit of a diva … so I think I do like it when the spotlight is on me. I also like the process of it, everything has to work, everything has to click together for something magical and beautiful.
What’s your favorite play?
William Shakespeare’s “Julius Ceasar” because it’s the intersection of my two loves: theater and history.
What are your hobbies outside of drama?
I [worked] with March for Our Lives, so I’m all up in that political advocacy. I’m planning to do a gap year working in a political office. I’m a big civics nerd so that’s sort of my second big thing after theater.
Do you have any funny stories about your experiences in drama?
Something that’s pretty funny, not any specific event, [is] that we have a group chat. And we just sit around and talk about memes and laugh at each other, and share memes and it’s just really fun.
If someone were to make a movie about your life, who would play you?
Jared Gilman. [He plays] the main character from “Moonrise Kingdom.” It’s a Wes Anderson movie, and the kid just looks so much like me, I sort of channel him when I’m playing myself.
AJ Vasquez as Lloyd Dallas
What character are you playing?
I play Lloyd Dallas, I’m the director of the show “Nothing On” … [which is] compiled of all of these terrible actors that have no idea what they’re doing and I have to try to push the show along.
Are you similar to your character?
It’s kind of hard playing this character because he’s such a jerk, and if he doesn’t get his way, it’s the highway. I think what’s fun about [playing] this character is that I don’t really know how to relate to him, but definitely it’s a lot of fun.
What made you interested in drama?
My friend told me to take drama class so I took it … This is my third show now. I started with “Twelfth Night” which was like 12 lines, then “9 to 5” which was no lines, and now I have like 300-something.
What are the best and worst parts about being in a play?
The best parts are the people, the director and the show. The worst part is tech week.
What do you do if you’re nervous before performing?
Right before I go onstage, I do three jumping jacks. Every single time I’ve done that. There’s no real way of not being nervous — you just have a moment right before you go on stage where you’re like, “Oh [no] I forgot everything,” but as soon as it starts going, you’re fine.
Do you want to do acting as a career?
I’ll do it for as long as I can, but I really want to go into fashion.
