Creep LA and Just Fix It Productions have been a staple part of Los Angeles for a while. In January I was fortunate enough to accept a role in JFI’s latest run of ‘The Willows’, directed by Justin Fix and written by Daniel Montgomery.
This production is a well-oiled machine, requiring actors to be completely on the ball all the time and to make sure they are in the right place at the right time. One slip up can throw the whole show off.
Justin drilled us for weeks in rehearsals to make sure we understood the importance of positioning and timing and although timing went off a couple of times during the production run due to outside influences, we were all consummate professionals enough to get back on track again as quickly as we could. It was wonderful to work with a cast member from Tension in the production too. One of the women in ‘The White Room‘ in Tension who I ordered about and who now, In ‘The Willows’ was the head of the Willows family and therefore the employer of my Butler character, Lindsay. Oh how the tables had turned! Fortunately, Melinda is a fantastic actor and wonderful human being so it was a joy to be acting opposite her again.
This production taught me a lot on how theatre works here in Los Angeles, and also how to best handle drunken patrons and still stay in character.
Whilst I am not in it anymore, if you ever get the chance to go to a Creep LA production, take it.
Damien Gerard 