John Garrett Greer.
How can I describe John Garrett Greer? Well, he's easy to
look at, that's for sure, but more importantly he's a phenomenal person with
traits you find in a novel. He's really down to earth, and I'm lucky I got to
talk to him for 30 minutes.
This interview went nothing like the way I planned. I was so
nervous and I didn't know why. I wanted to go in there as
"Christina", you know…funny, make a joke here, make him laugh there,
but I froze up.
Great.
 |
Dan (Macbeth, left) rehearsing with John (Banquo, right)
while Blaze (Malcolm) looks on in the distance. |
Why are you an actor?
What do you get out of acting? John says family.
Perfect answer. His sister is an artist, his dad is an architect, and there are
many dancers in the family as well. He's the only actor in the family. He feels
like he has a connection to them by being an artist. It's in his blood. Through
acting he is also learning about himself.
John's favorite part
of acting is the rehearsal process. I had the chance to see him at
rehearsal every Wednesday for a month. In my observations, I can see how much
he enjoys the rehearsal process.
I asked him if there
was a role that he hasn't played yet that he wants to in the near future. He
answers that he would like to play Biff from DEATH OF A SALESMAN, and Hamlet
from Shakespeare’s HAMLET. In my opinion he would make a great Hamlet.
I asked him if there
was a role he would like to play for years. He said nothing. Not one role. He explained to me that he likes to "move
on." In a way I agree with him. Maybe doing your favorite play is
something you think you would like to do over and over again, but doing many
shows and getting NEW experiences under your belt is an exciting career. His
first possible answer was the musical ANYTHING GOES which he did in high school.
"He is
Shakespeare," are his thoughts on the great man, "…amazing style of writing." One of John's favorites by Shakespeare
is ROMEO AND JULIET (which I think makes him a really swell guy, and also a bit
of a romantic!).
I asked him how
Tony's direction and vision for MACBETH has been different from other Shakespeare
he's done. He said it has been different. “Tony’s direction was intentional
and specific down to when you take a breath. Tony has a really great creative team
behind him, and that's what it takes.”
John likes the play MACBETH; in fact he says Banquo has been
his favorite role to play thus far in his career. Banquo lets faith take its course, and when tempted
he doesn't take matters into his own hands. My feelings are similar to John's in that we believe everyone wants to
be 'king' or they want something they can't or don't have. And most people
fight, kill, steal and would sell their mother for that want, like Macbeth. But
there are also people, like Banquo, who want to live an honest life. I think
that's what John wanted to explain about Banquo. From what I know about John, I
had an inclination that would be his answer! He tells me maybe he likes the
play MACBETH so much because he's part Scottish. He adds that in high school he
was interested in MACBETH because he heard it was Shakespeare's bloodiest play
(you know how high school boys like that kind of thing!).
His favorite
character in the play is Lady Macbeth saying, "She's one of the strongest characters ever written." He
also likes Malcolm as well. John's favorite part of the play is Macbeth's "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow" soliloquy. He says, "I could sit and try and learn that for years."
I've seen him act; he can seem so serious one moment, so
focused, so very into his role. But then instantly he can change into himself,
joking. He is an amazing actor. What is it like for
you up there? Not even this show, any show in front of a crowd? "Terrifying…I'm
also into what I'm doing…and right where fear is needed I can create it."
Then I got to learn
more about him! He wanted to be in the field of physiology; he loves sports
and physical activities. Last summer he tried skydiving.
"The second I
walk in is the scariest part of an audition.” He says midway through a
monologue he'll ask himself, "Am I
doing this right?" and get sidetracked and think, "Did I leave the kitchen light on?"
What's that best part
about acting? "Looking back on
what you created…being a part of something great."
The hardest? "Becoming a professional actor…this is
the hardest field to break into."
So you want act professionally?
"Yes." he answered, I
could see the determination on his face.
And my last and
favorite question. What is it you know now that you wish you knew when you
started? "That it all had to
start with me…that I'm the most important component…to not shut my personality
out." He goes on to say that he would watch his favorite actors play
many different roles and wonder how they did it, they were like chameleons. He
learned that being yourself is the key to being a chameleon.
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