Jacob’s House Artists Reveal #4: Matthew Archambault
What is Jacob’s House?
What is ForePlay: Divine Reckonings?
Matthew Archambault
Actor, Jacob’s House
Productions – Jacob in Jacob’s House (Schulenburg); Barry Tanner in The Lesser Seductions of History (Schulenburg). Staged Readings – Coach Jim Brindell in Volleygirls (Ackerman). Foreplays – Will & Quince in The Imagination Compact: The Mechanicals (Pracht & Ackerman). Have Anothers – Doctor Hargraves Moss in Opaline (Gael). 36 Flux Sundays, starting September 7th, 2008.
Do you have a favorite Bible character?
Not really…I have bad associations with my Christian past…
Are you blessed?
I consider myself very lucky. My duty is to be ready for those moments when opportunity presents itself.
If you were wrestling an angel, what moves would you use?
First, confusion. I’d try some bizarre stuff that would throw the angel off guard…then, at it’s most uncomfortable/off-base, I’d strike quickly, directly, hoping to end the fight fast. That’d probably be a blow to the head with something heavy and blunt nearby.
What would you do for more life?
I’d do a lot of things!
What’s the weirdest thing in your parents’ attic?
I spoke to my father a couple days ago, and he told me he has a musical in the attic that he wrote when he was in college up there! He used ‘popular songs from the day,’ and has mixed feelings about whether or not he wants to find it…
What is your prior experience with the Old Testament?
I went to Monsigneur Clarke for first and second grade. My early memory of learning about the Bible is leaning over to a boy sitting on the floor next to me and saying, ‘You don’t really believe this, do you??” He was terrified at question…and I knew then I was in a minority. Now I feel that maybe I’m not really in the minority…there’s a lot of self-deception going on when it comes to religion.
If you believe in a deity or deities, what kind do you believe in?
Why can’t folks be happy with the beings we have?
Anything else coming up for you that Flux readers should know about?
My hostile takeover of Flux Theatre Ensemble, planned for early Fall, 2012.
Matthew Archambault has worked with The Mortals, Columbia Rep, Brooklyn on Foot, Wayside Theatre, Virginia Shakespeare Festival, Roxy Regional Theatre, Theatre at Monmouth, and Monomoy Theatre, among others.
13 Comments on "Jacob’s House Artists Reveal #4: Matthew Archambault"
MARTA!!
Your (3-part installment) review is AMAZING! So, so insightful…I’m right with you.
Yes, it would be amazing to see Jacob’s merits (and FUN!! to play). Alas, that wish might be as foolhardy as wishing that we could see MacDuff being silly with his child…it’d be fun, but would it really help the playwright?
Your thoughts on the cast are amazing. I wish I knew more about you…I’d include your thoughts about me on my website? Wanna start a theatre blog?
That’s a very keen observation, your ‘what was Joe DOING while away.’ Yes, it’d help to know. But I hope you’re not proposing the character didn’t have an essential part to play for the ‘Amigos.’ (that was our cast nickname for Dinah, Tamar, and Joe)
And…thank you so much for sharing your personal story with the blog. I remember one-sided conversations with my pepere, at age 11. He was suffering from Alzheimer’s, and it was very, very difficult for me.
What your story evoked for me, in terms of the play, was the image of Jacob bargaining with NOBODY during the chess scene. His mind only goes near the end…but there’s something powerful about the thought that he simply gave up his faculties with the understanding that it would give him more time. That is, perhaps, a romantic rambling…but a nice one 🙂
And yes, in the future, it’d be great if the Feedback Post was ‘sticky.’ That means the post stays at the top of the blog. I’d LOVE to read more feedback on this!!
Anyway, thanks for your thoughts, Marta. I wasn’t planning on commenting on this post at all, but your thoughts were inspiring at this particular moment!
More thoughts! More thoughts! Anyone else have some thoughts??