And who’s next?
Nick Bottom!
What role do
you represent in the Mechanicals?
Every wind
needs wings to carry. Every tail needs a peacock’s feather. I am that great
shining light the mechanicals are so proud to be the lamp post for.
What is your
occupation outside of the Mechanicals?
The Bottom
family have been weavers since the dawn of . . . well, actually it was
twilight. However, though I was nearly as famous as a weaver as I will be as an
actor, the stage has captured me in her weighty bosom.
I have only
one other love, my newly formed JA. Jackasses Anonymous, a 12 step program to
eliminate that unsightly braying.
Who inspires
your performances?
Lift your
hands to about chest level. Bring your palms together so that they make a
noise. Repeat. Frequently. Do this much for me, and you are . . . my people.
The Man Behind the Madness
Dan Wentzel
How did you
get involved with the Mechanicals?
Jill pointed
at me and said, "My husband can mock Shakespeare." That and at the
time we were working on an old version of Richard III, where Richard needed a
German accent. I can do those.
What kind of
performance background do you have?
I was a
theatre minor in college. My major was creative writing. I used to say I was
studying unemployment. Since then I have done a lot of work at the PA Renaissance
Faire, Narberth Community Theatre and things like The Harrisburg Shakespeare
Festival and Theater of the 7th Sister. I’ve also written plays most
people haven’t heard of: Six Lovers in Florence and Lover’s Ledge.
My biggest new project is that I have started my own Theatre troupe, The Seat
of Our Pants Players. Anybody want to donate a theater space?
Whose comedy
inspires you the most?
Red Skelton,
but also Bud Abbot, Bert of Bert and Ernie, and John Laroquette. The shortest
distance between two jokes is a straight line.
How long have
you been a Mechanical?
This is my
third season.
What is your
favorite Mechanical Memory?
Our first
"independent" show. The best audience ever.
Updated 9-7-06