Getting "Intimate" with Andy Nagraj

Hi everyone, this is Andy Nagraj, aka Mr. Marks, from the cast of Intimate Apparel. The venerable blogmaster asked if I would share some of my thoughts on this production. I thought about it for a while, and finally realized that I could take this opportunity to discuss what (for me) has been the most intriguing and thrilling aspect of this show – the audience.

Now, at the risk of sounding like a complete dummy, I’d like to clarify: yes, I have previously been onstage, and yes, I have been aware of the audience. They’ve even laughed and applauded on occasion. However, when the word “Intimate” is half of the title and every scene in the play is between just two people, the work quickly takes on a certain sense of privacy, particularly in the rehearsal process when the only people in the room are you, your scene partner, the director, and the stage manager.

So you can imagine how surprising it was on opening night to notice people audibly reacting to and participating in the show. Once we got past the initial shock, it became completely invigorating and infused the show with a whole new energy. The audience of Intimate Apparel has consistently been a living, breathing entity that shares the stage with us and makes our jobs as actors very easy every night. I don’t want to give anything away from the plot, but during every performance Chris Lindsay and I sit back in our dressing room and eagerly listen for a specific audience reaction, and it never fails to produce an intake of breath from everyone in the theatre! It is extremely rewarding to know that the audience is so willing to give themselves over to the story and participate with us on stage. I salute you, I thank you, and I look forward to seeing you at Willow Lawn!

Cheers,

-Andy “Blog”-raj
(I can’t tell whether that’s clever or annoying…)