TheatrePeople (#3) - Doug Berlon | Theatre Avenue

This week meet Doug Berlon. Doug is an actor, educator and passionate advocate for the arts and the people in them.

What’s a show that inspires you? (explain away!)

I wish I could say one show, but I have found something inspiring in every show I’ve done (yes, even the bad ones). If I had to narrow it down, I love musical theatre. I love the fact that a character is so stirred with emotion, the only thing left to do is sing.

What’s one of your happiest moments in theatre?

Falling in love at first sight. I saw my wife in BLYTHE SPIRIT (she is a brilliant performer) and when I got introduced to her...time stopped. All I could see was her and the rest of the room was frozen in her glow. I wrote in my diary that night that I would marry her - even though she was way out of my league. It took a little time to convince her, but we’ll be married for 27 years on March 27.

What’s the biggest ‘fail’ or goof you’ve seen on stage? (do tell the story)

I was playing Jackson in PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES. The second act opens with a rousing, rock and roll number about Jackson’s girl, Mona. I jumped in a measure too soon which had the rest of the cast jump in too soon too...so….I stopped the show and explained (in character) that I screw the song up every Friday night and the audience deserves better so I’m going to start again. The audience loved it...the tech team wasn’t as excited.

Why do you love theatre?

I love it for a lot of reasons, but I’m going to steal a concept from a musical called NOW. HERE. THIS. I was in New York and was looking for something different and stumbled in to see this beautiful show and it has stuck with me. The central concept of the show was based on poet Thomas Merton’s key to happiness: the phrase "Now, Here, This." Not a command to "listen to this," but three distinct words as reminders:

• Now: this exact moment in time, NOT the past not future plans, but this tangible experience.
• Here: (NOT hear) This place in space, not where we might go or where we've been or where we want to be, but the place you actually are.
• This: the thing we're doing, the senses we're using, not imagination but reality.

Now Here This - a way to live that will let us experience and truly appreciate life. 

This is why I love theatre. It is one of the few places in the world where you must be present now...here...this... to experience once in a lifetime moments.

Theatre is for...

EXPERIENCES

Where else can you save Camelot one day, swindle the townsfolk in Iowa the next day, make a deal with the devil to play baseball, and get it all done by 11:00 every night?!

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