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Seattle actor Dane Stokinger returns to Village Theatre's mainstage in the company's production of The Full Monty.
He plays Jerry Lukowski, the unemployed blue-collar worker who
convinces his fellows in the unemployment line that they can solve their
economic woes by baring it all in striptease routine.
The Full Monty opens Sept. 15 at the Village's Issaquah theater, and moves to Everett in October. Stokinger took time before rehearsal last week to answer a few questions about The Full Monty (including those infamous pull-away pants) as well as his first title role: the lamb in a grade school production of Mary Had A Little Lamb.
OK, the last few times I saw you perform, you were buried under layers of pirate plumage in Peter Pan at Seattle Children's Theatre or biblical robes as one of Joseph's brothers at the 5th Avenue.. How does it feel to be...ah...a little more exposed in this production?
It is definitely a change from the usual production. When I went into my costume fitting, I told the costume designer, Cynthia Savage, that "most" of the clothes that Jerry wears during the show are what I already own. He is such a normal guy with jeans, sneakers, and T-Shirts. Now, mind you, later in the second act, those clothes are a different story. Let us just say they are much "breezier" then most costumes.
Although always a great good time, it seems like the themes of The Full Monty are even more relevant today than a couple of years ago. I suspect your audience will know a number of men who have been struggling with long-term unemployment. What inspires you when preparing for this role?
It is inspiring because it can really hit close to home for a lot of families…and that is what also terrifies me…because it is a tough thing to see when families are hit with hard times
Is it tough or easy to look awkward during those strip routine practice sessions? I've always heard the hardest part of the show is those pull-away pants.
With the choreography, it is a bit tricky because it has to look good but it can’t look like a bunch of trained dancers. Jerry Dixon and Bojohn Disciple have done such a great job doing that: making it look more "athletic" then "dancey." In regards to the pants, I found that by the time they are about to leave the stage and the six of us remain, the audience is so rowdy that I never realized any issues. It is a bit of an adrenaline rush
What is it like to work with local dancer Bojohn Disciple (Black Nativity and others)? What's the biggest challenge of learning his style?
I love working with Bojohn. I have had the pleasure of doing a few shows with him over the years. He is so patient with all of us and such a great teacher. I think he is the only person on this planet that can do what he does…but he never tried to teach us a style…right off the bat they really wanted to see what we do naturally and then they built on that.
You've been in a number of productions at Village Theatre: how does it feel to come back to a company like this?
I have loved working at Village. It is such a supportive environment and it really feels like a family. And it always is a pleasure coming back
If you could be cast in any role you wanted, what would you like to perform?
I would say Jean Valjean In Les Mis, because everyone wants to sing that score!
And if you could repeat any role, what would you like to do again?
I know it is going to sound cheesy but I would say Jerry in Full Monty. I love this role. The music is difficult and such a pleasure to sing…and Jerry as a character is fantastically flawed
One of your program bios listed your first title role as a child. What did you do as the lamb in Mary Had A Little Lamb?
Surprisingly not much. I thought, with it being a title role there would have been more. Always read the script before you take the job.
Did you know then that you were destined to be an actor?
I knew it the first time I ever stepped on stage. It really was as automatic as that. It was game over: sorry, Mom and Dad, no Doctor here, maybe I’ll play one on TV.
The Full Monty opens Sept. 15 at the Village's Issaquah theater, and moves to Everett in October. Stokinger took time before rehearsal last week to answer a few questions about The Full Monty (including those infamous pull-away pants) as well as his first title role: the lamb in a grade school production of Mary Had A Little Lamb.
OK, the last few times I saw you perform, you were buried under layers of pirate plumage in Peter Pan at Seattle Children's Theatre or biblical robes as one of Joseph's brothers at the 5th Avenue.. How does it feel to be...ah...a little more exposed in this production?
It is definitely a change from the usual production. When I went into my costume fitting, I told the costume designer, Cynthia Savage, that "most" of the clothes that Jerry wears during the show are what I already own. He is such a normal guy with jeans, sneakers, and T-Shirts. Now, mind you, later in the second act, those clothes are a different story. Let us just say they are much "breezier" then most costumes.
Although always a great good time, it seems like the themes of The Full Monty are even more relevant today than a couple of years ago. I suspect your audience will know a number of men who have been struggling with long-term unemployment. What inspires you when preparing for this role?
It is inspiring because it can really hit close to home for a lot of families…and that is what also terrifies me…because it is a tough thing to see when families are hit with hard times
Is it tough or easy to look awkward during those strip routine practice sessions? I've always heard the hardest part of the show is those pull-away pants.
With the choreography, it is a bit tricky because it has to look good but it can’t look like a bunch of trained dancers. Jerry Dixon and Bojohn Disciple have done such a great job doing that: making it look more "athletic" then "dancey." In regards to the pants, I found that by the time they are about to leave the stage and the six of us remain, the audience is so rowdy that I never realized any issues. It is a bit of an adrenaline rush
What is it like to work with local dancer Bojohn Disciple (Black Nativity and others)? What's the biggest challenge of learning his style?
I love working with Bojohn. I have had the pleasure of doing a few shows with him over the years. He is so patient with all of us and such a great teacher. I think he is the only person on this planet that can do what he does…but he never tried to teach us a style…right off the bat they really wanted to see what we do naturally and then they built on that.
You've been in a number of productions at Village Theatre: how does it feel to come back to a company like this?
I have loved working at Village. It is such a supportive environment and it really feels like a family. And it always is a pleasure coming back
If you could be cast in any role you wanted, what would you like to perform?
I would say Jean Valjean In Les Mis, because everyone wants to sing that score!
And if you could repeat any role, what would you like to do again?
I know it is going to sound cheesy but I would say Jerry in Full Monty. I love this role. The music is difficult and such a pleasure to sing…and Jerry as a character is fantastically flawed
One of your program bios listed your first title role as a child. What did you do as the lamb in Mary Had A Little Lamb?
Surprisingly not much. I thought, with it being a title role there would have been more. Always read the script before you take the job.
Did you know then that you were destined to be an actor?
I knew it the first time I ever stepped on stage. It really was as automatic as that. It was game over: sorry, Mom and Dad, no Doctor here, maybe I’ll play one on TV.