Main Menu
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu
)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
10/08/2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES Excuse Brandon Wilks if he appears to be having a bit of an identity crisis these days. Wilks is playing three distinct parts in "Tartuffe" which will be presented by the Northwestern Theatre Oct. 16-18 at 7:30 p.m. in the A.A. Fredericks Auditorium.
The play is about an imposter named Tartuffe, who schemes his way into the home of a wealthy man, Orgon. Once Tartuffe gets into Orgon's good graces, he tries to marry Orgon's daughter, seduce his wife and steal all his property. Tartuffe nearly succeeds but his stopped by an emissary from King Louis XIV, who frees Orgon, recovers his property and jails Tartuffe.
Wilks plays two men and a woman Flipot, a maid, Tartuffe' manservant Laurent and the Officer.
"I have tried to make each character distinctive yet the audience will be able to recognize that each character is being played by me," said Wilks, a psychology major and theatre minor in the Louisiana Scholars' College at NSU. "I've gotten really good comments from other members of the cast."
According to Wilks, Flipot and Laurent don't have any lines and must rely on their actions. The Officer has one monologue.
"My only character with lines doesn't have a name," joked Wilks, who is from New Orleans. "With the other characters, I have to show a certain attitude. I had to take little characters and run with it, but I had to tone them down, so I don't upstage everyone too much. Any character that doesn't have lines has to find lines through their reaction."
Wilks believes Flipot is not very intelligent.
'She doesn't understand anything," said Wilks. "I listen to the lines for what to react to if it's justified and if (director) Scott (Burrell) OKs it."
Laurent is not in the play Molliere wrote, but Burrell inserted the character to add to the play.
"I picture him as a bully," said Wilks. "I do get to be aloof, mean and conniving without words."
The Officer appears to be the total opposite of Laurent, according to Wilks' description.
"Scott wanted the Officer to be a 'fop cop,' someone who is very effeminate and flirtatious," said Wilks. "He is the voice of King Louis, but he also admires him so much that he has a crush on him. I do get to be over the top with this character."
Wilks describe theatre as "a passion," but he has many more interests including working with children.
"I have worked with children at summer camps and at birthday parties," he said. "My mother is in the field, so I thought why not help that way?'
Wilks plans to graduate in May, and then attend graduate school. His objective is to eventually earn a Ph.D.
" I think I could use my theatre background in working with kids," he said. "If children feel more at ease with you and are relaxed, they will be more comfortable with you. If you can win them over, they will talk to you."
Tickets for "Tartuffe" are $5. Season tickets are available for $15, which includes admission to four plays during the 2003-2004 season. Admission is free for Northwestern students. For ticket information, call (318) 357-6891.