James DeMarco is no stranger to unconventional roles. Since 2011, the versatile actor has appeared at Hole in the Wall (HITW) as “Maurice” in A Cup of Joe at the Iffy Fish, “Frank” in The Rocky Horror Show, “”Jack Stone” in Reefer Madness and “”Marty” in The House of Yes, among others. On March 27th, James will add the shy-turned-savage Bishop Hogan from Fat Men in Skirts to his already-impressive resume.
James describes Bishop as “a maladjusted, shy, Katharine Hepburn obsessed boy” who grows into “a violent, unpredictable and savage teenager.” His transformation begins during his five years on the island and continues once he returns to civilization. Over the course of the play, Bishop commits a number of heinous acts including incest, murder, rape and cannibalism. This provides some high stake moments for James to play on stage. “The acting has been a challenge,” he said. “Getting to the right emotional level while still being relatable as a human being isn’t the easiest task.”
When it comes to creating a character’s voice, function follows form for James. “After getting the voice, I take a step back and work out thought processes and whatever motivation my character might have for such vocal tics or mannerisms…Once the script is out of my hand, the physicality of the character comes pretty naturally.”
And what is James’s reaction to working with Fat Men Director, Scott Stephen Kegler? “He’s an a**hole and every rehearsal is a new and more elaborate torment……Just kidding. He’s actually one of the best directors I’ve ever worked with. He knows exactly what he wants to see and articulates it clearly….. Scott’s direction is very intuitive.”
Despite the controversial plot points and subject matter, James hopes this show is embraced by audiences. “I hope audiences tell their friends how different this show is, how funny it is, and how it made them feel. I really hope we get some strong reactions.”
Fat Men in Skirts runs March 27 & 28, April 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 & 18 at HITW on 116 Main Street in New Britain, CT. Tickets are $20.00 (general admission) and $15.00 (students and seniors). They can be purchased at the door and online at www.hitw.org. The March 3rd show will be our Pay What You Can performance. In keeping with our tradition of presenting theater to everyone, HITW is offering a reduced ticket price of $12.00 to our patrons for Opening Night. We encourage you to bring a friend and enjoy a great night of theater.