08/04/2023
An interview with Marquis Dijon Archuleta a local actor.
Deer Lodge Blog) How many years have you done theater?
Marquis Dijon Archuleta) I have been doing theater since elementary school. Acting has always been my passion.
DLB) What was your original inspiration to do theater?
MDA)Ever since I could remember I loved to entertain people. These days I still love to entertain but, another reason for me is to make an audience feel something they rarely get to feel in a special moment.
DLB) Other than acting, do you have any other responsibilities in the theater?
MDA) Along with acting. I have worn a few different hats at the Cutler Bros. Theatre. I have assisted in stage managing shows, co-directed the kids acting camp, choreographed dance numbers, taught and choreographed stage combat sequences, and given hugs to people in need of them after long rehearsals.
DLB) Are there plans in your future to try motion pictures or television?
MDA) Because I love acting in all its forms I do hope to do more film work in the future. Last season I was fortunate to do some extra work on the show 1923. If you look close enough you can see me in a few episodes.
DLB) What advice would you give to people joining your theater group or groups like yours?
MDA) My advice for anyone joining any theater would be, get ready for a fun learning experience. One that will be demanding but worth it. One that will introduce you to some new friendships. One that will teach you more about yourself than you expected. My advice for anyone who might be younger: I would tell them what I used to tell myself all the time," It's never too early to start acting like a professional".
DLB) What’s been your favorite play so far?
MDA) That is a hard question. To pick just one is so tricky. All the shows have their highs and lows. Shows that come to mind are Jesuas Christ Superstar for the great ensemble we had, and Sweeney Todd for the chance to play a dream role of mine, or Noises Off for its authenticity of what live theater can be, or Of Mice And Men for being my first show with the Cutler Bros. I could go on and on.
DLB) What role(s) do you play in W***y Wonka?
MDA) In W***y Wonka I have 3 different parts technically. I don't want to spoil anything though so I will say you have to see the show to see them all, But I will way one of my parts is the Candy Man.
DLB) What were the rehearsals for W***y Wonka like? Is it kind of serious or do you all keep it light and fun?
MDA) I would say our time in rehearsal is seriously funny. This play is a comedy, but it definitely has its serious moments. In rehearsal when we are blocking and planning the scenes out jokes are cracked all the time and ideas are contributed. When we are running the scene or dance number is when we get serious, but even in that we have smiles on our faces. It's really hard not to break character and burst out laughing when your acting partners deliver a hilarious line.
DLB) Have you seen the Gene Wilder version of W***y Wonka? And do you have a favorite part?
MDA) I have seen it. My favorite part is probably when Gene Wilder sings Pure Imagination and all the kids run around tasting everything in the room. I remember when I was younger watching that scene and wanting to be in that room eating everything. Now that I'm older it's my favorite part because the song itself shows how W***y Wonka sees the world and shows why he needs one of these kids to take over the factory because most adults will not let their imagination take over.
DLB) How many kids attended? And how did they react to their play, the finished result?
MDA) We had a total of 20 campers this time. We did A Jungle Book. We started camp on Monday and did the final shows Saturday. It seemed that the campers had a fun time when all was said and done. Looks like they made new friends. Learned new skills. That I know for sure because I would ask them, " what is something you learned today that you didn't know at the beginning of the day". they always had an answer. Some of our campers had never done theater before. I knew that a lot of them were nervous to perform in front of an audience, but by the end they did a wonderful job and I think our campers were proud of themselves as well.
DLB) Are there lessons learned from this last session, things you would maintain or things you would like see happen in the future?
MDA) Something that I would like to see happen more in our theater would be more beginner acting based workshops for the community. That and staged readings of shows for fun.
