Enter the Actors!

Only when there are live humans embodying the characters can the play truly come to life. The personalities, vocal qualities and insights of each individual affect how the role is played. But more than that, the spirit and enthusiasm of the group as a whole make a huge difference as we collectively make choices, share suggestions, and solve problems.

Originally I had determined it would be “easier” for Kanga to voice Roo herself, using a hand puppet. But then little Elton McGlothlin read for us…and I really had no choice but to adjust my thinking.
One of our earliest rehearsals was a set of improvisation exercises designed to help the actors discover their physical and vocal attributes, and how they would relate to one another–both as the animals and as the human characters. These exercises led us to decide that it makes sense for Mother/Kanga to be an American. We devised a logical backstory for her, but this one fact jives with both Auntie Barbara’s critical spirit toward her niece’s family, and the fact that Kanga is an outsider in the Hundred Acre Wood.