Tuesday Samurai - Meet Marcia Svaleson

It's still Tuesday, I swear! I'm so sorry to be coming to you late again, but I'm very excited to start a series of blogs over the next five weeks leading up to the opening of Bright Ideas on May 7th: I'm going to introduce you to each of the five cast members.

You'll already be familiar with our first featured cast member: Marcia Svaleson. She's the ninja of our company (and Sunday blogger) and will be appearing onstage in Bright Ideas as the desperate mom with a mean pesto recipe.

Marcia, I realized that I have a personal history with each cast member. How did we meet?

We met at the audition for Protection Program, and the first thing I said was, "Hey, Matt, look...this guy's taller than ME!" And then we had to hump on stage in American Apathy. That was maybe my best theater moment.

Made all the better by our kick-ass blond highlights. Now you're working on Bright Ideas - do you personally relate to your character?

Yes, because even though I'm not a mom, if I were, I would be a psycho mom. And Genevra definitely starts out normal and becomes crazy crazy. Like, ca-caw crazy.

Is working with Jimmy [LeDuc, Bright Ideas director] as awesome as I think it would be?

Well, on our first night of blocking rehearsal he showed up in a bright yellow Golden Girls t-shirt. I think that says it all, don't you?

'Nough said. Nothing endears me to a person more than a mutual love for The Golden Girls. Any theater projects coming up you'd like to talk about?

I'm really stoked about next year's season. I can't stop talking about it.

I've noticed. I think it appears right before this blog post, in fact. Not that I blame you. I've just about messed myself over Season 2011. OK, not really, but I'm really excited. Moving on from uncomfortable topics, just to prove that I'm not all business, I want to ask what your favorite nut meat is. Mine is cashew.

I do enjoy a good cashew. It's between that and almond. Peanuts are for special occasions; they remind me of drinking in bars.

Ooh, or Texas Roadhouse. But that's a treat for me when I'm visiting my parents in Iowa. Or happen to be in Coon Rapids...which never happens.

Well, there you have it, folks. Marcia and I talked about nut meats, onstage humping, and how tall we are. That's how we roll at Urban Samurai. Or, as Marcia might say...

I do what I want.

Be sure to come back for next week's Tuesday Samurai, when I chat with Marcia's onstage husband, Josh Carson.