Spotlight On: Mars Zschack

 

 

Connecticut Theatre Company’s “Spotlight On…” series continues with a look into the cast of Carrie. Get to know Mars Zschack who is portraying Freddy in our production!

 

 

 

Introduce yourself to our audience.

Hi, my name is Mars and I play Freddy!

 

How do you balance the heightened, supernatural elements of the show with the grounded, painful reality of high school bullying?

Trying to connect with a high school setting has been difficult for me, because it’s been 9 years since I was actually in high school. I was very fortunate to go to a super queer art school where bullying wasn’t really an issue I experienced, so for me the challenge of relating to that has been way more difficult than the supernatural elements, which I feel like aligns more with my interests.

 

What is your favorite musical motif or lyric in Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford’s score that helps define your character?

 

How does this production make Carrie feel relevant to modern audiences?

The time period of this show is really odd because the book and movie take place in the 70s, this musical was originally written in the 80s, it was revamped in the 2010s, and now we’re in the 2020s. I feel like there’s pieces in the scrip that have survived and reflect all these different time periods, which creates a kind of uncanny feeling of both a very specific time but also something fluid. As an audience member, it makes it both super relatable but ambiguous enough to realize the struggles that young people face are the same across generations, and we’re all a lot more alike than we may think.

 

What has been the most physically or emotionally demanding part of the rehearsal process for you?

I jumped in to this show way after everyone else, and my first day of rehearsal was a full run through. My biggest challenge has been just trying to fit in (no pun intended), and in a way I think my rehearsal process also kind of mirrors exactly how my character is feeling throughout the show. The cast has been incredible in welcoming me in with open arms, and I’m so grateful to them for pushing me around and helping me along as I figure out what I’m doing.

 

What surprised you most about the script and score compared to the original Stephen King novel or the films?

To be completely honest, I’ve actually never seen the movie or read the book, and I knew very little about the story other than blood and prom coming into this. I think the biggest shock to me was finding out about the extent that religion plays into everything. It really raises the stakes of the supernatural elements when you put it against a backdrop of religious extremism, and for me that made the story go from something kind of spooky and campy to something with very serious and very real consequences.

 

How does the ensemble use choreography and movement to amplify the tension and horror onstage?

All of the movement in this show, with the exception of Carrie herself, is very unison which creates a sort of hive mind feeling that directly correlates to the dynamics of their school. The first moment where everything kind of breaks apart and  eveyone is moving freely on their own is during the destruction, which really amplifies the release of Carrie’s own feelings. I also love how the choreography during the song Carrie is sort of repeated in a very different context during the destruction, Chekhov’s floor work even.

 

If your character could give one piece of advice to their younger self, what would it be?

Freddy is kind of the class clown, and I think a lot of his jokes and antics stem from him trying to be seen as cool by his peers. If someone could give advice to a younger Freddy, I think it would be to not worry what other people think of you and just be yourself. *If* Freddy survives prom, I think he’d have a really good career as a comedian. His personality is genuinely funny, but I think as he grows up he’d hopefully figure out that his purpose in life is to lift others up with his humor instead of punching down.

 

What do you hope audiences are discussing in the car on their ride home from the theater?