Debuting Artist: Henry Blake

Please tell us a bit about your background and how you got into theatre!

I’m a high school student and a ginormous music nerd, going into my senior year of at Rocky Mountain high school, I do Band, Choir and theatre where I hold a position as student director of the band program as well as membership in Rocky Mountain Singers and have been in my school’s last couple productions.

I got into theatre my freshman year doing technical theatre for my schools shows where the following years I decided acting might be more fun, and I fell in love with it. My first ever show was Something Rotten! my sophomore year and it was an absolute blast. This was the same year I became very close with Kate’s son, Ivan, who was the lead in that show. Being close with the Austin-Groen family has led to a lot of amazing opportunities, like doing comedy shows with the Yay! Foundation and Kate actually reached out to me asking if I wanted to audition for this show.

What is your role in this show, and what excited you most about working on this particular production?

My character is Robin, who is a page/messenger to Falstaff, and I am honestly so excited to just learn more from all of these amazing actors. Everything they do is so amazing and every time I’m on stage with one of these amazing people I feel like I’m learning so much.

What has been the most enjoyable or unexpected part of the rehearsal process so far?

The most unexpected part of rehearsal has been getting to work on Shakespeare because before this show I had no idea it could be so inviting and intuitive. The people in this cast really bring his work to life and I was originally really scared it was gonna be stuffy and impossible to figure out.

What has been the most challenging part of bringing this character to life?

The most challenging part of bringing my character to life has definitely been the physical. I have to be very conscious of the way I move and carry myself to help provide insight into my role in the show. If this was written in today’s English, my job would be obvious but with a bit of a language barrier constricting that I have to make up for it by really bringing it in the movement department which has always been one of my weak spots.

What makes this show a unique kind of play to work on? Why do you think this show is relevant to audiences now and should be performed today?

The Merry Wives of Windsor is such a unique play because I think it is such a good play to get people interested in Shakespeare. Shakespeare has a lot of famous works that are dramatic and sad and heavy, but this is such a good way to show people that Shakespeare can be a really amazing thing and the comedy is really hilarious to this day. I think it’s still relevant because there’s still people like Falstaff today women paying the price for men’s sleezy behavior is a tried and true story that a lot of people could take home and get their crap together.

What is your favorite moment or scene in the show, and why does it stand out to you? 

My favorite moment in the show is Ford’s First monologue as Master Brook. Dave brings such a hilarious energy to the actor that reminds you besides the yelling and the anger and the idiotic tactics, he is still a human with feelings and insecurities and above all, he still loves his wife.

If you could swap roles with any other character in this play for a day, who would it be and why?

If I could swap roles with someone for a day, I would want to be Slender for sure. He has such a hilarious track and getting to say “La” 800 times sounds really fun.

What is your favorite role you’ve played in the past? Why was that role special to you?

My favorite role I’ve ever played was Signor Pirelli in Sweeney Todd. That show will always be one of my favorites musically and it challenged me as an actor SO MUCH. The things I learned from that show helped me grow more than any other performances i’ve done and it is one of the few moments in the show with a nice breath of air where everything is less serious and I am glad I could give that to the audience.

Is there a dream role or type of production you hope to work on in the future? 

I would love to be in a production of Next to Normal. I have gotten to be in a lot of lighthearted shows but something that is really depressing is an element of acting I haven’t hitting to touch yet. Plus, Gabe has some amazing songs that I would love to take a swing at.

What do you like to do in your free time (when you’re not working on theatre projects)?

In my free time, I am a people person so I love to see my friends, but when I am alone, I am probably singing during every menial task of my day. I love music so much and I try to practice my singing along with my Flute and Clarinet. I train Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to stay active and when I’m lazy, I love to binge watch my favorite shows for the millionth time. I love to discover new choir music, which is definitely my passion for when I can go to college to pursue Choral Education to help share my love of music with students just like me.