Debuting Artist: Tom Cudmore

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

I work in software for public service agencies, and I have a degree in sociology from UNC. My first real theatre experiences came in high school, where I started in tech working on lights in shows like A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Oklahoma! before getting into acting. My first role was as Lieutenant Colonel Morton Willing in The Whole Darn Shooting Match.

How did you first hear about OpenStage, and what drew you to work with us for this show?

My first encounter with OpenStage was coming to see Cabaret in 2022. I have sung with the Loveland Choral Society several times since 2019, which reignited my love of performing. Watching friends from that group perform in local stage productions such as Sweeney Todd and the aforementioned Cabaret, I found myself looking for a way back to the stage as an actor after a 20-year hiatus. I have a great appreciation for Shakespeare and decided this show was a terrific opportunity to make a comeback.

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

I play Robert Shallow, a local justice of the peace. I am most excited about delivering a version of Shakespeare that is accessible to general audiences and genuinely hilarious.

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

I really love how collaborative the process has been and how open our director Kate is to input. I have felt comfortable making suggestions regarding changes to the text, staging, and props. That type of collaboration increases buy-in from performers and makes the show truly “ours.”

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

In a play full of comedic roles, Justice Shallow often serves as the straight man. I have found it to be a gratifying challenge to discover the humor that comes with that type of role.

What makes this show a unique play to work on?

Any Shakespeare play can be a unique type of show to put on, but Merry Wives stands out among them for being written mostly in prose. Additionally, the setting of our production, outside and in a new venue, makes for a first-of-its-kind production for the company.

Why do you think this show is relevant to audiences now and should be performed today?

This is a play full of clever, capable women surrounded by foolish men. It is special among the Shakespeare plays for featuring such women in the title roles, and its sitcom-like humor is relevant to our modern comedic sensibilities.

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

Without giving too much away, my favorite scene in the show is the musical number near the end. Everyone gets to participate and do something very different from the rest of the play!

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

It would have to be Sir John Falstaff! I submitted my initial audition using one of his monologues, and he’s one of my favorite characters across all of Shakespeare’s plays.

What is your favorite play and/or musical, and why?

I will always have a soft spot for Grease. My sister and I wore out that VHS tape, and I even tried to rope in the neighborhood kids to reenact scenes from the movie. One of my favorite theatre memories is seeing the touring production with Frankie Avalon singing Beauty School Dropout back in 2005! 

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

My favorite past role is Horton the Elephant in Seussical the Musical. It was my first time being cast as a lead, and I still catch myself singing the tunes 20 years later.

What upcoming projects or roles are you excited about?

I’m excited to see what’s on the slate for OpenStage’s next season and to find a role and show that can pull me in like this one has.

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

I love spending time with my wife Hayley and our two chihuahuas, Tucker and Daisy. I run Dungeons & Dragons games for my friends, and I enjoy watching tennis and soccer. I have been a season ticket holder with the Colorado Rapids for 10 years.