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“This is a new kind of role for me … I’ve never played a murdering serial killer,” Christie Parker, of 27th and Tasker streets, said.
The five-year Grays Ferry homeowner is playing Val in Theatre Exile’s production of “That Pretty Pretty; or, The Rape Play,” a racy-themed production about a murdering duo on the rampage against a contingent of pro-lifers. The tough topics are something Parker is excited to tackle.
“Theatre Exile [1340 S. 13th St.] is the perfect place to play these kind of parts, and I do a lot of Shakespeare, so this is a nice change,” Parker, 39, said. “I’ve worked a lot at Shakespeare Theater and got a Barrymore nomination for playing Desdemona, who is like the complete opposite person from Val. Shakespeare has been my primary focus since I’ve been in Philadelphia.”
In contrast to the Othello character that garnered the actress a nomination, the new character is outside the comfort zone. However, Parker says the play hits all emotions from dark to comedy. The piece, written by Sheila Callaghan, has been staged only a handful of times. Theatre Exile’s will be its first run in Philly.
“The strange part is it’s being written at the same time we are creating it. She’s writing this blog about this killing spree and defining who she is. And it’s a comedy,” Parker said of the production running through Dec. 5 at Old City’s Christ Church Neighborhood House.
Parker worked with Theatre Exile in 2003, but the reason for her return to the stage is the result of pieces falling in to place.
“It’s a matter of timing and the right parts coming up,” Parker said. “I’ve known [Exile’s artistic director and ‘That Pretty Pretty’ director] Joe Canuso for a very long time, and the timing was right this time. In this town, you have to wait for your timing.”
But the “waiting” is a minor trade-off for the freedom and community that artists enjoy in Philadelphia, Parker said, adding that choosing to work in the area gives her the opportunity to move from classics to statement pieces.
“There is a strong sense of community here. Here we all know each other — I knew Joe long before I worked with him. We all see each other’s work. We all help each other out,” Parker said. “I decided to stay here and focus on what’s going on here. It’s just more close-knit.”
The community is extremely supportive of works that push boundaries — whether it be the topics they tackle, the way they are staged or just the challenge they pose for the actors, she said.
“Especially with ‘That Pretty Pretty,’ it’s like we are creating a show. [Callaghan] has created this kaleidoscope of revenge, blood, intense, funny, just crazy work, and it’s like we are creating this piece as we go along,” Parker said. “It’s so exciting to be a part of something like that. You don’t know where it’s going to go, but I think there is room to do that in Philly. We are risk-takers here and that is admirable, so I’m going to keep going.”
The Las Vegas-native moved to Philadelphia after auditioning as part of the University/Resident Theater Association program, which connects hopeful graduate students with educational programs.
“I went to undergrad at UNLV. I got a B.A. in theater. I spent from ’89 to ‘94 at UNLV,” Parker, who vacillated between English and engineering majors before settling on theater, said. “That was a very weird decision for me to come to. I had a best friend who was in the theater, and I was always auditioning for plays. I have a background in the arts, I’ve played piano since I was about 6.”
Grappling with the realities of trying to make it as an artist, Parker took the plunge after taking a year off following graduation from the University of Nevada – Las Vegas and auditioning for the association.
“I was terrified of being an actor. It’s a hard lifestyle and it’s a hard life. It’s been going on ever since,” Parker said. “With URTA, Temple was one of the schools that was interested in me. My grandmother lived in New Jersey.”
Parker had lived with her grandmother in ’78 and continued annual visits until age 13. Returning “home,” Parker set to work on her master’s in fine arts at Temple. However, at the time, the program was isolated from the larger Philadelphia scene.
“I started to see theater. I was sure I wanted to continue on with acting, but, because at Temple we were so focused on what we were doing there, we didn’t have a chance to become acquainted with Philadelphia,” Parker said of post-graduation. “I went to see everything that was going on and started to audition.”
Since then, Parker has been able to focus on Shakespeare, as she wanted, while also dipping in to a few unexpected areas.
“I am good friends with [Martha Graham Cracker] … we were involved with a show and while I was in ‘Pay Up,’ it’s when the whole Martha thing got started,” Parker said of the risqué cabaret performances held the second Thursday of each month at L’Etage, Sixth and Bainbridge streets. “I was asked to come sing, and I wore [this red corset-like outfit] and [the keyboardist] was like, ‘that’s amazing. Can you come back next month?’
“So I am now Hot and Crusty, named after a bakery in New York. That’s how it all began and it’s been a really wild ride ever since.”
Obviously, stepping outside the box is something Parker has done with ease, and she credits much of that fluidity to the Philadelphia artists’ community. Though the decision to become an actor was difficult, it seems where to do it was a no-brainer for Parker.
“The arts are having such a hard time in the past year-and-a-half, things have changed dramatically. But the scene here is still thriving and we are still doing it,” Parker said. “I’ve been really lucky in my career here to play such a wide variety of different kinds of parts, when I do branch out outside of Shakespeare.” SPR
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