Welcome back to another installment of FRIGID New York Festival 2011 Q&A! We’ll be running these throughout February until the Festival starts, so be sure to check back to read all about the great shows that will be taking part in the festival. Also – don’t miss the winner-take-all game of Rock Paper Scissors! Today’s Q&A is with Bricken Sparacino, who is the actor and writer of I’m Not Sure I Like the Way You Licked Me!
Through humor, honesty and a little bit of rock and roll, come share with Bricken the battles she has fought, the mountains she has climbed and the licks she has endured.
Bricken Sparacino in I'm Not Sure I Like the Way You Licked Me (Photo by Cathryn Lynne)
answers by Bricken Sparacino, actor and writer
Antonio Asks: What makes FRIGID such a warm and welcoming experience for your production?
This is my third year being a part of the FRIGID. It is one of my favorite festivals. I always feel like I’m in good hands. Each year the festival seems to grow bigger and better and it is exciting to be a part of that growth!
Diánna Asks: What about this play do you feel most drawn to personally, and because of that, what message do you hope the audience walks away with?
I have directed 8 solo shows over the last 3 years. Each time I directed one the actor would say “you should write one for yourself” “you have such great stories” I avoided creating my own show because I have never had any thing really horrible or spectacular happen to me. I was never in a war or scaled a mountain. But it was in the back of my head, “maybe I should do it”.
I started working on just telling stories. And what I found was some of my stories have universal tones. People would come up to me and say “that happened to me too” or “that’s just like what happened to my sister”. This is when I felt like I was on to something. Sharing the small things created a show that the audience could enjoy and feel connected to.
I hope the audience walks away feeling like they can take on anything. And next time something stupid happens they can laugh and say “that’s just like Bricken”.
Karen Asks: That’s some title. How did you come up with it – and what does it mean?
The title of my show is a direct quote from one of my stories. I don’t want to give it away, but it involved a french kiss gone bad. That being said the idea behind the title becomes the connecting theme of the stories I act out and tell in my show.
Stephen Asks: You must have a favorite part of your show. What makes it your favorite?
I like acting like my husband. There are several stories of my life that my husband comes off looking bad in and I love being him in the stories. It is fun to storm around the stage. He is a good sport about it. When I first showed him, he actually reminded me of a few things he said that make him look even worse in the story. I put them in the show.
Lina Asks: How much of your show was inspired by true events?
The entire show is true, I try my best not to exaggerate, as that would ruin the fun of the truth.
THM Bonus Question: If you could play a virtual game of Rock, Paper, Scissors with another FRIGID Show which show would you take on? And what would you throw?
The Bitter Poet, I’d wrap him up in paper.
Thanks I’m Not Sure I Like the Way You Licked Me! – for participating in The Happiest Medium’s FRIGID New York Festival 2011 Q&A. And for playing our game! You’re officially PAPER. You were challenged by Hi, How Can I Help You? – and they threw SCISSORS. OOF – a clear win goes to HHCIH as they cut your PAPER to shreads. But you may have a chance with the Poet. This is how it works in the crazy world of the VIRTUAL ROCK PAPER SCISSORS TOURNAMENT!
Meanwhile, for the rest of you – don’t forget to check out I’m Not Sure I Like the Way You Licked Me!
I’m Not Sure I Like the Way You Licked Me!Written & Performed by Bricken Sparacino & Directed by Lori Kee
Presented by Birch & Bricken New York, NY
UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place) $10
Wed 2/23 @ 9pm, Sun 2/27 @ 1pm, Mon 2/28 @ 9pm, Thu 3/3 @ 7:30pm, & Sat 3/5 @ 8:30pm
FRIGID New York Festival 2011 will run February 23-March 6 at The Kraine Theater & The Red Room (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Ave and Bowery) and UNDER St. Marks (94 St. Marks Place between 1sr Ave and Ave A). Tickets ($10-$16) may be purchased online at www.FRIGIDnewyork.info or by calling Smarttix at 212-868-4444. All shows will run 60 minutes long or less.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the great interview! I have enjoyed reading them all. And just for the record, had I know Scout was going to playing me in rock paper scissors, I would have used a rock. I know how she likes to “cut a B#@ch”.
My pleasure, Bricken!
And . . . there may be a chance for a re-match with Scout for the big Rock Paper Scissors tournament. You never know – If you’re willing, lets see what happens!