In addition to playing the part of Simon, Stephen Ingram is also the Musical Director for Jack and the Beanstalk – The Panto! We asked him about what people will be talking about after the show, how important music is in a pantomime, and what he enjoys about playing his character.
Lighthouse Festival (LF): What will the audience be thinking about in the car as they drive home after this show?
Stephen Ingram (SI): My hope is that every member of the audience will take home a little spark of joy, a little spring in their step, a little warmth in their heart. To me, a panto is all about giving such a ridiculous amount of silly joy and heart that the audience can’t help but find it contagious.
(LF): As the musical director for the show, in addition to acting in it, how do you balance both of those roles?
(SI): We’ll find out, won’t we! It certainly requires more preparation in the weeks before rehearsals start, prepping sheet music and figuring out part-singing assignments. Once we get intro the swing of things I always like to be able to focus on my acting role as much as possible, as that’s something that is difficult to do on your own — I can bring the songs home, just not the actors!
(LF): What do you love about the character you’re playing?
(SI): Simon is the musical centre of the show, and is always looking for a way to drag music back into it. He also always just sort of seems like he’s living in his own little world, and as a bit of a space cadet myself, I can relate!
(LF): If someone was going to make your life into a movie, who would play you?
(SI): My life wouldn’t be a movie, it would be either a musical or some kind of interactive concert. Brent Carver and Stephen Sondheim would have to come back from the dead to make it happen – Brent to play me, Stephen to write the music!
(LF): How important is music in a pantomime?
(SI): A pantomime is all about being more over the top, sillier, larger than life — and what’s more over the top than bursting into song? Music takes everything about a pantomime that is already heightened, and heightens it ten steps further.