Indulge Me (Alex)

In Alex's case he wasn't using a bike on the trail but was jogging instead. Cardio was important for theater. Especially for musical productions where you not only needed breath control but the ability to sing while dancing and lifting. That meant that you really needed to be in shape, and today was a cardio day while the sun was shining up above and the birds were chirping.

Coming up from behind Kasey she would hear the pounding of his footsteps as he got closer and closer to her. Should she bother to look back she would see the young blonde man flashing her a bright smile and raising a hand up in silent greeting.

He chuckled lightly at her comment, slowing down when she started jogging to catch up to him. His right hand raising up the rub the back of his neck as he glanced to the side at her when she managed to finally close the distance between them.

"Of course not. Strong legs are the foundation that we all stand upon. And with a weak foundation I would do a disservice to my partner in every show."

He could think of few things that would ruin a show faster than the lead accidentally dropping his counterpart during the main musical number. Humiliation and a tarnished reputation. If he was a director he would be hesitant to cast someone with such a history for a lead for quite some time. And so he worked diligently on every aspect of his craft. The physical side was no less important than the intellectual necessity of memorizing his lines or the emotional oomph to deliver them. Not just deliver them, but to make people believe in what he said. A Romeo who did not seem to love his Juliet was as poor as a Don Quixote without conviction. As a John Proctor without principle, or a Cornelius and Barnaby without curiosity for what lay beyond their small lives!

"I am a Thespian. An actor."

He'd run a hand through his hair as he upped his pace just slightly to see if she would match him, and how well she could keep up. Just as a friendly way to push her, to push them both harder than they were now.

"Do you perform?"

Her interest didn't escape his notice and it was possible that he had found a fellow practitioner of stagecraft here in this sun dappled trail today.

If his smile could brighten any further it may have rivaled the sun. He'd simply nod in response to her statement. It was true that not everyone was cut out for life on the stage. And that without those that consumed the arts, there would be nothing for the artists to produce. Individual love of the art could only take the art so far. It needed to be consumed and shared by society, to be shaped and to shape the collective will of civilization.

"What is your favorite play? Or perhaps you have a character that you hold close to your heart? Someone who's story strikes a chord within you?"

He didn't increase his pace again, for the time being at least. Instead he watched her intently, other than glancing ahead of him now and then she seemed to have his complete and utter focus. Like the world had shrunk down to include just the two of them for this brief moment in time.

He chuckled at her answer. Holding up a finger at her.

"The difference between a cow and a bean is a bean can begin an adventure!"

Flashing her a wink as he finished delivering the line he'd turn back to face the path they were running on. What was his favorite show? Which character pulled at his heart? Which one resonated with him? A harder question than it may seem for him. Because to play a role he had to become the role. He needed to think how they thought, to feel what they felt. While he was on that stage he needed to live the life that they lived, for better or worse. So was it the characters that came easily to him? Perhaps those with goals and motivations that he could relate with? Or maybe the challenge of playing someone so unlike himself. There were so many ways to answer the question, but after a few moments he had his answer.

"The musical Man of La Mancha, my favorite character would be Sancho Panza. The illiterate servant turned Squire to his Master Don Quixote. During the story Sancho represents the practicality over idealism and the quintessential brand of Spanish skepticism of the period. Yet through the story he is drawn away from his practicality toward some idealism while grounding the insane Don Quixote to the real world. He is an early and wonderful example of the sidekick role, and a fantastic portrayal of the Everyman archetype. The beauty and genius of Sancho is his simplicity. Everyone is Sancho, and anyone could be Sancho."

"I suppose that would depend on if they read the book or watch it performed. As well as how they see the world themselves. People can take away what they want from characters and performances. I think most people are quick to jump to Don Quixote himself. His idealism is infectious. Off and on the screen and it is something that people like to latch onto. In contrast Sancho can often be seen as a foil, a straight man who sets up Don Quixote. After all the most memorable moments of the story are Don Quixote's delusions. I'm sure you are familiar with the scene of him jousting a windmill."

"It is a classic. I highly recommend both the musical and the book. They even made a movie if you did not want to wait for one of the local theaters to do a production of it. It's not quite the same as the book, obviously but it is still a fantastic take on a classic story. I think you might like it!"

He'd give her a thumbs up and a quick wink as he started to push them just a little faster again. Still testing to see if she could still keep up with him. Especially while talking.