Edited by Mrs. Kaufmann
Mr. Locker, who has just begun his 16th year teaching English 10 at Stissing Mountain Jr./Sr. High School, continues to script and direct plays for the district and local community. He tells us that his favorite Broadway show to date was Farinelli and The King with his favorite stage actor Mark Rylance, who is well-known for his role as Olivia in Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre’s 2013 rendition of Twelfth Night.
On the transformative power of theater
“The first play I ever directed was in college 30 years ago” Locker says, now a professional of the Directors Union and Stage Actors Union of America. “I would consider myself a professional,” he says, his love for theater coming from its impact on his life at a young age, which also led him in the path of becoming a teacher.
“I had no direction before theater, and so for the transformative power of theater I want to get as many kids involved in our work as possible because I understand it is life-changing.”
Locker believes even if the art is not for you, the skills it can teach children is unmatched. An act of collaboration, important skills for the workplace, acting on stage or public speaking. Theater provides the skill of comfortability in stressful situations which many do not harness today. Mr. locker believes that “these skills help students in any walk of life they find themselves in. There’s a lot of that involved in all types of stage play. I think we need more thinkers in the world.”
On “Noises Off”
In December, Mr. Locker intends to put on his most comedic play yet for the district: Noises Off, which was originally written by Michael Frayn in 1982.
“It is a play within a play,” he says, alluding to the classic British farce, slapstick comedy and chaotic stage routines. “The set itself is a character, it has eight doors that are constantly opening and closing, or not opening as intended because things don’t work. The students get to play actors who are performing roles in a play where nothing goes as planned.”
Locker tells us the second act of the play takes place ‘backstage’ with the actors talking to each other while the set is able to rotate, seeing both sides of the performance. “Everything taking place in front of you is a silent pantomime… It is very, very funny” Locker emphasizes before admitting that he’s performed the play once before, 30 years ago at Marist College:
“Of all the plays, professional and amateur that I have done, it is the best time I have ever had on stage. It is my favorite comedy.”
Constantly changing character roles and personalities makes this play interesting and comedic to follow along to as an audience. Noises Off is anticipated to be the most intricate comedy ever put together by Pine Plains stage crew and actors.
On the most memorable moment with his actors
“We performed the bald soprano at the Stissing Center in masks, during COVID. Everyone in the cast ended up getting COVID after the show.”
On the newest actors on his stage
Gregory Locker decides he would like to bring attention to his new stage members Paige Foley, an 11th grader at Stissing Mountain who has never done anything like this before and Gavin Burger, a 12th grader who has also never committed to stage acting before his senior year.
“They are really putting themselves out there, which is a huge risk which deserves recognition… I have a feeling when the play is over they will be ‘bitten by the theater bug.’”
On his current favorite song
”Sick of Myself” by Mathew Sweet