Angie Kraje

How did you get your start in theater?

I really started theatre my junior year of high school when someone encouraged me to audition for the spring play (The Egg and I).  On one hand, I thought it was too late to take on this new hobby since I knew other students who had been involved for many years.  I certainly caught the acting bug and went on to take several electives my senior year including forensics, public speaking, and acting. My first musical was Annie, and my first community theatre show was the Fine Arts Center's production of Will Rogers Follies (where I met my future husband, Ted Kraje).

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What type of formal theater training have you undertaken?

Both of my parents were music majors so singing and music was always part of my childhood. My background in competitive cheerleading contributed to my strength as a dancer and many years later I took adult dance classes in tap, jazz, and ballet to refine that skill. In college, I took several acting and drama courses and ended up with enough credits to add a Theatre Arts endorsement on my Virginia teaching license.

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What has been your overall experience with the Lynchburg theatre scene?

This area is full of theatre opportunities for such a small town and I have enjoyed working with a variety of companies and directors over the years. I have performed in over 30 productions over the years, including collegiate, community, and professional.  About half of those productions have been in the last 3-4 years.  In the past, I would only have the opportunity to perform once or twice a year, but recently there has been a combination of more opportunities and more availability. 

 

You have been involved in shows in nearly every local theatre. What has that been like for you?

One thing I’ve noticed in our area is that it can be easy to get used to working with one company or one director.  Although this is not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you enjoy working with that company and that director; yet I have appreciated the variety of opportunities over my last few years in this community.  Yes, it can be hard at first to step outside of your comfort zone, but in my experience, working with a variety of directors and companies has broadened my point of view, increased by versatility, and given me a chance to appreciate them all for different reasons.

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What has been your favorite role to portray?

Two of my favorite roles are my most recent.  My favorite musical theatre role was Scuttle in The Little Mermaid with Masterworx.  This was a comedic role and was fun to play with the character’s voice, which I considered very different from my own.  I also got to sing a number that included a tap dance that was choreographed by my own daughter.  And the icing on the cake was getting to fly on stage, a lifelong dream of mine!

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Another recent favorite was getting to play Monette in Always a Bridesmaid at Little Town Players.  Again, it was a comedic role yet it was a challenge to find some realness to bring to the laughter.  This show and role reminded me of the value of a non-musical show.  I tend to gravitate towards musicals because of my love for song and dance; however, working on a show and role without these allowed me to focus on the acting and collaboration with my scene partners. 

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What is it like doing theatre with your husband, Ted, who is just as equally active in local theatre?

Participating in theatre as a couple certainly has its advantages and disadvantages.  Ted and I met through community theatre so we will always share that love and passion for the theatre arts.  An obvious advantage is that we get to participate in an activity together. We have performed in at least 25 shows together. In some shows we’ve been paired in roles opposite of each other– sometimes just as dancing couples– and other times in notable duo roles, such as Mayor Shinn & Eulalie Shinn in Music Man; Rooster & Lily St. Regis in Annie; and Alvin & Ella Patterson in Annie Warbucks.  This factor can be a two-edged sword and a disadvantage at times. Although it’s incredibly special when we do get to play opposite, we also respect the fact that oftentimes it’s better to not cast us as a couple if a particular role is a better opportunity for one of us and especially if the director has a different overall vision for casting these roles. 

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Even though our children are adults now, balancing theatre with young kids was certainly a challenge and this usually limited us to one show a year and at some times, none.  When we first started a family, I was still finishing my education degree with an endorsement in theatre arts, which also required some performance credits.  During this season of life, Ted chose to not perform in any theatre productions except for a few ballet performances which didn’t require as intense of a rehearsal schedule.  For several years I was a stay-at-home-mom and spent many hours of the day with my children so it didn’t feel as much of a burden to have an activity in the evening.  It was always a bonus if we were able to be part of a show along with our children; however, when they were at that perfect age, there were not many opportunities for children and adults to perform together in the community.

 

What's your dream role/show?

I have learned that as I get older, my idea of dream shows and dream roles have shifted.  Ted and I are both more inclined to a character role or comedic role so it can also be fun to imagine playing dream roles that are duos– one of those dream duos would be Thenardier & Madame Thenardier.

 

Is there any advice you would give other actors or people who are considering getting involved? How should someone prepare an audition? 

If for some reason it doesn’t work out for you to be part of a current cast, look out for ways to get involved behind the scenes.  Many times actors can be more acclimated to that particular theater and then become more comfortable and experienced in a future audition. Other times actors learn that they may be better suited to a crew or creative team position. 

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How about advice for those who have children and are trying to balance theatre and family obligations?

In our case, it has worked out well for our family because both me and my husband are involved in the theatre.  There were times however where we couldn’t both be involved in the same production at the same time, either because of balancing our schedules with our children’s activities, or other career or academic opportunities, as well as times when we weren’t both suited to the same project at the same time.  As with balancing any activity with family involvement, communication is key.  It’s important to communicate what projects we value and why as well as communication over scheduling.  I also believe in keeping open lines of communication with the director, stage manager, and anyone else on the production team.

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What is special about community theater?

I believe community theater presents an opportunity for a variety of both age and performance levels to collaborate and learn from one another through the process of creating a product that serves to provide entertainment to the larger community. Another aspect of community theatre that I love is getting to attend performances that I’m not involved in and then realizing that each one becomes a mini-reunion because there are always fellow actor friends on the stage or in the audience!