Splish Splash: An Actor's Perspective

This guest post comes from actor, Andrew Mondello, about the amazing experiences he has working on Theatre for the Very Young production, Splish Splash.

Splish Splash is one of the best places here in the Bay Area you can be. It will open your mind and heart to explore even the simplest aspects of life that we often overlook and forget to be grateful for. 

My very first thought after I first auditioned for BACT’s theatre for the very young show Splish Splash last August was “This is totally nuts, and I’m not sure I understand what is going on – But I know I have to be a part of it.” And luckily, just a few weeks later I got to be! 

        

 What is it that makes theatre for the very young so different from a normal children’s theatre production? Well the easy answer is BABIES, and as someone who is totally unashamed to go into full Dad mode and guffaw over how unequivocally adorable babies are – it’s a dream. But more than that, it’s the experience within the show. A typical children’s theatre production (not TVY) exists within the same realm as any professional production – there is the show happening on stage and the audience watching with a ‘fourth wall’ in between them - much like my previous show with BACT Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site. Or from time to time, more often in children’s theatre, there is some level of audience interaction, such as my last-last BACT show Lemony Snicket’s: The Lump of Coal where the audience was often invited to come on stage and be a part of the show. 

  

Everything anyone in the audience says or does in the spur of the moment could instantly become a “main event” in the show.

         

Well Splish Splash takes that to the next level. The audience IS the show, the whole room IS the stage, and ALL of us there are living, breathing, and performing together. It. Is. Incredible. Everything anyone in the audience says or does in the spur of the moment could instantly become a “main event” in the show. Which as a clown trained to be aware of and use all stimuli coming at me at all times, makes this work extremely exciting and fulfilling to do. 

         
 All this comes from the idea that within the room no one can do any wrong. It’s a place for kids (and honestly, parents too) to get the chance to explore, unhinged. Of course, this is an idea that many parents have to ease into. When your child is the first one to stand up and make themselves a part of the show your natural incliniation is to worry and immediately tell them to sit down. But fear not! Because the cast will immediately lay away your fears with a chorus of “its totally fine, we love this! Please let them go ahead and stand up and dance, that’s great!” 

           

It’s a place for kids (and honestly, parents too) to get the chance to explore, unhinged.

 Once we've all agreed on these parameters (or really lack thereof ^.–)) any number of wondrous things can happen. From a little two year old running up and sitting in my lap mid-show while I was telling a story (one of the cutest things I have ever personally experienced to date – and one of my favorite show memories) to one child coming up to hug the giant puppet octoupus. Only to inspire another, only to inspire the entire room to get in a line to hug the octopus. You would never guess that so many different things could happen in the span of a 30 minute show. But they do, and that’s how we know we are doing our job right. It means every child is getting a chance to explore in the way THEY want to. 

         

You would never guess that so many different things could happen in the span of a 30 minute show. But they do, and that’s how we know we are doing our job right.

 The wonder of it is, that as actors we learn to explore just as much as the audience does, while keeping a show fresh every time, 5 shows a week. The saying is “you get what you give”. Well, with toddlers that is tenfold, because if you are not giving 110% then you will quickly find the audience is not exploring with you on the journey. As a professional actor – both these lessons are invaluable. Any actor who doesn’t admit that staying in the moment and reacting genuinely to every stimulus coming at them or keeping a show fresh and new every time after 60 performances isn’t a challenge, or wasn’t at some point, is lying. In school you are taught tools to tackle both these challenges but rarely ever given the opportunity to. Simply because school shows rarely run for longer than a week or two. With this show I’ve been able to put those skills to work and actually been able to have those muscles working to keep the show spontaneous and fresh every time. It’s truly been an invaluable experience and has made me feel better about all the work I do as a performer.

        

 So, whether you are an actor performing in it, a parent nervous about bringing your child to their first show, a seasoned children’s theatre-goer, a wily-coyote kid, or the shy and quiet type – Splish Splash is one of the best places here in the Bay Area you can be. It will open your mind and heart to explore even the simplest aspects of life that we often overlook and forget to be grateful for. 

From the sound of chime, 

and your favorite lullaby rhyme. 

To the gleeful squeel and smile of a child 

Exploring the seas and the ocean wild.

From a simple rub a dub

With your kid in the tub.

To a very rainy day 

While Mom and Dad are away.

From finding pictures in a cloudy sky

Making up stories as the time flies by

Down to the the simpliest little

Teeniest Tiniest

Wittle Bittle.

Water Drop.

Thanks for sharing, Andrew! Splish Splash is now playing in SF. Tickets at bactheatre.org