The Donuts are in the Past Monologue as Max from Superior Donuts. Performed by Sam John.
0All content and character rights belong to Tracy Letts.
This piece was so much fun to work on. Conversations with my Professors made me realize that my culture and heritage are integral to my career as an actor. It’s what makes me different and enables me to stand out in this career path. This play is one of the best plays I’ve read, and despite the Russian origin of the character, Max, I knew I could put my spin on it and create a lived-in version of Max as a first-generation East Indian immigrant. The script breakdown process for this piece was challenging but very rewarding. I had to see each step of the process through the lens of this new character I had crafted, and this enabled me to add in small bits of slang from my home city of Bangalore, India.
The recording process had many resets and retakes because my mind was constantly in conflict between the dialect I have adopted here in the States versus my home dialect. I found the resolution in not allowing my mind to play tricks on me and focusing on being a fully realized version of Max that has a distinct dialect altogether. Once I let go of that inhibition that was holding me back, the process became not only quicker but substantially more truthful. It gave me free rein to live as Max and embrace the creative free fall that my analysis and employment of Chekhov’s psychological gesture had given me.
I am so excited to present you all with my take on The Donuts are in the Past Monologue as Max from Superior Donuts.
Content: Tracy Letts, Superior Donuts
Performance: Sam John