by JASON W. MOULDER

From "The Bald Soprano"

Cast from "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change!"

With Trey Finch and Melissa Brewer in "I Love You"

On the set of Fondren Theatre Workshop's "Arcadia",
directed by Diana Howell.

On the set of "Picnic".

Picnic.

Some cast members of "Dracula" as presented
by the Clinton Brick Street Players in October 2003.

Dr Seward is repulsed by lunatic Renfield (played by JC Patterson).

THE CINEMA

As many people do, I grew up with a fascination of acting. After becoming a Star Wars nut at the age of seven, my mother finally suggested we make our own home-movie version a year later in 1978.

"We can?" I incredulously replied, "Can it be true?" Until that moment, the possibility had never crossed my mind.

She assured me that with our cheap 8-mm movie camera from JC Penney, the world could be our oyster. I must admit the thought excited my young brain to exhaustion.

The next day was spent coaching my six-year-old brother in how to be Obi Wan Kenobi. I was going to be Luke Skywalker (a dream come true), and my four-year-old sister would support me as Princess Leia. Other plans included building robots, a death-star, space ships, etc. Without a budget, the sky was the limit.

Fortunately, my mother assumed the offices of producer and director before things got too far out of hand. Other than assigning my brother to play Darth Vader (because he had the Halloween costume), my sister and I kept our respective parts. My mother simplified the script, created a set out of curtains and spare furniture, and procured costumes and makeup.

Shooting took the better part of an afternoon, but there were no cuts. Locations were shot on the backyard swing. What resulted was no less than six-and-one-half minutes of pure Hollywood magic. . . SPACE WARS was born!

As a result of this intoxicating experience, I produced several more movies in following years with the help of friends and neighborhood kids.

FILMOGRAPHY

A Winter's Lament - (25 December 2005) as himself
Switched - (2003) as himself
Mickey Gets His - (1986) director
Moulder Zone, The - (1984) director
Key to Time - (1983) as Belch Buckleson
Space Wars II - (1982) as Luke Skywalker
Just Another Party - (1981) as himself
Space Wars - (1979) as Luke Skywalker

THE STAGE

My first experience with live performance was in second-grade. I got the featured role of the owl in "How the Owl Lost His Hoot". My most memorable line was "Hoot, hoot". Come to think of it, that was my only line. And it occurred at the very end of the play.

It would be twelve years before my agent found another part for me.

In 1991, I was cast in the principal role of Sam in David McCusker's Catacombs. It was produced by a local church and toured several cities.

It would be eleven more years before my agent found another part.

Somewhere in the mid- to late nineties, my brother and I got involved with the Clinton Brick Street Players community theater group in Clinton, Mississippi. By that time I had already fired myself as an agent and had begun tearing tickets. Fate, however, had other plans.

No sooner had I resigned myself to shadowdom in the wings of some dusty theater, when in the summer of 2002, I was drafted as second in the Players' production of William Inge's Pulitzer-Prize-winning Picnic. I was to play the part of Alan Seymour and make-out with a beautiful 19-year-old woman five times a week. I had made it to the BIG TIME!

The following year, I was able to snobbishly turn-down several offers to appear in other productions. I cultivated a withering sneer which I practiced upon prince and pauper alike.

Then I was offered the script for Steven Dietz's adaptation of Dracula. I could not pass this one up. The part of Dr. Seward was made for me. I got so carried away I began introducing the Vixens to friends and family as "my wife". And I once actually staked Dracula through the arm, but being undead, he took it like a pro.

After working part-time at a liquor store for yet another year, eagerly awaiting my fifth role upon the wicked stage, I finally received that long-awaited phone call. October 2004 was to find me playing another Brit in Tom Stoppard's Arcadia. However, treading the boards in knickerbockers was somewhat unnerving, though not without its advantage—allowing one, as it does, to wade through rather high water.

Not three months passed before my retirement was once again upset by "the phone call". In a weak moment I auditioned for I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change! This popular comedy is currently the longest-running off-Broadway musical. I must confess it was also the most fun I ever had working in a play. We sang, we danced, we showed our underpants.

The following brief hiatus was ended when I auditioned for Fondren Theatre Workshop's 2005 New Play Project. Four new plays by talented local writers were introduced to the public for the first time. Out of a dozen or so total actors, I was the only one to get a part in all four plays. This confirmed my belief that I possess more talent than the rest, though I overheard an unfortunately-misinformed person remark that my "talent" rested only in my gullibility to do parts no one else wanted.

RÉSUMÉ

Interrupted Journey by John Howell (FTW 2006) ...as Dr. Simon

Comparing Books by Marc Goldsmith (NST 2006) ...as Leon

An Evening of Beckett selections from Samuel Beckett (FTW 2006) ...as various

Sylvia by A. R. Gurney (BSP 2006) ...as Greg

The Bald Soprano by Eugene Ionesco (FTW 2006) ...as Mr. Smith

Writer's Block by JC Patterson (FTW 2005) ...as Andy

What You Don't See by Beth Kander (FTW 2005) ...as doctor

Fretless by Kit Williamson (FTW 2005) ...as Paul

The Mice by John Howell (FTW 2005) ...as Jerry Masters

I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (BSP 2005) ...as various

Arcadia by Tom Stoppard (FTW 2004) ...as Ezra Chater

Dracula by Steven Dietz (BSP 2003) ...as Dr. Seward

Picnic by William Inge (BSP 2002) ...as Alan Seymour

Catacombs by David McCusker (1991) ...as Sam

TECHNICAL/CREW

American Buffalo (FTW 2006) production assistant

Nunsense (BSP 2005) sound

Always... Patsy Cline (BSP 2005) sound

Always... Patsy Cline (BSP 2003) sound

Pump Boys & Dinettes (BSP 2002) sound

[jasonmoulder.com]