BECOMING BUTCH
nytheatre.com q&a preview by Vincent James Arcuri
July 16, 2012
What is your job on this show?
Actor/Writer.
Where were you born? Where were you raised? Where did you go to school?
I was born and raised in Glendale, New York, a small section of Queens. Some might joke, how apropos, given the fact that I'm gay, but trust me, back when I was growing up there was nothing gay about life in Queens. It was all about being butch, and I was far from that, so I set out to change that and along the way ended up redefining the meaning of butch.
Why did you want to be part of FringeNYC?
One of my main goals with BECOMING BUTCH was to bring the show to New York, the city I grew up in, the city that shaped my childhood, the city that defined for me what it meant to be a "real man" and stand tall and proud and share with the city my own definition of what it means to be a man. And what better platform than FringeNYC? It offers a fantastic opportunity to be a part of a highly prestigious theatre festival, and hopefully leave my own mark on the city that left its mark on me.
Why did you want to write/direct/produce/act in/work on this show?
I've been asked this question numerous times, and have contemplated its answer over and over again. The truth is something inside compelled me to share my story. Whether it was instinct, drive, determination, or something else, I'm not sure but deep within my soul I had to tell this story, I had to share my experiences and express my true self. I always say there is nothing unique about my story, but the fact that I'm telling it is what makes it unique. So many audience members in the past have expressed how much they saw themselves in my stories and images, how much they shared my journey and appreciated me shedding some light on the path that so many of us have traveled. For me, that makes it all worhtwhile.
Which “S” word best describes your show: SMOOTH, SEXY, SMART, SURPRISING?
God, I so want this answer to be "sexy" but my gym routine has been severly lacking as of late, so hopefully audience members will find BECOMING BUTCH "smart" and "surprising."
Why should people come to FringeNYC this summer, rather than the beach, mountains, or the latest movie blockbuster?
To see me, why else?
