Its not often that award-winning actress Colleen Wheeler works without a script, but when she does, she goes all out. This Sunday, Feb. 26, Wheeler will be the subject of Truth Be Told Theatres latest iteration of , a popular improv game that interviews someone on stage, then uses his/her answers to create a piece of improvised theatre.
When I first started out, I worked at the Loose Moose [improv theatre company in Calgary] with Keith Johnstone, who created [The Life Game] 25 years ago, Wheeler says, over the phone from her Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»home. [When Truth Be Told Theatre] phoned me, I said, Yeah, for sure, are you kidding? I sort of threw myself at them! I just hope my life is exciting enough and theres a really good scene in it. She laughs. The only thing Im nervous about that Ill be completely boring!
Unlikely. A competitive swimmer until she was 15 years old, Wheeler went to the University of Calgary with plans of being a physical education teacher. She minored in theatre for fun and because it seemed effin easy, and was caught off-guard when she fell in love with it.
I minored in drama with Keith [Johnstone] and he convinced me to switch over and become an actor, Wheeler says. Hes been a real big mentor in my life and convinced me to switch over and I did because I could drink and smoke and party my ass off! (Laughs) No, Im just kidding. I really loved it, but I didnt really know if I was good at it, so him telling me I could make a living doing it, that inspired me to switch.
She relocated to the University of Alberta in Edmonton for classical training. A stint in improv lasted just a few years, and then a broken heart provided the impetus to relocate to Vancouver. The whole theatre community here owes the man who dumped Wheeler a big ol bag of kisses. Since her arrival here, Wheeler has proved a vital presence on the citys biggest stages including Bard on the Beach, the Arts Club and the Playhouse. And shes often called upon to perform well outside her, well, lets say natural comfort zone.
I look like a man, and when I have a lot of makeup on, I look like Im in drag, Wheeler says matter-of-factly about the number of times shes played a man or a gender-reversal on a typically male character. My voice is really low, Im really tall and broad-shouldered. Physically I have an easily-accessible male energy. I dont actually go looking for gender-bending roles. But theres something about how do I word this theres something about an unapologetic confidence of everything being out there, just that energy of having a penis.
Truth Be Told Theatre will have plenty to work with, Colleen. Trust us.
The Life Game Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»ft. Colleen Wheeler is February 26th, 8pm. Studio 1398 (1398 Cartwright St.). $20 at the door or from t.
