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‘A Christmas Story’ Actors Have Natural Chemistry
Nancy Guppy talks with the Seattle couple who plays Ralphie's mother and father
This article originally appeared in the December 2014 issue of Seattle magazine.
Local actors Jessica Skerritt and Dane Stokinger don’t have to stretch too far for their roles this holiday season. The married couple plays a married couple (Ralphie’s mother and father) in the musical A Christmas Story (11/25–12/30; times and prices vary. The 5th Avenue Theatre, 1308 Fifth Ave.; 206.625.1900; 5thavenue.org). And it’s not the first time the duo has used their natural chemistry to their advantage. The two started dating when cast as Elvis and his girlfriend in Million Dollar Quartet at Village Theatre, and have since played couples in The Sound of Music, Miss Saigon and Xanadu. Sounds like sweet synchronicity.
LOCATION: Drip City Coffee Company in Belltown
DRINKS: Jessica, 16-ounce soy chai; Dane, four-shot Americano with sugar-free almond syrup
Nancy Guppy: Was it surprising when you were both cast in this show?
Jessica Skerritt: A little bit.
Dane Stokinger: They initially told me no. And then, a few weeks later, I heard that they still hadn’t cast the role, so I sent the director an email and said that I’d love to come in again. Basically, “Let me change your mind.”
NG: Do you give each other acting notes?
JS: [Laughs] Dane is all about open communication, and I can bristle a little bit.
DS: I never think of it as notes but as, “Here’s this moment, let’s see if we can chat about how we can make it great!” Sometimes it’s clear that I might want to keep that thought to myself.
NG: Do you have preshow rituals?
JS: I like to get to the theater about an hour beforehand so I can warm up and be quiet, and have the noise level of the backstage grow around me.
DS: I like naps. I have a hammock, and if I can find a way to put it up on stage, between shows, I can just roll out of my hammock and into my costume.
NG: The press release says this play brings back a “simpler time.” What the hell does that mean? [Both laugh]
JS: I have a sister who has grown up in a generation where electronics and the Internet are all consuming. [But] the kids in A Christmas Story feel lucky if they get to climb a tree.
DS: The world was smaller. Your existence was smaller. The next town over was a long ways away.
NG: Success. What does it look like?
JS: We feel very lucky to do what we love and be able to own a condo and feed our dog. We don’t take a single day for granted. That’s my idea of success.
DS: Yeah.
NG: Describe each other as an animal.
JS: A very kind grizzly bear. Maybe a little blind.
DS: A dolphin, because she breathes out of a hole in her back.
Nancy Guppy showcases Seattle artists on her show, Art Zone (seattlechannel.org/artzone).
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