An Interview with Christopher Teipner of SIDE SHOW.
Go ahead and introduce yourself:
Christopher: Sure! I’m Christopher Teipner and I am the Director of Side Show at Ashland Productions.
What is the story that Side Show tells.
Christopher: Wow, let’s start with an easy question! Side Show tells the story of conjoined twins, Daisy and Violet Hilton, and their life. It tells a lot more than that. It talks about the people, the history, what happened to them - a different time in America. It really speaks to lots of elements that excite me. Side Show tells the story of humanity, in a very different way than I’ve ever seen told before.
Why now? How is this story still relevant today?
Christopher: Side Show is relevant today, because it is very important to me, and I was raised with the philosophy that “those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” This cast is a really young cast, and a lot of the things that happen in this show would never have happened then. But much like a Hamilton, or something like that, none of us knew that story before Hamilton. Most of the world didn’t know that story, and it’s a fascinating story. It’s the same thing with Side Show; it’s a story that needs to be told, because it’s a part of history that happened, and if we don’t know about it, it may happen again. Several years ago I was lucky enough to direct Cabaret which is another show like that. In my past I’ve also gotten to act in Assassins, which is another show. Some of these shows that are about history, these musicals, are SO important because they tell a perspective that’s never been seen before. And it needs to be seen, so this generation can understand it and hopefully never repeat what happens to these people.
How does Ashland plan to handle the show’s intense subject matter?
Christopher: Side Show has some very intense moments - triggering if you would use that - and the way that we’re really looking at it is: we’re analyzing every moment in the show, I’m working with a cast ranging age from 14 to 60, and I’ve created a safe environment for them to talk about what’s triggering to them in the show. We’re starting there. And we’re addressing those moments. And moment by moment, we’re trying to find those and what makes sense.
One of the big sweeps that we did, or I guess one of the big changes that I’ve done, is that at the top of the show, traditionally, you see 20 people that work in a freak show. We have changed that, the only people that you are going to see are Daisy and Violet - and a few others will make appearances - but the rest are all roustabouts there to bring the specialness, the magic. When I was a kid we would go to the state fair, and I remember - I’m old enough to remember sideshows - I remember these “talkers” they were called would get you to come and see the show. Back then, in the 20s, it was a dime, then when I went it was $1, but a dollar was still a lot to us, and they would suck you in. It was this magical effect and I remember being this little kid. That was our entertainment. It’s so fun to work with this cast that live in a world of social media now, and they’re like “what do you mean there wasn’t television? What do you mean?” And I tried to explain to them, and they’re getting the point now, that this was the entertainment that people had. That this was how they learned things. They lived in these small communities and they didn’t get a chance to experience anything in the world. This was how they wanted to learn and got to learn. So it’s really exciting, and that’s one of the main reasons it’s really relevant to today.
And the other piece of it that we looked at is: we were actually doing our first read through and one of the actors said to me, “I think we can all work on being better people,” and I think that’s one of the mottos that I’m really going to take away from this. If I don’t know what’s happened, I can’t look at where I’ve come from. And I, everyday, want to work on being a better person, and being better in this society, and that’s what I think this show does. It really examines it. It hits home. You’re going to see some really hard moments in someone’s life - we all have them, and that’s what really unique and special is as we’ve been going through this show, the cast is realizing, “wow, I relate to this… I relate to THIS.” And I think the audience is going to find those moments that they relate to. Because there’s something in this show that relates to everyone. And THAT’s what makes this show special. It needs to be done. I am so excited that we get the chance to do Side Show.
What drew you to direct this show?
Christopher: Side Show is a show that I learned of in the late 90s, and I fell in love with the music. It’s the music that drew me in. It’s this creative, clever blend of songs from the 20s and vaudeville, with our production which is going to have tap throughout, and you’re going to see Daisy and Violet become young performers, to experienced performers. Daisy and Violet Hilton ended up being the highest paid vaudevillian act, they made more money than Bob Hope did at the top of their career. But you get to see them grow as performers as well throughout the show.
The other thing that drew me it it was: it’s this weird mix of modern-sounding music, classical musical theatre, and the vaudevillian style of music. You’re going to see all of those numbers mixed into one. This show is almost an opera as far as it is virtually sung through, and you’re going to see people live some of their most emotional moments right in front of your eyes.
What do you hope audiences take away from Side Show?
Christopher: What I, as a director, hope that you take away from Side Show is the feeling and the understanding of what these people went through. Where they they were, where we are, and where we can head to. What we can strive to.