Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

My Acting Bucket List: Jorge Rodriguez

Versatile actor Jorge Rodriguez shares his aspirations, some of which seem destined

Jorge Rodriguez
Jorge Rodriguez

I’m asking veteran actors to name five dream roles and say why. The answers not only reveal aspirations, they may put an idea in the minds of artistic directors and producers — even choices that seem outside the box.


Versatile actor Jorge Rodriguez

“What the hell?! Why only 5? OK…Focus. I’m excluding roles from my three favorite modern playwrights, LaBute, Guirgis, and Alegria-Hudes for the classics.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

5.) Richard III, by William Shakespeare. “I will always root for him because of the hand life dealt him. The odds were STACKED against him from birth. All he wants to do is prove people wrong. I would kill to help him do that, give him my all and make him my own. Plus: anything by Shakespeare is flat-out exhilarating to me.”

4.) Stanley Kowalski, A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams. “When I was growing up in Mexico, one thing was very clear about the culture: you don’t f* with a man’s space. I would love to tap into the things I saw growing up in the culture and protect Stanley’s space. Also, Tennessee’s inspiration for Kowalski came from his MEXICAN lover Pancho Rodriguez. Wait: Rodriguez/Mexican, coincidence? NO! I have to play this role.”

3.) Father Flynn, Doubt, by John Patrick Shanley. “Though not a classic, it will be. Mariska Hargitay said the best work she’s ever done on SVU were the scenes she was most scared of. Not comparing myself to her at all, but this role terrifies me. In my opinion, there is only one thing as bad or worse than murder: molestation. It kills a part of a person’s soul forever. Figuring out exactly what Father Flynn did to that boy and in his past, coming to terms with it, finding the justification and fighting for his wants throughout the play would be one of the biggest challenges of my life.”

2.) Hamlet, by William Shakespeare. “Where I grew up there was one thing that let you to throw ANY rule book out the window: if somebody hurt or messed with a family member. This is Hamlet’s motivation. But a family member killed his father. WHAT?! Exploring these conflicting feelings, plus the self-identity questions and dealing with depression would make me lose my mind…get it?! All that, combined with the language, vocal, and physical demands would generate an orgasmic feeling for me onstage.”

1.) Biff, Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller. “Biff I covet most. Death was the first play I ever read. I had been in sales for years and thought the title was funny. It remains my favorite, and the best experience I’ve ever had in the theater: I saw Philip Seymour Hoffman play Willy Loman on Broadway and will never forget him running across the stage to his suicide. And there is no greater hero than Biff. Their father fractured he and his brother for life, yet he comes home to try to save his family (father included) and confront Willy, while yearning for love from him and his family. The specific type they need. Not the love Willy has sold for years. Biff has to break the cycle.”

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know About doTERRA

Next Article

WAV College Church reminds kids that time is short

College is a formational time for decisions about belief
Jorge Rodriguez
Jorge Rodriguez

I’m asking veteran actors to name five dream roles and say why. The answers not only reveal aspirations, they may put an idea in the minds of artistic directors and producers — even choices that seem outside the box.


Versatile actor Jorge Rodriguez

“What the hell?! Why only 5? OK…Focus. I’m excluding roles from my three favorite modern playwrights, LaBute, Guirgis, and Alegria-Hudes for the classics.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

5.) Richard III, by William Shakespeare. “I will always root for him because of the hand life dealt him. The odds were STACKED against him from birth. All he wants to do is prove people wrong. I would kill to help him do that, give him my all and make him my own. Plus: anything by Shakespeare is flat-out exhilarating to me.”

4.) Stanley Kowalski, A Streetcar Named Desire, by Tennessee Williams. “When I was growing up in Mexico, one thing was very clear about the culture: you don’t f* with a man’s space. I would love to tap into the things I saw growing up in the culture and protect Stanley’s space. Also, Tennessee’s inspiration for Kowalski came from his MEXICAN lover Pancho Rodriguez. Wait: Rodriguez/Mexican, coincidence? NO! I have to play this role.”

3.) Father Flynn, Doubt, by John Patrick Shanley. “Though not a classic, it will be. Mariska Hargitay said the best work she’s ever done on SVU were the scenes she was most scared of. Not comparing myself to her at all, but this role terrifies me. In my opinion, there is only one thing as bad or worse than murder: molestation. It kills a part of a person’s soul forever. Figuring out exactly what Father Flynn did to that boy and in his past, coming to terms with it, finding the justification and fighting for his wants throughout the play would be one of the biggest challenges of my life.”

2.) Hamlet, by William Shakespeare. “Where I grew up there was one thing that let you to throw ANY rule book out the window: if somebody hurt or messed with a family member. This is Hamlet’s motivation. But a family member killed his father. WHAT?! Exploring these conflicting feelings, plus the self-identity questions and dealing with depression would make me lose my mind…get it?! All that, combined with the language, vocal, and physical demands would generate an orgasmic feeling for me onstage.”

1.) Biff, Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller. “Biff I covet most. Death was the first play I ever read. I had been in sales for years and thought the title was funny. It remains my favorite, and the best experience I’ve ever had in the theater: I saw Philip Seymour Hoffman play Willy Loman on Broadway and will never forget him running across the stage to his suicide. And there is no greater hero than Biff. Their father fractured he and his brother for life, yet he comes home to try to save his family (father included) and confront Willy, while yearning for love from him and his family. The specific type they need. Not the love Willy has sold for years. Biff has to break the cycle.”

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Pranksters vandalize Padres billboard in wake of playoff loss

Where’s the bat at?
Next Article

Haunted Trail of Balboa Park, ZZ Top, Gem Diego Show

Events October 31-November 2, 2024
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader