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: Ron Choularton

"Mix this in with race and professional ethics and the pot boils hot."

Ron Choularton as Tiger in Bengal Tiger in Baghdad
Ron Choularton as Tiger in Bengal Tiger in Baghdad

I’m asking actors and designers to name five dream roles/projects 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.

Says Ron Choularton: “Funny, I was on Facebook last week and my mate Phil Johnson mentioned a play I handed a few artistic directors maybe ten years ago but to no avail. But one can only try. Actors are sometimes products on a shelf, but with artistic voices that are sometimes heard."

Ron Choularton

Jeffrey, in Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell, by Keith Waterhouse. "Bernard was a British journalist who wrote the weekly column ‘Low Life’ in The Speculator magazine. Unfortunately, like many Fleet Street men of his day, he liked 'a pint or two' and was notorious for a feckless, chaotic career and a life of alcohol abuse. During his Spectator days, the magazine often had to post the notice, 'Jeffrey Bernard is unwell,' in place of his column. A ‘few nights’ over the years in the Manchester Press Club made it clear, and painfully obvious, to me that many journalists nurtured their beliefs from the lubrication of alcohol.[Peter] O’Toole played Bernard in the West End."

Sponsored
Sponsored

Robert, in Blue/Orange, by Joe Penhall. "In a London psychiatric hospital, an enigmatic patient named Chris suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder and claims to be the son of Idi Amin, the African dictator. The story becomes unnervingly plausible. I’m drawn to the role for his upward mobility to professorship and his battle, not unlike here in the U.S., over the poor attention (read: funding) allocated to a patient needing mental health care. Mix this in with race and professional ethics and the pot boils hot."

...as Ian in Blasted

Ralph, in Frozen, by Byrony Lavory. "The story’s set in present-day England and has three main characters: Ralph, a serial killer who kidnaps and murders a young girl; the girl’s mother, Nancy; and a New York psychiatrist, Agnetha, who travels to England to examine Ralph. The three lives slowly intersect. They gradually change and become ‘unfrozen’ as they come to terms with the idea of forgiveness. Not an easy subject for some, but still a marvelous piece. Missed my chance a few years back due to other commitments. Disturbing, but a wonderfully scripted play."

Gangster, in Gangster No. 1, a British crime drama by Louis Mellis and David Scinto. "A living document that can show Hollywood why every piece of violence doesn't have to be illustrated graphically and in full color to help us understand their mission. Although a relatively static play, the monologues are superb, deep, and telling of the seedy underworld of '60s London and the ‘honor among thieves’…and killers, too, when they are unhappy with one of their own. Back in ’99 we at the Fritz thought the play a little ahead of its time for kindly San Diego. But it did resonate, and I’d love to be part of it again."

Nameless theater critic in St. Nicholas, by Conor McPherson. "The critic, lost in his journey through life, becomes besotted by an actress he sees in a play in Dublin. He follows her to London, only to find himself entangled with a coven of vampires. He does learn ‘some’ lessons en route. I performed this monologue at Cygnet back in 2007, when the big fires hit San Diego. So it only ran on dark nights. I hardly got two weeks’ run on one of the most outstanding plays I’ve ever been a part of. Another crack at this show would be very satisfying."

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

Undocumented workers break for Trump in 2024

Illegals Vote for Felon
Next Article

Tigers In Cairo owes its existence to Craigslist

But it owes its name to a Cure tune and a tattoo
Ron Choularton as Tiger in Bengal Tiger in Baghdad
Ron Choularton as Tiger in Bengal Tiger in Baghdad

I’m asking actors and designers to name five dream roles/projects 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.

Says Ron Choularton: “Funny, I was on Facebook last week and my mate Phil Johnson mentioned a play I handed a few artistic directors maybe ten years ago but to no avail. But one can only try. Actors are sometimes products on a shelf, but with artistic voices that are sometimes heard."

Ron Choularton

Jeffrey, in Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell, by Keith Waterhouse. "Bernard was a British journalist who wrote the weekly column ‘Low Life’ in The Speculator magazine. Unfortunately, like many Fleet Street men of his day, he liked 'a pint or two' and was notorious for a feckless, chaotic career and a life of alcohol abuse. During his Spectator days, the magazine often had to post the notice, 'Jeffrey Bernard is unwell,' in place of his column. A ‘few nights’ over the years in the Manchester Press Club made it clear, and painfully obvious, to me that many journalists nurtured their beliefs from the lubrication of alcohol.[Peter] O’Toole played Bernard in the West End."

Sponsored
Sponsored

Robert, in Blue/Orange, by Joe Penhall. "In a London psychiatric hospital, an enigmatic patient named Chris suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder and claims to be the son of Idi Amin, the African dictator. The story becomes unnervingly plausible. I’m drawn to the role for his upward mobility to professorship and his battle, not unlike here in the U.S., over the poor attention (read: funding) allocated to a patient needing mental health care. Mix this in with race and professional ethics and the pot boils hot."

...as Ian in Blasted

Ralph, in Frozen, by Byrony Lavory. "The story’s set in present-day England and has three main characters: Ralph, a serial killer who kidnaps and murders a young girl; the girl’s mother, Nancy; and a New York psychiatrist, Agnetha, who travels to England to examine Ralph. The three lives slowly intersect. They gradually change and become ‘unfrozen’ as they come to terms with the idea of forgiveness. Not an easy subject for some, but still a marvelous piece. Missed my chance a few years back due to other commitments. Disturbing, but a wonderfully scripted play."

Gangster, in Gangster No. 1, a British crime drama by Louis Mellis and David Scinto. "A living document that can show Hollywood why every piece of violence doesn't have to be illustrated graphically and in full color to help us understand their mission. Although a relatively static play, the monologues are superb, deep, and telling of the seedy underworld of '60s London and the ‘honor among thieves’…and killers, too, when they are unhappy with one of their own. Back in ’99 we at the Fritz thought the play a little ahead of its time for kindly San Diego. But it did resonate, and I’d love to be part of it again."

Nameless theater critic in St. Nicholas, by Conor McPherson. "The critic, lost in his journey through life, becomes besotted by an actress he sees in a play in Dublin. He follows her to London, only to find himself entangled with a coven of vampires. He does learn ‘some’ lessons en route. I performed this monologue at Cygnet back in 2007, when the big fires hit San Diego. So it only ran on dark nights. I hardly got two weeks’ run on one of the most outstanding plays I’ve ever been a part of. Another crack at this show would be very satisfying."

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

Southern California Asks: 'What Is Vinivia?' Meet the New Creator-First Livestreaming App

Next Article

Trump names local supporter new Border Czar

Another Brick (Suit) in the Wall
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