91原创鈥檚 Jay Martens is finding the new doctor-by-day, actor-by-night lifestyle to be 鈥渞ich and fulfilling,鈥� and he鈥檚 particularly keen to be taking on a few villainous and mischievous roles on and off the community theatre stage 鈥� of late.
鈥淧erhaps it鈥檚 the cheekbones, or my deep voice, but I tend to get cast in more villainous roles, and this play is no exception,鈥� Martens explained of his multiple roles in the Surrey Little Theatre鈥檚 (SLT鈥欌�檚) rendition of The Last Lifeboat.
Tonight, Martens opens in the role of an entitled millionaire and womanizing Mr. Hearst, as well as a manipulative Senator Fletcher, and a few less pronounced characters in the Canadian premier of Luke Yankee鈥檚 play about the sinking of the Titanic.
鈥淧laying evil or fallen characters isn鈥檛 too difficult, even though I strive to be just the opposite in my own life,鈥� offered up the 42-year-old father.
鈥淲e鈥檝e all experienced some darkness in our lives鈥� we remember how we felt, what we did, who we hurt, who hurt us鈥� I can tap into those emotions and help a darker character come to life,鈥� he added. 鈥淭here is truth to be discovered in seeing the human condition laid bare鈥� lessons to be learned鈥� situations to avoid etc. I love the challenge of playing a good villain,鈥� he said.
In fact, the juxtaposition of Martens鈥� life to that of the characters he鈥檚 been asked to play has actually helped him grow both as a man, a father, and a physician.
Interestingly enough, he said, he鈥檚 found that his artistic side has helped him become an effective doctor.
鈥淎t least, I think I am,鈥� Martens said. 鈥淭here are times you need to empathize with your patients and see things from their eyes and times when you need to steel yourself somewhat from the painful reality of illness and loss.
鈥淚 believe my experience in the arts has helped me better relate to my patients and communicate to them clearly and effectively鈥� in the same way that a physician must listen and respond to their patients, a good actor listens and responds to what their scene partner is doing, this creates an effective and organic scene鈥� and hopefully a clinical encounter that isn鈥檛 confusing or frustrating for the patient.鈥�
While Martens isn鈥檛 new to the stage, he recently returned after a few years away.
鈥淭hese last few years I鈥檝e been on a hiatus from theatre, my priorities were raising my young family and building my practice鈥� but I really felt the call to return to the stage this spring and I poked around the audition notices and rolled the dice on this play about the [head] of the company that built the Titanic.鈥�
This is his first experience with Surrey Little Theatre and he claims to be enjoying himself 鈥渋mmensely鈥� as they鈥檝e rehearsed and watched this 鈥渧ery interesting story鈥� take shape.
鈥淚 do love Titanic lore but I hadn鈥檛 really explored the life of J. Bruce Ismay much before this play. It has been a very educational experience for me,鈥� Martens added.
He鈥檚 part of an ensemble cast playing multiple roles tells this epic tale that explores not only the tragedy itself, but the sensationalized trials and aftermath of the night that the huge, thought-to-be unsinkable passenger liner collided with an iceberg during her maiden voyage on April 14, 1912.
The Last Lifeboat is a parable for our times, said the play鈥檚 director Dale Kelly, who explained that it鈥檚 the story of Ismay, the chairman of the White Star Lines. It explores his decision to save himself rather than going down with the ship, and how that makes him the scapegoat for one of the greatest tragedies of all time.
鈥淚t is a tale of one man鈥檚 destiny, shaped by good, if misguided decisions. The play shows how we are judged by our actions, not our intentions,鈥� Kelly added.
Martens describes Kelly as a 鈥済reat director鈥� and probably one of the most patient men alive.
Admittedly, Martens confesses to being a bit of a mischievous entity at rehearsal in recent weeks, known to frantically whisper for someone to get on stage because they鈥檝e missed a cue, which of course they haven鈥檛.
鈥淥r I rumble 鈥楶apaya鈥� in my most creepy voice just before another player is heading out for a serious scene,鈥� he elaborated. 鈥淚 really am having a blast doing this show!鈥�
Other 91原创ites join Martens in this production include Fort 91原创鈥檚 Owen Carlson joining the cast, and 91原创 City鈥檚 Mike Busswood taking on an acting role as well as the task of production manager.
The Clayton Height鈥檚 based drama club raises the curtain on the production today (Thursday, April 14) 鈥� on the 104th anniversary of the sinking of the British passenger liner 鈥� and carries on until May 14, running Thursdays to Saturdays at 8 p.m., with three Sunday matinees, April 24, May 1, and May 8 at 2 p.m.
The Last Lifeboat can be seen at Surrey Little Theatre, located at 7027 184th St. in Surrey, and tickets are $15.
There is, however, a special promotion for everyone attending the performance tonight (April 14) 鈥� tickets are half-price.
Performances on Friday, April 15 and Saturday, April 16 are already sold out. To book a spot, call 604-576-8451; email reservations@surreylittletheatre.com; or go to www.brownpapertickets.com.
More information is also available at www.surreylittletheatre.com.
鈥淭his play is going to be an experience for the audience that is for sure,鈥� he said, inviting people to the show. 鈥淪cenes change and progress through time at a frantic pace. The set is fantastic and there are more than 200 lighting/sound cues. Emotions run high and there is even a laugh or two amidst the high drama. I don鈥檛 think people will be disappointed.鈥�
The thespians from SLT plan to enter this play in the Fraser Valley Zone Festival (regional theatre competition) in 91原创 in May, and if successful they hope to move on to the provincials at Theatre BC鈥檚 Mainstage in Chilliwack in July.
(STORY CONTINUES BELOW PHOTO)
PHOTO:Ben Odberg, Fort 91原创鈥檚 Owen Carlson, Julia Grace, and 91原创鈥檚 Jay Martens are among the cast in Surrey Little Theatre鈥檚 rendition of The Last Lifeboat. (Tom Taylor/Special to the Advance)
An added bonus
Participating in this SLT production has presented some unexpected benefits for this doc.
That same booming voice that likely landed him several lead roles as a young child 鈥渂ecause I would be the only kid the audience could hear clearly鈥� has now opened the door to another artistic avenue for Martens.
鈥淔ate has it that I met up again with fellow Last Lifeboat cast member Rebecca Strom, who I acted with in Tale of Two Cities up in Prince George (while he was doing his residency) in 2005.鈥�
She is a talent agent for Refinery Artist Management and he鈥檚 since joined their roster as a voice-over artist for ads and animation, Martens explained.
Born and raised in 91原创, Martens went to elementary school at 91原创 Central Fundamental, attended D.W. Poppy, where he dabbled with life on stage.
But, it was on the stage at Trinity Western University 鈥� while doing his undergrad 鈥� that he believes he 鈥渉it his performing stride,鈥� and fully embraced his love of acting.
鈥淚t was there that I came out of my shell and really began to thrive,鈥� Martens said.
鈥淢y first semester, I saw an audition notice for A Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream and decided to give it a whirl. It almost didn鈥檛 happen though鈥� I was on my couch about an hour before auditions and I had convinced myself that it was too much work or too scary, or I can鈥檛 act, anyway (or some such equally lame excuse). Besides I鈥檇 much rather watch Star Trek the Next Generation, which was just coming on. Fortunately, it was a rerun and one of my least liked episodes, so I took that as a sign and headed to auditions. I had the extreme pleasure of playing Tom Snout in the Tinker/The Wall that year.鈥�
That experience launched his dramatic career.
鈥淚 went on to do five more shows at TWU, including the lead in Two Gentlemen of Verona and a minor in drama to compliment my biology major.鈥�
Despite Martens busy schedule as dad and doc, after this experience with SLT he said theatre-goers can expect to see more of him on community theatre stages locally in the months and years to come.
