Hands up those of you who saw David McBean play the uber-capable restaurant receptionist in Fully Committed at the Cygnet Theatre back in 2004 and 2006? A lot of you I bet. I saw it as well and forgive me, but I was so persuaded by his performance that I subsequently assumed it was the only role McBean has played his whole career. I even thought he might have a second job as a restaurant receptionist somewhere in town.
Apparently, I was wrong. McBean has been playing a variety of roles here, there and everywhere, most recently the perennially popular It’s A Wonderful Life, which Cygnet brings back in December. I sat down with McBean to chat about Or, the Restoration farce now playing at Moxie theatre until April 23.
LGBT Weekly: So, what have you been doing lately?
McBean: Well, I just finished It’s a Wonderful Life at Cygnet Theatre, before that Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at Ion Theatre and before that Glorious at North Coast Rep. I’m also teaching junior theatre and I’m music director for a local church.
Wow … you’re busy? Do you enjoy doing theatre in San Diego?
Oh yea! It’s a great community. We all know each other. It really is a very supportive group. Teaching junior theatre has been great, too. It’s so fun. I get to do theatre. I get to teach singing. And I’m still in conversation about what I love. It’s so funny keeping a balance though because I’m trying to treat my teaching job like a professional gig: “We need to go over this song again and again and again!” I have to remind myself that it isn’t a rehearsal, that it’s about learning and fun for five year olds.
Being the Diva teacher are you?
Yes, I’m trying to calm down.
Tell me about Or.
It’s this lovely 1960s-esqe “love revolution” written in the style of a Restoration comedy, which means lots of slamming doors; I’d say it’s a layered comedy with interesting ideas in the mix. The playwright has this lovely idea that people meet each other and form instant connections that last forever. It’s full of wit and passion, farce and numerous dualities. Boiled down though, it’s about a woman who’s trying to write a play but all her lovers keep getting in the way.
How many parts do you play?
I play three parts. It’s fun! I play the jailor, and I play King Charles II and I play William Scott, a double-agent. It’s pretty frantic with lots of intrigue; a fun imaging of historical events. King Charles II and William Scott have equal time which means I have a lot of costume changes.
Is this your first play with Moxie?
Yes, although I am friends with many people there. Now that I’m Equity, it’s become a little harder because a lot of smaller theatres don’t hire Equity, but the director of Or wanted me for this part so here I am.
Anything at Diversionary in the future?
I did a workshop operetta there last summer called Sextet which was fun, but nothing coming up which is too bad because I grew up at Diversionary. I started doing shows there when I was 19, which was, you know, just five years ago. Infectious laughter! Infectious laughter!
Lots more laughter!
Curtain.
