Background (01-06)
Birth of Xena Live! (07-10)
Interpreting Gabrielle (11-14)
Subtext and Fan Ficton (15-20)
Getting Xena Live Made (21-44)
Fight Scenes (45-56)
Anecdotes (57-62)
Biography

Amy Matheny, Chicago actor and producer (from the Xena Live! Program).

Background

A.T. LEE:
^[01] How did you get into acting?

AMY MATHENY:
^[02] [I] started dancing at a young age. [I] did a high school show and then became more serious in college and doing summer stock and studying, especially Shakespeare at the Shakespeare Theatre in DC.

LEE:
^[03] Have you always been a producer or were you an actor first? Do you prefer one to the other?

MATHENY:
^[04] I love to act when I am very passionate about a project. I started with acting, singing, and dancing. I don't dance anymore, but the technique has helped with combat on this show. Producing has been a new thing over the past 6 years. I have picked up as I go along. I like to create worlds, not as a director, but assembling an incredible group of people who are also extremely talented and devoted. Wearing multiple hats is a big high. But I can usually only do that once every year or so, because I become obsessed. I think you have to be obsessed for it to work. I will demand that those working with me push themselves. But I will be pushing my own self the hardest. I think that fosters respect and extreme dedication with my team and cast.

LEE:
^[05] Do you direct or write at all?

MATHENY:
^[06] No.

Birth of Xena Live!

Courtesy of the Xena Live Website.

LEE:
^[07] Could you please reiterate for the readers of Whoosh! how Xena Live came about?

MATHENY:
^[08] I am a huge fan of the show. I thought that I would like to see Xena in a theatre setting and set out to make that possible. For a while I thought we would call the show something similar to Xena but not Xena, so it would be an implied association. But meeting George Strayton at Renaissance [Pictures] made it seem possible to be more official. And Rob Tapert thought it was a great idea. With the comics already they can write and do things that they can't on the show. They love that. And are not scared of that. So the stage allowed the same opportunity. Plus Chicago is an incredible, I think the best, theatre town in the world. It thrives on ingenuity and hard work, push up your selves theatre, not the flash and money of NY.

LEE:
^[09] Since when have you been a fan of the show?

MATHENY:
^[10] I was working on a musical outside of Chicago and I had a TV that only received 2 channels. One was airing Xena in Season One. I was a huge Wonder Woman fan and Oh Mighty Isis fan and mythology fan as a young girl. So it caught my eye and I was hooked. I loved the show from the beginning.

Interpreting Gabrielle

LEE:
^[11] How do you like the character of Gabrielle on the show?

MATHENY:
^[12] I think the character has grown so much as Renee O'Connor has grown. When Lucy [Lawless] fell and Renee had to fight more it was a great thing for the show and for the character. Gabrielle and I are similar in many ways. I talk a lot. I am reddish blond. I use my mind and wit. I talk a lot. I like to mediate between parties when it could resort to confrontation. I talk my way out of and into a lot of things. I am open and direct. Did I mention I talk a lot? I don't know Renee obviously, but she is from Texas and I am from Tennessee, so we are both Southern. And I know her acting life began in theatre and in high school. I did a play two years ago with someone in her high school class.

LEE:
^[13] How different or similar is your portrayal or interpretation of her in the play?

MATHENY:
^[14] I think it is honest and respectful. I hope it rings true for the fans. My character is pretty much the straight man in the play, if that makes sense. And I am very resourceful. In terms of the look, we are designed with costumes in the season 2 and 3 world. We don't touch really on the Gabrielle of last year, exploring the "way of love" thing. And on the TV show she has already worked through all of that and come out fighting on the other side, which I like a lot.

Subtext and Fan Fiction

LEE:
^[15] What do you think of the use of subtext on the show?

MATHENY:
^[16] I love it and we do play that up a lot in our show. I think it is fun that you can see the teasing from the writers and cast of the subtext in the TV show. Obviously there has been a conscious effort to tip the hand that way and in late night theatre we can tip that hand open more, but once again with a lot of love and reverence for what the show already does very well.

LEE:
^[17] Robert Tapert had told an interviewer recently that they are backing away from the subtext. How do you feel about that?

MATHENY:
^[18] I think last week's episode [ANIMAL ATTRACTION] was interesting when Xena announced she was pregnant and then at the end they become a "two horse 'family'. But she is pregnant, by a man I guess or god, so I don't know if that is what he means. I think they are very happy by gay and lesbian fans of the show, and others who find that element fun.

LEE:
^[19] Are you familiar with fan fiction on the internet? What do you think of the genre? Do you have favorite writer(s) or piece(s)?

MATHENY:
^[20] I have read some a while ago. It is a great outlet of fantasy, fun, creativity. It's similar to what we have done. But I can't really comment.

CLICK here to see the title page of the Xena Live! program
CLICK here to see the cast and production credits from the Xena Live! program

Getting Xena Live Made

LEE:
^[21] How did you go about obtaining Renaissance Pictures and Robert Tapert et al.'s permission? Did they have script approval power? Or that of the finished product? How much freedom did you have?

MATHENY:
^[22] We got in touch with George Strayton, Director of Merchandising and Marketing and he talked to Rob. We sent them a huge proposal with who all the key players were -- not cast, but production companies, producer, playwright, director -- all who are very highly noted here in Chicago and wanted to do this because it would be a blast. Rob and George have been supportive and enthused and have let us create our own new corner of the Xenaverse. Ultimately, the hardest thing was who had the power to say yes and since we were the first to propose something like this, they had licensed books and merchandise and conventions and comics, it took some time to find out. Ultimately it was Rob who had authority as the creator of the characters to let us use their representation on a stage.

LEE:
^[23] Did the actors study specific Xena episodes or the TV actors' portrayals of the characters to prepare for this play?

MATHENY:
^[24] Oh yeah, we are always passing video tapes and saying, oh this is a good Callisto episode or watch how they have these kind of moments that define the relationship. But we hired actors and fighters not fans, so many had not seen the show. But they all are fans now!

LEE:
^[25] How did you decide on the casting of the two Xenas and the rest of the characters?

MATHENY:
^[26] Auditions. Alexandra [Billings] was a friend of mine. She portrays Xena the Warrior. She is an amazing comedic actress and has tons of local fans based on her history of late theatre here. Elizabeth [Laidlaw, plays] Xena the Lover. If you asked anyone in Chicago who should play Xena they would all say Elizabeth, she is 6'0", and can fight. [She is] a strong actress and bears a striking resemblance and the same coolness of Lucy.

Alexandra Billings plays the Warrior Xena. With a name like "Alex", who else could it be?
(Courtesy of http://www.theaterchicago.org)

LEE:
^[27] Why was there a Joxer?

MATHENY:
^[28] Cause everyone has to pick a side. Love him or hate him. The actor portraying him is amazing and also bears an uncanny resemblance to Ted Raimi.

Brad Harbaugh plays Joxer.

LEE:
^[29] Did you approach Claudia Allen to write the play?

MATHENY:
^[30] Yes.

LEE:
^[31] Have you worked with her in other projects before?

MATHENY:
^[32] No. We had just met. She saw me perform in a very dark and haunting play that I starred in last year.

LEE:
^[33] Is she a big Xena fan, too? Or did she see the huge potential for parody, as well as the possible cult audience?

MATHENY:
^[34] Yes. She said "I have to do no research. I could write [it] in 4 days", and she did write the first draft in 3.

LEE:
^[35] How did the script come into being?

MATHENY:
^[36] I had an idea of two Xena's onstage. I wanted to see that. I wanted Xena to fight herself, the dark and light, etc. Claudia then made it her own, with the dark and light moving into the lover and fighter side juxtaposed.

LEE:
^[37] How much input did you and the rest of the cast have on the dialogues and other things that go on in the play?

MATHENY:
^[38] A lot. We workshopped with the script long before we cast with another amazing group of friends and actors who really helped us explore a stage world for the play. Once cast, rehearsals allowed a lot of freedom for input too.

Loretta Rezos plays Callisto.

LEE:
^[39] I understand that greasy joan is more a classical theatre company, while About Face produces exclusively gay, lesbian, and bisexual plays. How did the two companies decide to get together?

MATHENY:
^[40] They had a space to rent that I liked and then they said they loved the idea and wanted to co-produce. It seemed like a perfect marriage.

LEE:
^[41] Is Xena Live your first collaboration?

MATHENY:
^[42] Yes. Well, it is the first co-production.

LEE:
^[43] Do you know how this production accomplish or contribute to the mission of About Face?

MATHENY:
^[44] You would have to ask them, but the gay and lesbian following of the show is an obvious connection

Fight Scenes

LEE:
^[45] I understand you have a fight choreographer. Are fight scenes going to be a big part of the play?

MATHENY:
^[46] We actually have one of the nation's only Fight Masters and the only Fight Master in Chicago, David Woolley. He is doing this out love for many of us he knows and because it sounded like a great ride. I could never afford him otherwise. We have been blessed.

LEE:
^[47] Are the weapons real?

MATHENY:
^[48] Yes, real steel. I don't think they fight with real steel on the show, probably aluminum. And then wood sticks, my quarterstaff of course, and lots of hand to hand.

LEE:
^[49] How are the fights going to be staged?

MATHENY:
^[50] Really close to the audience. It is truly the thrilling part of watching it live and not on TV. There is about 22 minutes of fighting in an 1 hour 15 min show.

LEE:
^[51] Did you and the rest of the cast have martial arts background?

MATHENY:
^[52] Many SAFD fight certified, though Alex [Billings], Elizabeth [Laidlaw] and myself were not. We have been working very hard, but there are tumblers, fighters, and those with dance and martial arts training.

Elizabeth Laidlaw plays the Lover Xena. (From the Xena Live! program)

LEE:
^[53] Was special training necessary? Was it difficult?

MATHENY:
^[54] Yes, yes.

LEE:
^[55] How did you come to work with Mr. Woolley?

MATHENY:
^[56] Long story but suffice it to say God sent him.

Anecdotes

LEE:
^[57] Do you have any funny stories or interesting things that happened during the production or rehearsal process that you wouldn't mind sharing with the fans?

MATHENY:
^[58] The play is in a TV show format with commercial breaks at all the most suspenseful moments. The actors are performing live commercials from our sponsors. It is hysterical!

LEE:
^[59] What else?

MATHENY:
^[60] There are lots of things that we have to do very well that show can play some TV magic, i.e., it is hard to draw a sword from your back and drop it back in. The costumes can be awkward at times with shoulder pads and such. But the cast is making it all look effortless. Finally, and how does the chakram work on stage? Well, we will show in the first 10 minutes of the show.

LEE:
^[61] Anything else you would like to add to this interview?

MATHENY:
^[62] We want the fans to have a blast. And those who have never watched the show to get on the Xena train. It should be a party and we want everyone to join us to celebrate this new piece of the Xenaverse. We will keep our website updated so stay in touch with us there and sign the guest book/mailing list.

Biography

A.T. Lee
A.T. Lee is a sole practitioner in intellectual property, artists' representation, immigration and contract law and is also an artist/designer. When time allows, she writes XWP fanfics and make fanart.
Favorite episode: ONE AGAINST AN ARMY
First episode seen: DEATH MASK (if excluding the Herc Trilogy)
Least favorite episode: FORGIVEN