Anton in Show Business

A True Performer

Olympian, UI grad Angela Whyte joins cast in satirical comedy

For Angela Whyte, track and field is an individual’s sport. The benefits of working hard are reaped by the athlete, she said, and a lot of the motivation comes from within.

Whyte’s level of motivation is apparent in her resume — a long list of accomplishments including ranking sixth in 100-meter hurdles at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the first of three Olympic competitions in which she has competed. She also holds 13 track and field records at the University of Idaho and is an all-time top point scorer.

For an athlete who has long relied on herself to accomplish goals, she is now venturing into her first team event — UI theatre.

Whyte is taking on three roles in the UI Department of Theatre Arts’ upcoming production of Anton in Show Business by Jane Martin.

Though less physically demanding, Whyte said rehearsals are similar to training for a track competition. Being part of a talented cast she doesn’t want to disappoint, she said the pressure is there.

“Performing is performing, whether it’s on the track or on stage,” she said.

Anton in Show Business follows three young actresses as they pursue their dreams when cast in Anton Chekhov’s The Three Sisters. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27-29 and Oct. 4-6 with Sunday matinees 2 p.m. Sept. 30 and Oct. 7. All performances are held in the UI Hartung Theater on the corner of Sixth Street and Stadium Drive.

Nothing is sacred in this satirical comedy. The script pokes fun at all injustices of American theatre as well as other important issues — gender roles, sexual orientation, multiculturalism, pretentious intellectuals, the tobacco industry and arts funding all take a hit.

Whyte has been part of staged readings before, but this is her first full-scale production. A UI graduate and volunteer assistant track and field coach, she said theatre is just another of the many avenues available at UI.

“It’s an amazing adventure,” she said.

Whyte’s characters on stage run the gamut in terms of personality and even gender. She is one of three women in the all-female cast who will don facial hair for their male roles on stage.

“T-Anne” is an even-keeled stage manager whose work is behind the scenes, to drive the play forward. This can be difficult, Whyte said, as there are many disruptions. The script breaks into the audience often as self-proclaimed theatre critics let their opinions fly.

Whyte also plays “Andwyneth,” a sassy black woman who is all too conscience of her race and its effect on casting and “Don,” vice president of a tobacco company looking to soften its image by sponsoring theatre. Both create their own challenges for the play — not unlike the rest of the cast.

“In the end, the play comments on power, who has it and its uses and abuses,” Director David Lee-Painter said.

Lee-Painter said working with the all-female cast has been a joy. Having raised two daughters in a house where even the family pets were female, the environment is nothing new.

Three UI theatre students will play the actresses in The Three Sisters, “Casey”, “Holly” and “Lisabette.” Lee-Painter said each character comes from a different end of the theatre spectrum, making their interactions a learning experience for all.

Senior Kristin Glaeser plays “Holly,” a seasoned actress hoping to boost her resume with a serious acting role — no longer relying on her surgically enhanced looks to land a movie gig.

“Holly” has gone under the knife many times in hopes to shape herself for the big screen. Glaeser said “Holly” sees her role in The Three Sisters as a chance to reach the status of a “calcified diva” — and one who doesn’t need to take her clothes off to do it.

“... the overall image of The Three Sisters helps show the bonds we all yearn for,” Glaeser said, “People who love you in spite of your flaws, who support you and who will stand by your side even when there seems to be no hope.”

Anton in Show Business by Jane Martin shows 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27-29 and Oct. 4-6 with Sunday matinees 2 p.m. Sept. 30 and Oct. 7. All performances are held in the UI Hartung Theater on the corner of Sixth Street and Stadium Drive. General admission is $10. UI students are free with a Vandal card. UI faculty and staff, and Washington State University students are $8.

For tickets, call the UI Kibbie Dome Ticket Office at (208) 885-7212. Tickets can also be purchased online or at the box office the night of the show.

For more information, call (208) 885-6465.