Hello Beautiful People,
I’m so pumped and thrilled an excited to introduce you to our next featured actor in the Actors & Actresses Q&A Series, the one and only, Nick Cordileone. I met Nick through his wife, the amazing and lovely Amy Cordileone, phD – the two are, quite simply put, a couple of the greatest folks one can have, and I am beyond lucky to call them my friends.
Ladies & Gents, meet Nick Cordileone…
TWT: Of all the roles you’ve played, is there one that is most memorable for you?
NC: I would say that my most memorable role was Henry VI. I had the good fortune to play for 5 ½ months over the course of three plays; parts 1,2, and Richard III. The story covers Henry from coronation to death and the afterlife. I was very taken with the idea of this person in a state of arrested development, where everyone was simultaneously out to do his bidding and serve their own purposes. He was a guileless and devote person surrounded by sharks. Very rich dramatic stakes.
TWT: You have played in some of the most well-known theatres in the country. Do you have a particular theatre that you love going back to?
NC: Actor’s Theatre of Louisville is an incredible place to work. Very familial and there is always tons going on. Their focus on new works makes it an exciting place to be. The Shakespeare Theater in DC is the finest in the country. When I was there, the Dalai Lama spoke, Ian McKellen did a one-man show, Helen Mirren performed Phaedra, and we were performing a little known Ben Jonson play. Michael Kahn is a perfect ambassador for the arts.
TWT: Father. Husband. Actor. You play three very important roles, how do you manage to juggle it all, especially with such an intense tour schedule?
NC: It is a group effort. I have my days mostly free to home school our 11-year-old, and she is super flexible with our nomadic lifestyle. My wife has freedom to fly out at least once a city. And she is very present virtually helping to arrange housing, flight schedules, managing doctor appts etc for us on the road, all while grappling with her considerable workload at NYU. We each carry weight and are good at adapting to whatever is pressing.
TWT: What’s the process of preparing for a role like Timon in The Lion King?
NC: I had about 5 weeks to learn the show and the puppet. It was broken up initially into scene work, mirror work, and music. Joining a running production is nice because you can track backstage. As time went on, we would incorporate the puppet and scenes together. Disney is great about allowing a performer to find the character, within the parameters set up by the script. It was a very free and creative process.
TWT: If you were not an actor, what career do you think you would have? Do you think that theatre and the arts would still be a significant part of your life, even if your profession was different?
NC: Theater would definitely be a part of my life. I love the story/storytelling aspect of it; the shared experience, the running conversation between the Arts and the audience. I would hope that an alternate career could still include Theatre, Film, or Television. Maybe on the creative team side? Casting Director? Cinematographer? That is a good question. I also enjoy working with young folks – a teacher or coach perhaps?
TWT: Just for fun, what sound do you hate? Just for fun, what sound do you love?
NC: Cicadas. Clothes Dryers.
TWT: Do you have a dream role? If so, what is it?
NC: I am usually attracted to projects. If I see that a theater I am anxious to work with holding auditions for a role I am right for, with a creative teams that is exciting, that is the current dream role. In any theatre job, that next project is your family for the next several months. I am more drawn to collaborations and scripts than a specific iconic role.
TWT: What advice would you give to students in high school and college who are looking to pursue a career in theatre?
NC: I would encourage openness. Stay open to the possibility of something unexpected and off the radar. Open to an audition yielding rewards years later. Open to chance and preparation working together. Making luck and being surprised by it.
TWT: In today’s economy, arts programs in schools are being cut. What reasons would you give a politician for preserving the arts?
NC: Tracy Letts said at the Tony Awards the other night “We are the ones who say it to their face.” He is right. In an increasingly incorporated world where everything is becoming special interest, the Arts is one of the few places that can still speak of, for, and to the people. It is a very dangerous and precious commodity. It would be easier if we could just forget unpleasant stories or break social mirrors but that really would be the downfall of society.
TWT: Who is/was your greatest teacher?
NC: I have two answers. The first is a man named Dr. Clifford White from Northern Arizona University. He was an old school pro who taught me the value of Theatre and to respect the craft. The second is my wife. She has challenged me to be the best version of myself and we have learned a lot together. Her insights have definitely helped shape who I am as a person and artist.
Thank you, Nick!
Live, Love, Learn,