Career change leaves actor feeling good about the future
Acting wasn’t always Alexander Fraser’s first career choice. In fact, he was enrolled at Drexel University studying mechanical engineering when he realized that was not for him.
“I did it for a couple of years until I realized this was not where I am supposed to be in life. I was confused so I decided to take some time off. I remembered doing a Shakespeare play in high school. I also remember really liking it and decided to spend a semester in New York at the Lee Strasburg Theater and Film Institute to pursue it,” says Fraser, now appearing in Temple Theater’s premiere of Charles Smith’s free adaptation of Mark Twain’s “Pudd’NHead Wilson, through Feb. 19.
That semester in New York was well spent and convinced young Fraser that acting was where his future was. Now enrolled at Temple University and completing his final semester to achieve his BA in Theater, Fraser knows he’s done the right thing.
“Today, I know I love acting and it’s where my heart really is,” he confesses. “There are a lot of great students at Temple and we have to audition for each and every role we get. It’s a very competitive atmosphere, but that’s just the way I like it.”
“Pudd’Nhead Wilson” had its New York premiere off-Broadway in 2002, directed by Walter Dallas at the Lucille Lortel Theater. It is described by playwright Charles Smith as a “stage adaptation and reinterpretation of the Mark Twain novel of the same name.”
According to Smith, the play is “the story of the two sons of Judge Driscoll, the chief citizen of Dawson’s Landing, Mo. Tom is his legal heir and the child of his wife. Chambers is his child by slave girl, Roxy.”
When Driscoll threatens to sell Roxy’s son, she switches the babies in their cradles. The two boys grow up with each other’s identities — creating a situation both ironic and ultimately tragic.
“I play the role of Tom Driscoll, and Roxy is my mother,” Fraser explains. “So what you see as the play progresses is a Black man who thinks he’s white, and a white slave who thinks he’s Black. In Twain’s story we look very similar, but in our version you have to suspend your disbelief a bit.”
Fraser adds that there are several challenges he must face in this play. “When I first read it,” he said, “I thought it might shock people and make them uncomfortable. The content even challenged me, but I had to learn to see the bigger picture and realize that this play had a lot to say. Also, there are lots of lines to memorize, movements to do, and props to get used to. But we had a lot of fun rehearsing because this is really a great cast.”
After graduation, Fraser hopes to move to New York City. He’s already auditioned for New York University’s Theater School for graduate work and hoes that all works out.
He admits today he loves what he does.
“Acting gives me a great sense of fulfillment,” he said. “After doing some work in mechanical engineering and not liking it at all, I realized I had a calling for something else, and acting was it. This is something that hasn’t gone stale for me and I don’t think it ever will. There’s plenty of stuff I want to explore.”
He does realize, however, that as an African-American actor he does face some pitfalls. “I know there will always be a degree of typecasting no matter what,” said Fraser. “But I think if an African-American actor works really hard and focuses on his craft, the right people will see him and reward his acting abilities, no matter if he’s Black or white. At least, I hope so.”
For times and ticket information, call (215) 204-1122.
