"Theatre Conversation in a Covid World" with Montreal's Chris Cavener

What a wonderful and sometimes uniquely surprising world in which we live. Chris had messaged me privately through Facebook stating how he had liked the profile of an artist to whom I had spoken recently. Chris felt that I had captured the artist so well in the article.  I thanked him for his kindness in reading the profiles, and then threw him when I asked him if he would like a profile written as well since I was on a roll in completing a few over the next few days. Chris appeared taken aback for a few seconds but then was pleased to have the offer and accepted.

Chris Cavener is an Actor, Writer, Comedian, Improvisor, Musician, Creator and Podcast Host based out of Montreal. He’s put in a lot of years on stage doing Improv Comedy for house troupes at venues like The Comedy Works, The Wiggle Room and M-Bar. Besides performing in a few Netflix Series, American Films and the rare French Film, he’s been championing mental health on his podcast ‘Cheaper Than Therapy’ which is now in its second season.

Chris also wrote, starred in, and produced a short psychological comedy about the film industry called “Broca,” which will be released in 2021. 

He is a graduate of Montreal’s Dawson College Professional Theatre (Acting) Program. We held our conversation via Zoom. Sometimes the questions and answers led us off on other tangents, but that was alright with Chris:

In a couple of months, we will be coming up on one year where the doors of live theatre have been shuttered.  How have you been faring during this time?  Your immediate family?

I’m really into performing comedy in front of a live audience. That’s been my route in this whole industry.  I’ve always been funny at my day job or whatever I do to make ends meet. But now that no longer exists…

I find myself focusing on regressing back to a teenager and thinking about loss and heartbroken moments most of the time. It a weird headspace to occupy since I’m home now 24/7 with my two kids and my wife. My wife is still working so that’s really good.

My perspective completely shifted as well as the dynamic in my relationship with my wife and my immediate family. I’m still as creative as ever inside but now I have to channel them into different endeavours.  I was able to successfully produce three productions during Covid with my bold, brave producing partner Jaa Smith-Johnson and Para-Dime Productions. That opened my eyes to this other realm of reality I wasn’t even aware of.

If we as artists are going to survive this pandemic and going to continue creating and performing through this, we’re going to have to be survivors.  I’m also in therapy again and that’s a huge help. I also have a podcast ‘Cheaper than Therapy’ which is a funny take at some of the mental health challenges we as a first world problem society go through.

I have two boys, a five-year-old and a three-year-old.  My wife is very sensitive to me as an artist, and she’s the best. She’s a superhero. I have her full support in everything I do and I’m so lucky.  The boys are running around like nothing has happened yet.  They’re unaware and they think it’s cool to wear a mask at school sometimes when they do singing class. To the kids, it’s more entertaining to them.

There’s a drama to the comedy that we’re living so the stakes are higher for us.

How have you been spending your time since the theatre industry has been locked up tight as a drum?

The three productions I’ve been able to produce– one was a commercial for a restaurant.  The other was a stand-up show for a Zoom party which was interesting on the tech side. We had to align live performances and ensure they translated over Zoom which doesn’t have the best streaming quality. I got to perform in that one.

I also shot a short film that I wrote, acted in and produced. It was transformative for me as an artist. It’s a psychological comedy about the film industry. That’s a take you don’t get to see that often with ‘the woes of it all’ of the film industry.

The late Hal Prince described the theatre as an escape for him.  Would you say that Covid has been an escape for you or would you describe this near year long absence from the theatre as something else?

To be honest, I feel like my sanity escaped me during Covid. It was weird. I had to adapt and overcome the ways I lived before. I feel like I have to keep reminding myself this situation is only temporary.

I started to regret that I didn’t get to see every bit of live theatre in Montreal as I possibly could.  My ideas of performance and the industry changed drastically. I realized that I was almost taking every aspect of it for granted. And now when I’m able to audition on Zoom or read new material, I find myself flushed with inspiration that this is a part of my life and I cannot let this go.

Whatever the escape was, my insecurities go so large they exploded out and I was able to release them. I now realize that I have to work even harder as an actor. That’s not to say I was doing a shit job before because I wasn’t, not at all, as I was trying my best. Now I get it as being an actor means that much more to me now.

I’ve interviewed a few artists several months ago who said that the theatre industry will probably be shut down and not go full head on until at least 2022.  There may be pockets of outdoor theatre where safety protocols are in place.  What are your comments about this? Do you think you and your colleagues/fellow artists will not return until 2022?

I won’t disagree with that statement, but I’ll challenge it. Let’s do guerilla theatre in 2021 (and Chris starts to laugh with that statement). Take to the streets.

The performance bug in me is saying, ‘No, no, 2022 is too far away.”

Kidding aside (for guerilla theatre), I don’t know if that will be safe though. We’re don’t want a flash mob mentality.

2022 seems fair. Let’s be safe for everyone. Let’s affect change safely. Let’s change feelings and not minds. If it’s the best way to do it, then let’s do it especially since I need to make sure my wife and boys are safe first and foremost.

I had a discussion recently with an Equity actor who said that yes theatre should not only entertain but, more importantly, it should transform both the actor and the audience.  How has Covid transformed you in your understanding of the theatre and where it is headed in a post Covid world?

Well, congrats to that actor who became a member of Equity because that has not come my way here in Montreal in the theatre scene. If I do theatre in Montreal, it’s my own production or a free gig of work from somebody else whom I know might have written.  There’s only a handful of Equity actors hired who get to perform at the Segal Centre and the Centaur.

I’ve been doing this stuff for over a decade and I agree that theatre must transform everyone involved. It is through passion of the work and for the work with the actor and audience and this is the transformation and catharsis. It works both ways especially if it is a strong piece of work. 

Hopefully theatre will become prominent in a post Covid world.  I think we need it and I honestly can’t wait for it. I hope as we come out of Covid that theatre involves a lot more creator involved work which becomes more insightful.  That is the transformation which I hope to see happen here in Montreal in watching the art in a different lens instead of having it interpreted by another actor/artist/performer.

The late Zoe Caldwell spoke about how actors should feel danger in the work. It’s a solid and swell thing to have if the actor/artist and the audience both feel it. Would you agree with Ms. Caldwell? Have you ever felt danger during this time of Covid and do you believe it will somehow influence your work moving forward?

The danger energy is cool to have on set and in the theatre, but it is one that must be in control. I was in a play once where half of the actors were using guns and shooting blanks. That’s dangerous. We took every precaution to feel safe, but I still dealt with PTSD after that production.

A deep understanding of fear is necessary to feeling danger. The illusion of danger is what theatre is all about. During this pandemic, we’re experiencing the illusion of safety and danger in real life. 

The late scenic designer Ming Cho Lee spoke about great art opening doors and making us feel more sensitive.  Has this time of Covid made you sensitive to our world and has it made some impact on your life and work moving forward?

I think anyone with a hint of emotional intelligence is automatically sensitive. I don’t see anyone who has gone through this pandemic unchanged. It would be bizarre as I don’t think human beings are capable of being that stubborn.

Great art does open doors to the mind and the heart and teaches us whatever it may be to personally learn from it. Not everyone will see what the artist is going for and maybe no one will.

Covid has made me more sensitive to people.  This two-metre distance rule has made me examine my fight or flight rule response. I’m excited to see what these new emotional sensitives will be able to bring to me moving forward in my career.

I feel for the general public because everyone will be at different comfort levels and zones in being close to each other.

Again, the late Hal Prince spoke of the fact that theatre should trigger curiosity in the actor/artist and the audience.  Has Covid sparked any curiosity in you about something during this time?  Has this time away from the theatre sparked further curiosity for you when you return to this art form?

Hal Prince is so awesome. He knows his facts – the facts of life. If you’re in front of a live audience as an artist and nothing about that makes you curious, you may as well be at home watching celebrity gossip shows.

It’d be hard to tame my curiosity without teetering into the realm of being a skeptic. I’ve become far more curious during this pandemic, and right now I’m just interested in reading any script I can get my hands on and see if it works with my talent.

I’m hoping curiosity will inspire my work as an actor moving forward. I need to see where it goes.

Chris Cavener’s headshot by Sarah Cotton.

Connect with Chris on his Instagram: @chriscavenerrrrr