Actor Will Chase, a Frankfort native, exhibits off his ‘Betty’ and ‘Kentucky’ tattoos in ‘Dagger,’ the brand new quick movie he wrote, directed, produced and starred in. The ‘Betty’ tattoo is a nod to his mom, Betty Chase. (Photograph submitted)
Actor Will Chase, a Frankfort native, can thank “The Tiger King” for serving to him uncover his newest ardour.
The Tony Award nominee — who has starred in quite a few Broadway exhibits and tv sequence, together with a stint as nation music star Luke Wheeler on “Nashville” — had been occupied with directing for some time however hadn’t put any actual effort into it.
Then, when the coronavirus quarantine started, he and accomplice, Ingrid Michaelson, a musician, determined to shoot a parody video of “The Tiger King” at their Los Angeles residence.
“I had arrange all of the photographs and had a very nice time doing prep, filming and enhancing it,” Chase instructed The State Journal.
That have propelled him to be taught extra in regards to the mechanics of manufacturing and the psychology of visible language.
“I mainly gave myself movie faculty daily for 4 months,” he added, crediting mentors Don Scardino and Eric Stoltz, each administrators, and different business pals who stated he ought to write and direct a brief movie.
“I feel all of them needed me to undergo the method of getting to create and produce one thing from begin to end to see what that was like,” the Western Hills graduate defined.
Together with his lately launched quick movie, “Dagger,” Chase can now add author, director and producer to his prolonged performing resume.
He additionally stars as Tom, a person on the finish of his rope, within the roughly 24-minute movie, which ponders William Shakespeare’s well-known query “To be or to not be?” Jack Davenport performs the bard who spends the day convincing Tom that the reply could also be “To be.”
“I had been toying with the ‘Hamlet’ monologue (and reciting it) for the previous 25 years or so,” Chase stated. “I assumed ‘what would Shakespeare do if he heard this man reciting it for actual, as if he had been considering the worst.
“Then the story all flooded out of me and I went from there. Very lengthy story pretty quick — it began as an train and ended up turning into a chunk I poured myself into and am actually happy with.”
At one level within the movie, whereas sitting in mattress, Tom places each of his arms behind his head revealing a tattoo on every interior bicep. Each tattoos, “Betty” on the suitable — a nod to Chase’s mom — and “Kentucky” on the left — a reminder of his roots — are actual, in line with Chase.
“I’ve had them for a couple of years now. I feel Mother didn’t a lot take care of my first few tattoos, however after I obtained ‘Betty’ I feel she began to love them a bit extra.”
Although it pokes enjoyable at Shakespeare, “Dagger” can also be inspirational — particularly for these struggling throughout these occasions.
“I feel the deeper points are that even in our bleakest moments we will get by the robust stuff, even devastating stuff, potential with a nudge and assist from another person,” Chase added.
“But additionally that tomorrow is a brand new day and that cuts each methods. Tomorrow provides a brand new starting, a reset, positive. However it doesn’t imply tomorrow will simply be simple breezy, as nicely.”
For Chase, the coronavirus quarantine and civil unrest and injustices of the previous 12 months have been “surreal,” however engaged on the movie — a four-month endeavor from begin to end — helped present an escape.
“The film and Ingrid actually stored me grounded,” he stated in an interview with the newspaper on Friday. “I needed to maintain following the premise of my very own film — simply get by the day.”
The mission additionally gave him a newfound appreciation for many who’ve labored behind the scenes on the TV and movie units he has carried out on over the previous few a long time.
“That’s all the way in which from the manufacturing workplace individuals to electricians to wardrobe and make-up to the administrators of images, administrators and producers, (I’m) really in awe of them, having needed to do all of it myself, even on such a small mission,” he stated.
Chase was nominated for a Tony Award for Finest Featured Actor in a Musical in 2013 for his function as John Jasper/Mr. Clive Paget within the Broadway revival of “The Thriller of Edwin Drood.”
He visitor starred as Michael Swift in NBC’s “Smash” and has appeared in a number of tv sequence, together with the recurring function of Pat Mahoney on “Rescue Me.”
Chase is at present filming a brand new tv present “a couple of states over.” Nonetheless, he’s not at liberty to debate the main points simply but.
And whereas he doesn’t have plans to go to Frankfort anytime quickly he stated he may drive over to see his people, Jerald and Betty Chase, as soon as it’s secure.
