On the evening that I met up with Mark to chat, I sat waiting at Atomic Coffee with my laptop open, thinking about the kind of responses I might get from my interview with Mark. I thought back on a day in our theatre class when my phone decided to play a commercial with the volume on full-blast. As I fumbled with the buttons and volume controls, Mark, who sat next to me, faked the most obnoxious cough I had ever heard. Our instructor, who had a zero-tolerance policy for cell phones, looked up, raised his eyebrows, and asked, “Is everything alright?” Mark simply nodded back at him and cleared his throat. When the lecture resumed, he elbowed me and snickered.
The door to Atomic Coffee opened. Mark was panting and out of breath as he entered and plopped down at the chair across from me.
“Did you just run here?” I asked.
“Not even a big deal,” he replied as he caught his breath.
And so we began!
Let’s start with the basics. Mark Bacon, yes, like the most savory breakfast meat, is from central Florida where he studied at the Harrison School for the Arts and graduated from Lakeland High in 2010. He is currently a junior here at Florida State working toward a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts (BFA) in musical theatre. In the fall of 2011, Mark traded in his orange and blue for garnet and gold! Yes, the rumors are true. After spending a year at the University of Florida, Mark transferred to FSU because the ‘Noles have one of the top-five music theatre programs in the country!
“When I found out I had been accepted into the BFA program, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity!” Mark had said.
And we are so glad he did…
Her Campus (HC): Why did you choose theatre?
Mark Bacon (MB): In third grade, my mom made me choose between swim club and drama club. I chose drama club because they gave out candy at the end!
HC: Was your family supportive of your decision to pursue theatre?
MB: They were and still are FULLY supportive. As soon as I was accepted into the performing arts program in 9th grade, that’s when they started to really take it seriously.
HC: Describe your dream job or career.
MB: It’s kind of a string of events starting first with a national or international [show] tour so that I can see the world. Then, working with Second City, an improv company, in Chicago. And of course, Broadway is never far from my mind!
HC: What is your dream role?
MB: I really enjoyed playing David in COMPANY. I’d love to play Mark in Rent…or ANYONE in Rent! Or a Mormon Boy in Book of Mormon. It would also be great to be in American Idiot.
HC: Who has been your favorite character to play thus far?
MB: Sir Robin from Spamalot. I’ve never done comedy, but Monty Python is a great gateway!
HC: Do you have any professional theatre experience?
MB: Without submitting my resume, I’ll tell you about some of it. I spent this past summer in Ithaca, NY working with a professional theatre company. There were interns from prestigious programs such as Julliard, NYU, and Columbia. They were all amazing to work with! I was fortunate enough to participate in a stage read for a new musical called Death and Venice which circles around a woman’s attachment to the novel Death in Venice. My most memorable professional experience, though, was during the production of Gypsy. The actress who played the main character, Mama Rose, didn’t join the rehearsals until nine days before the show opened. Essentially, the entire cast learned the show without the lead and then just plugged her in!
HC: Share with our readers one of your funniest or most embarrassing on-stage moments.
MB: Well, in Gypsy there is a six minute dance break. During that time I managed to knock off my top hat, unhook my bowtie, unhook my overalls, get hit in the face, and break a set piece. Not to mention, my shoe was untied and I couldn’t kick during the dance or else the shoe would fly off into the audience!
HC: Oh no! Hopefully no one noticed…
MB: Everyone noticed!
HC: Who or what inspires you?
MB: I am inspired by my teacher and peer, Jen Marshall. She is an engineer by day, and an actress, stage manager, director, and choreographer by night! She does it all! I also have a handful of close friends who continue to inspire me and keep me grounded. Shout out to Marissa Toogood, Logan Wolfe, and Alana Neuman!
HC: What do you do during your free time?
MB: What free time? I am taking 22 credit hours. I work at TGI Fridays. I am involved in two shows this semester with four hour rehearsals every night. I guess in my spare time, I hang out with friends or go road-tripping by myself.
HC: Chocolate or vanilla?
MB: Chocolate candy bars, but vanilla ice cream.
HC: Ocean or lake?
MB: Ocean because it’s always moving. Lakes creep me out because they’re so still.
HC: Coke or Pepsi?
MB: Is Dr. Pepper a coke product? Otherwise Pepsi…except vanilla coke. Always an exception!
HC: Pizza or tacos?
MB: Pizza any day! My dad was a pizza man!
HC: Single or taken?
MB: Single!
Come see Mark Bacon and the rest of FSU School of Theatre’s production of Monty Python’s SPAMALOT. The show runs from February 14, 2014 through the first weekend of March! Maybe Mark will give you his autograph…