| Something I Said-Conversation with Bill Boread | | | | Well, maybe you don't, but a lot of people do. |
| Dwight Hobbes | | | | Nearly everyone has memories of watching it |
| Twin Cities Daily Planet | | | | with a grandfather, an uncle, brothers. Wrestling |
| Some years back, Bill Borea took a playwriting | | | | was big in the Midwest and in Minneapolis, which |
| class at The Loft Literary Center. A fellow | | | | was home of the American Wrestling Association. |
| student asked what he did as a profession and | | | | And this [playwright] gives the AWA a very |
| Borea said that, along with other pursuits, he was | | | | respectful tip of the hat. |
| a pro wrestler. Guffaws went up around the | | | | Who came out of the AWA? |
| room until the instructor quieted things down, | | | | Hulk Hogan. Jesse Ventura, that's where he got |
| offering the notion that "rasslin' matches" are an | | | | his big break. The Road Warriors were picked up |
| ideal example of what writing for the theater boils | | | | from the South. The Baron. |
| down to, the conflict of a protagonist up against | | | | This idea of wrestling as theater—can you say |
| an antagonist with a stake—who wins—at | | | | some more about that? |
| hand. | | | | You're telling a story. So, these guys that are |
| That, instructing the workshop, is how I met Bill | | | | good at it, when it's done well, they're telling a |
| Borea, the only student to finish rewriting not only | | | | story. There's often a good guy and a bad guy, |
| a scene but a entire script. He decided soon after | | | | [called] the face and the heel. The face basically |
| that screenplays were more his thing and | | | | symbolizes the people, the audience, who get |
| eventually wound up writing and directing the | | | | behind that face and whether he wins or loses |
| documentary Jobbers, about a wrestler's career, | | | | the match. The people care. |
| has it now in post-production and is talking to | | | | I'll say. Crowds get pretty revved up. |
| industry insiders about showing it at festivals. | | | | They care what's happening. The people feel like |
| Borea has also found his way back to theatre. | | | | they win or lose. That's theater. |
| Not with a script but as cast member of and | | | | Has it been enjoyable working with the fight |
| technical consultant to Mixed Blood Theatre's | | | | choreographer? |
| season closer, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad | | | | Yeah. It's been really fun. He's been really open to |
| Deity by Kristoffer Diaz. It's the tale of an African | | | | my suggestions. He's taken some things that I've |
| American star pitted against a trash-talking Native | | | | come up with and adapted them, gave it a little |
| American as told by a lifelong, Puerto Rican | | | | more sense for the stage. Tell you what, this guy |
| wrestling pro. Borea, by the way, is white. | | | | and I, we could have one hell of a match. We're |
| "When it comes down to what goes on in the | | | | having a blast, actually, me and Bruce. He's good. |
| ring, everyone's blood is red," says Borea. "It was | | | | He's fun, too. He just says, "Call me Bruce the |
| my job to help fight choreographer Bruce A. | | | | Moose." He's about 6' 4", 280 pounds all day long. |
| Young make sure the actors didn't actually spill | | | | He's probably 300, doesn't want to cop to it. |
| any, didn't hurt themselves or each other." It's a | | | | Does he do pro wrestling himself? |
| job for which Borea's qualifications include roughly | | | | No. If he did pro wrestling, he wouldn't need me. |
| a decade and a half of grueling experience. He | | | | You're playing more than one character. |
| began wrestling in 1988 as Billy Blaze, trained with | | | | Three. Joe Jabroni, he's a masked character, a |
| Ed Sharkey—whose most famous students | | | | lower-tier guy. His job is to make other people |
| were Jesse "The Body" Ventura and tag-team | | | | look good. You probably never get to know how |
| stars the Road Warriors—took a break for | | | | good [he] is or what his story is, but he's good |
| several years in 2000, and is now back at it. He's | | | | enough to make something out of nothing. He's |
| also certified in stage combat and, in general, lives | | | | what you call a "hand" in the ring. He can get it |
| and breathes tenets physical fitness. | | | | done. Put the other guy over and draw the |
| Why is Mixed Blood Theatre doing The Elaborate | | | | hatred of the audience. He's from parts unknown, |
| Entrance of Chad Deity? Artistic director Jack | | | | but maybe nobody would care anyway. Maybe he |
| Reuler says, "Having received the script from | | | | was a star at one point. You just don't know. I'm |
| three respected colleagues at three very | | | | a big fan of some of these guys that used to |
| different theatres, all suggesting that it seemed | | | | work under hoods—as we say, a mask. |
| like an ideal Mixed Blood show, it was an easy | | | | Generally, in America, the guy under a hood is |
| choice. Its text, cast, politics, humor, and style | | | | going to lose. In Mexico, it's a big thing. It's very |
| match Mixed Blood's aspirations for potential | | | | respected to wear a mask. In Japan—I |
| audiences, for aesthetics, and for world view." | | | | wrestled there—it's the same. A sign of honor |
| Thomas W. Jones II, who directs, says, "This play | | | | and respect. In America, not so much. You see |
| uses wrestling in an extraordinary way. It | | | | that guy, you know he's probably not going to |
| operates as a metaphor for distinctions in race | | | | win. He's cannon fodder. |
| and class and what the divide is in winning and | | | | Who else do you play? |
| losing in America." He adds, "[It] embodies all that | | | | Billy Heartland is a middle-card guy, not a big star. |
| contemporary theatre should be. It is political, | | | | A baby-face, good guy. All-American. Apple pie. |
| engaging, funny, smart, fast-paced, and written | | | | Old Glory is an old-school wrestler. Someone who |
| with audience at its core. Kristoffer Diaz is a | | | | paid his dues. Was a star, been around for a long |
| remarkable writer with a 21st century theatrical | | | | time. The kind of guy that, if you mess with him, |
| sensibility." Doesn't sound like something that's | | | | he'll hurt you. He's been around the block and if it |
| going to have anyone yawning. | | | | turned into a shooting match, he'd likely win. |
| After rehearsal, Bill Borea and I sat down on the | | | | A what? |
| West Bank at the Wienery for some good chow, | | | | A shooting match is when somebody potatoes |
| then went over to the Hard Times Cafe for an | | | | you, hits you harder than they're supposed to, |
| interview. | | | | kind of like kids playing and it escalates, things get |
| How does Kristoffer Diaz's knowledge of | | | | out of hand? It often happens in wrestling |
| professional wrestling stack up? Does know what | | | | matches, becomes a potato patch. Then, it's on. |
| he's doing with this script? | | | | And when it's on, that's a shooting match. Old |
| He's actually a fan, not a wrestler. He's got a | | | | Glory, he's the kind of guy that enjoys a good |
| really good understanding of the business, which | | | | potato patch. |
| amazed me. It's surprising to me how well | | | | The woman behind the counter where we just |
| wrestling is adapted to the stage, but wrestling | | | | left. We told her Mixed Blood's doing a play about |
| really is theater when it's done well. You're telling a | | | | wrestling. Her first reaction was that we were |
| story with your body. [Diaz] knows what it takes | | | | putting her on. She came right out and said, |
| for one wrestler to make the other guy look | | | | "You're kidding, right?" |
| good. It takes two to dance, right? Takes two to | | | | Exactly. Yeah, I know. |
| put on a prefessonal wrestling show. He gets that. | | | | What do you think about something like that? |
| Through his play, he explains that the guy who's | | | | It bends people's minds that professional wrestling |
| losing the match many times is the better | | | | could happen in a theater. But these actors are |
| wrestler, making that marquee star look good. | | | | blowing my mind with how hard they're training. |
| That's not always obvious to the public. | | | | And people are going to be satisfied that they |
| You think of hockey, not wrestling, when | | | | saw good wrestling and a good play. |
| somebody mentions this part of the country. | | | | |