Laura Gordon and Jonathan Smoots are a moderately mature (professionally speaking) theatrical couple. Gordon has been a member of the company of The Milwaukee Repertory since the end of the last century. Wisconsin audiences have seen Smoots on many stages in many roles. But he began his work in the theater as an actor-director.
Indeed, since he met Gordon when she was acting in a play he was directing, we might assume that Smoots was something of a svengali. Gordon's very intelligent and controlled acting tends to undercut any such assumption. Smoots is a major figure at the American Players Theater (APT) in Spring Green where he displays his particular talent in classical drama. His skill as a director was most recently seen at Renaissance Theatreworks, where he directed "The Captain's Tiger."
I met this charming couple on a bright sunny spring morning and they graciously answered my questions over coffee.
OMC: Has your marriage enriched your art?
Yes, Absolutely. We've been married for over eight years and the process of aging and maturing has helped us to deepen our love and enrich our marriage. It takes hard work and tenderness to keep a marriage going as we discovered early.
OMC: Do you discuss your work with your spouse?
Ad nauseam, especially when working on new parts.
OMC: Does your spouse offer you constructive criticism?
Yes, but only limited notes. Being married to a director, Laura feels a single note is enough. More criticism is allowed during rehearsal and it is essential that they each support the other. We appreciate each other's criticisms but they can be vexing, especially when dead right.
OMC: As a casting director, what kind of roles would you suggest for your spouse?
Jonathan: If I were type casting Laura, I would think of her in parts where she was a powerful, articulate, and demonstrating her physical and vocal technique. If I tried casting her away from type, I would look for a role that had less clarity in its emotion and focus, possibly a neurotic drug addict.
Laura: If I were casting Jonathan according to type, I would cast him as Thomas Mendip in "The Lady's Not For Burning" where his classical training could shine. Away from type, I'd like to see him in a terribly silly role.
OMC: What qualities do you most admire in your spouse?
Jonathan: I admire Laura's work ethic, her sense of humor, and her intelligence.
Laura: I appreciate the way in which Jonathan demands the best of himself and others with no compromise, and the way he cares so deeply. I also like his sentimentality and his ability to be funny.
OMC: Given the ephemeral nature of theater, how do you plan to keep your relationship stable?
This isn't something that can be planned. We currently have as much job security as one can have in the theatre. We even spend half the year working in the same theatre.
OMC: Some show business marriages seem to flounder when one spouse's career takes off while the other's languishes, does this worry you?
Jonathan: No, we seem Currently at our peak. I began as a director and as an actor so I have more than one string for my bow.
Laura: We are working in the city that has the best theatres in the state.
OMC: What do you do to recharge your collective batteries?
We brought a house and we can spend time living like ordinary people. We have a garden and a regular life that keeps us going.
OMC: Curtain time is magic but how do you handle the day-to-day grind that wears all of us down?
Laura: We both exercise regularly. It is relatively mindless and gives us time to diffuse any stress. We tape selective TV dramas and unwind watching quality TV when we get home from the theatre.
OMC: What advice do you have for theater artists who want to have a career in show business?
Be sure it is the thing you really want to pursue and explore all the options. Go to a college or graduate school that has good connections to the professional theater world. Be ready to take day jobs until you can get started.
OMC: What advice do you have for theater artists who want to have careers
and a marriage in show business?
Be sure that both of you are truly committed to the life in the theater with its highs and lows. Be realistic rather than romantic about your chances.
