Charlie Ross, the writer and star of the upcoming One-Man Star Wars Trilogy, chatted with us about the origins of his unique production, and the challenges of life on the road.CS: How old were you when you first began developing this act?
Charlie: 27
CS: What sort of response did you initially get from family? friends? critics?
CR: Family, positive—a little surprised.
Friends, positive—surprised, as I was never an overt Star Wars fanatic.
Critics, usually positive, some negative—it really depends whether the critic is Star Wars fan themselves.
CS: After performing the show so many hundreds—thousands?—of times, can you stand to watch the movies? Or does it feel redundant at this point?
CR: I haven’t watched them lately, but when I do I realize just how different my show is from the films. I find that the films feel long mostly because my version is so short.
CS: How do you keep the show itself fresh for yourself?
CR: The audience, they’re always changing, if it wasn’t for the fresh faces with their fresh reactions the show would get stale.
CS: You seem to slip into some characters a little too smoothly (Luke’s whine about going into Toshi Station to pick up power converters is dead on). And obviously you most closely resemble Mark Hamill. Do you feel more Luke-like? Or is there a secret thrill in getting to be Princess Leia?
CR: I was a whiny, feathered haired kid when I first saw A New Hope, plus I was living on a farm (and I was male)—so it was Luke I identified with.
CR: I haven’t watched them lately, but when I do I realize just how different my show is from the films. I find that the films feel long mostly because my version is so short.
CS: How do you keep the show itself fresh for yourself?
CR: The audience, they’re always changing, if it wasn’t for the fresh faces with their fresh reactions the show would get stale.
CS: You seem to slip into some characters a little too smoothly (Luke’s whine about going into Toshi Station to pick up power converters is dead on). And obviously you most closely resemble Mark Hamill. Do you feel more Luke-like? Or is there a secret thrill in getting to be Princess Leia?
CR: I was a whiny, feathered haired kid when I first saw A New Hope, plus I was living on a farm (and I was male)—so it was Luke I identified with.
CS: How has this changed over the years?
CR: As time has passed I’ve found myself feeling a bit more like Darth Vader. Mainly because I’ve had to sacrifice a lot of what matters to me: being with family and friends, in order to tour this show. Albeit I didn’t have to lose a hand or fall into a fiery river of lava in the process, I imagine it’ll all work out in the end.
CS: Did performing this piece confirm or bust your preconceptions about the typical Star Wars fan? Have you met any celebrities that revealed themselves as stealth fans after seeing the show?
CR: I didn’t have any concept of Star Wars fandom—the degrees that some people go to, the lows and the highs, and the camaraderie shared across borders and language—it’s a worldwide phenomenon.
CS: Did performing this piece confirm or bust your preconceptions about the typical Star Wars fan? Have you met any celebrities that revealed themselves as stealth fans after seeing the show?
CR: I didn’t have any concept of Star Wars fandom—the degrees that some people go to, the lows and the highs, and the camaraderie shared across borders and language—it’s a worldwide phenomenon.
I am pleased to say that someone even as macho as Vin Diesel is a Star Wars fan, he sat in the front for the whole show.
CS: What are some of the biggest challenges you are faced with as a solo performer on the road?
CR: Other than aspect of being away from my zone of comfort, a big challenge is weathering the bad days between good. When I have a hard show r a crappy day it’s mine alone to bear. It can be hard but I’ve grown callous over the years- in a positive way.
CS: Can you share any advice or warning to artists or performers who are considering a solo show?
CR: Choose your subject matter with your heart though be prepared to be passed over and ignored. Just because you love something doesn’t necessarily follow that others will. You must push through the adolescence of your work—it’s like high school: it can be easy for some and hellish for others—but once you reach the other side, find your audience, you will discover the long road ahead. If you can survive that period you’ll rarely look back, except maybe to laugh.
CS: What is the oddest or most interesting space in which or group for whom you’ve performed the show?
CR: Other than Star Wars conventions where I’ve performed for thousands at a go, the oddest was performing for two German tourists (girls) who’d heard about the show and wanted to see it very badly. They paid me five hundred bucks to perform in the living room where they were staying. It was Wunderbar!
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The One-Man Star Wart Trilogy
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