Nathaniel Bacon Prepares to Play a Porn Star

Nathaniel Bacon has been racking up quite the list of stage credits in the Toronto area over the past several years.  One of his first professional gigs was playing a gay youth living in rural Ontario in 4^th Line Theatre’s production of Sky Gilbert's St. Francis of Millbrook.  I first saw (all of) Nathaniel on stage when he played Wolf in Hart House Theatre’s production of Bent, Martin Sherman's harrowing tale about the persecution of gays in Nazi Germany. I then had the pleasure of directing Nathaniel myself a year or so ago in the original production of my short play, Sherlock & Watson: Behind Closed Doors. Nathaniel played my cocaine-addicted, promiscuous Sherlock with sensuality and charm. Last year, Nathaniel turned in an amazing performance as the transgendered titular character in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, winning the BroadwayWorld Toronto award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.

Bacon's latest role is that of Casey Donovan, the first mainstream gay porn star, in Sky Gilbert’s My Dinner with Casey Donovan. The play, which also features Michael De Rose, Ralph Small and longtime Gilbert collaborator Elley-Ray, opens at the Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace on March 12th, with a preview on March 11th. I recently had the opportunity to chat with Nathaniel, who is not just a talented young actor but also an outspoken LGBTQ rights advocate.

Gay Theatre Toronto -
 

What measures (or indeed, measurements) does one take as an actor while preparing to play a porn star on stage?

Nathaniel Bacon -

Well, I tend to view my character just as a person and not by a label like that. However, there are some requirements I've had to meet. After a long winter of eating my weight in potatoes, it's been a challenge to make my body into the right shape. So a lot of gym time and watching my diet has been necessary. As for the non-physical stuff, I think the most challenging part has been learning to embrace a certain amount of narcissism. There's a degree of confidence and a sexual energy I have to exude. And that comes from letting go of self-criticism...which is difficult for me. 

GTT -

There was a period of  time when almost any piece of gay theatre contained nudity, whether it advanced the plot or not. Toronto audiences caught a glimpse of your goods in Bent a few years back. Do you feel at all intimidated by nude scenes? 

NB -

By "glimpse", I'm assuming you mean that solid 5 minutes. (Laughs.) I do not fear nudity in the slightest. I'm a hippie, really. So I just view it as our natural state. Strangely enough, I'm more nervous doing shirtless scenes than full frontal. If I'm shirtless, I'm thinking "Am I in good enough shape? Am I getting flabby?" When I'm nude, I think "This is me. I'm looking pretty good". Also, I should mention that as this play is mostly about a family dinner, I'm ironically more covered up than I've been in a while.

GTT -

You had quite the run as Hedwig last year in Lower Ossington Theatre’s production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Does playing a character for that length of time allow for him/her to get into your psyche?

NB -

For sure. I thought I'd crafted a pretty rich, complex character by opening night. But our 3 week run became a 4 or 5 month behemoth and every day I found new layers. I really grew to love her deeply and I feel like a part of her stays with me. For an actor, that's a rare, incredible gift. I'm thankful for it.

GTT -

Speaking of My Dinner with Casey Donovan, what famous person (dead or alive) would you most like to have dinner with and why?

NB -

Tennessee Williams. He's one of my favourite playwrights. I love his work. It's vivid, poetic and so passionate. He lived and worked in a time of such great social and political change. I'd love to hear him speak in real life and I'd love the opportunity to tell him how far we've come...even if we still have a long way to go.

Tickets for My Dinner with Casey Donovan are available online at passemuraille.ca or by phone at 416 504-7529. The run continues until March 22.
 

Nathaniel Bacon and Michael De Rose in Sky Gilbert's My Dinner with Casey Donovan.