Chase Padgett is bringing 6 Guitars to Intrepid Theatre’s Uno Fest May 8 to 24.
The show premiered at the 2010 Orlando International Fringe Festival where it became a breakout hit.
Prior to its creation, Padgett, who now lives in Portland OR, was making a comfortable living working in various roles at Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and the SAK Theatre in Orlando, FL as an actor, improviser and musician. “I can sum up the syndrome in short as golden handcuffs,” says Padgett. The gigs included an equity contract, vacation and sick pay but no creative control.
“It was less art and more of a day job,” he says. As a performer he wanted to challenge himself and break out of his comfort zone.
“It’s a scary thing imagining an audience there for an hour and you have to be entertaining enough to hold their attention and be worth the ticket price.”
Padgett and co-writer, director Jay Hopkins, however, have done just that.
6 Guitars was developed into a full 85-minute production after its initial debut at the Orlando Fringe Festival.
“I made the decision that I wanted to keep doing this so I gave my two weeks notice at my Disney job five years ago. It’s been a long road with ups and downs and a whole lot of lessons learned,” he says.
But the payoff has included the chance to performing for top executives at NBC, work shopping a new musical improv game show with Wayne Brady and his first role in a feature film.
These days though, Padgett is on the road with 6 Guitars, a portrayal of six guitar player, from a 19-year-old rock prodigy to an 87-year-old blues man, each with their own distinct voice, views, and musical style. Padgett performs May 8 and 9. Tickets and info at intrepidtheatre.com