WORTH ROOTING FOR: MY INTERVIEW WITH KELTON WHITE MAY 2017

EDITPUBLISHED JUNE 2, 2017 BY TAIAJOY

Humility; It’s not a word I would typically use to describe a good looking 23 year old guy these days. It’s not how most people would describe any millennials. However, I struggle to find another word worthy of describing the ridiculously good looking Kelton White while he sits next to me at a Starbucks and answers questions about himself, and his upcoming show, Tomorrow at Three. Kelton is the middle child of 5 kids, raised here in Arizona. He’s an author, and an actor who just recently turned playwright. He sat down with me to discuss his new show and his journey to bring it to life. His modesty and vulnerability were subtly apparent from the get go, as he explained how he got started in both writing and acting “I owe the acting and writing to the fact that I never grew up.” He laughed then starry-eyed he painted a picture of a little boy leaping around the edges of a trampoline with a stick – fighting off dragons, of course. Like all us dreamers, he spent his time living out stories and creating worlds within our own rather than just hanging out with his school friends. “I think artists, in some way, we’re still children. We just never lost…the kid who goes out to the backyard and fights off dragons with a stick.” Kelton shrugs. Taking it back to that time in his life he adds “I always thought; I wish I could do this for the rest of my life.” But, true to his nature, Kelton didn’t realize he could make his wish a reality until he thought of how it could help others “Someone could learn from this.” He states “or [someone could] find value in this.” That thought, the thought of inspiring others the way he had been inspired, sparked new goals for his life. “I found truths in works of art,” he explains “like TV shows, movies, books; things that are not even supposed to be devotional or self help books; they became that for me. And I think that is the power of fiction.” Wanting to ‘hitch his horse to that wagon’ he wrote and published his first novel The Mysterious File of Mr. Chimes at the age of 22. Mr. Chimes is a sci fi/fantasy/drama that is the first of a 4 book series. “It’s a story about love, with some weird inter-dimensional nonsense thrown in there.” The core of the story, as Kelton put it, is a hard but simple question, “As outlandish things happen, how does a family stay together?” Kelton’s own family played large part of his journey, and in shaping the type of writer he’d become. “Whenever I say I’m the middle child people [say] ‘Oh that explains the artsiness’ I don’t even know what that means…But apparently the middle child is always like an aloof character and I guess I fit that mold.” What made the aloof author/actor want to transition from writing novels to writing plays? Well, as he puts it, he loved acting and he loved writing “I always saw them as two separate things,” he explained ”I could write and create my own stories through writing books and novels and then I would go act and breathe, life into someone else’s stories.” Once again when the realization that there was nothing stopping him from combining two things he loved, a whole new world opened up. First it was his one man show To Be Fond of Dancing, a powerful narrative about addiction and loss, (as a personal witness to the show I can attest it was an emotionally awesome piece.) Next, he wrote Tomorrow at Three, a full length show, in just less than a month. Now he is producing, starring in, and directing Tomorrow at Three at the Desert Stages Actor’s Cafe. Kelton was all too happy to give credit where credit was due, as he explained the role friend and actress Angela Kriese had on the process. She encouraged him, helped book the theatre, and even helped find the third actor, Jacob Goodman. Now with a full cast of three and a space to perform in, Kelton’s show is a week away from opening. New to directing, Kelton’s main worry is for his characters. “I’m so scared of being blind.” Kelton says “I’m always afraid that I’m not achieving the potential of the character. Because nobody else can tell me that I’m not.” Kelton will play Ansel, a new type of character for White to portray “In the show, Heaven is a business like cooperation.” He explains “And Ansel is a very business like person. He see things as black and white and he’s very naïve in that way.” With all the issues at the forefront of today’s society and media, Ansel’s characteristics are very relate-able “It’s kind of ironic and funny, Ansel thinks he knows everything. And, in that, he’s the most naïve person.” Angela Kriese’s character, Julie, is a demon trying to find her own way, and in so doing she inadvertently shows Ansel, in White’s own words, “The worst person can do a wonderful thing, and the most wonderful person can do the worst thing imaginable.” White’s hope for the show is that audiences realize that there’s always another side to the story. A powerful message for today’s black and white (or blue and red) way of thinking. But let’s not forget it is a comedy and you will come away laughing, it may be an uneasy or uncomfortable laugh, but a laugh nonetheless. As my interview came to a close, Kelton was all smiles and excited for whatever comes next for him. The impression Kelton leaves you with is simple; you just want to cheer this guy on, you want to root for him. His remarkable passion and willingness to share his talent makes him everything we as art lovers want to support and we as daydreamers want to become. You can support Kelton by seeing his show Tomorrow At Three on June 9th or 10th at 7:30pm at Desert Stages Actor’s Cafe or by inviting others and sharing the links below. The show is free, however if enough money is raised by donations (suggested $10) they will extend the show to following weekends, so please come out and support or share. What artists do you think are worth rooting for? Leave a comment or a link. http://www.broadwayworld.com/phoenix/article/New-Show-Opens-at-Desert-Stages-Theatre-Actor-Cafe-this-June-20170528?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook. https://www.facebook.com/mr.chimes/