Chad Cline
Meet Chad Cline, a man of many talents. Business owner, hair stylist, improvisational actor, theatrical director and actor, and the man behind the current incarnation of the curmudgeonly Lt. Foster of Pegasus Theatre’s Living Black & White™ series. Let’s pull back the curtain a bit and have a chat with the talented Mr. Cline:
Q: How long have you been involved in theatre?
A: Technically, since my first play in sixth grade. But the acting bug really bit when I was a senior in high school. I knew I would be involved with theatre in some way for the rest of my life. Twenty years ago I appeared in my first professional production, and it’s been a wonderful journey ever since.
Q: How long have you been involved with Pegasus Theatre?
A: It’s been about six years now. I interviewed with Kurt Kleinmann to direct Pegasus Theatre’s show for FIT that year (Festival of Independent Theatres), and he hired me. I was excited, nervous, and a little intimidated. I had directed quite a few sketch shows in the world of improvisational theatre, but this would be my first time directing a stage play. I’ll always be grateful to Kurt for the opportunity and for the introduction to the world of Pegasus Theatre.
Q: What is it about Pegasus Theatre that keeps you coming back?
A: It’s like being part of a family, one with mutual respect across the board, and that makes it easy to work together. Plus the opportunity to learn and hone my craft has been incredible. And the people involved with Pegasus Theatre seem to naturally maintain a balance between serious professionalism and having fun. An example of that is perhaps my favorite moment on stage. One of my fellow actors had warned me not to use my improv background in a Pegasus production, to maintain consistency in my performance. Then one night, in an unscripted moment, my gun came flying out of its holster when I reached for it, landing somewhere on stage. There was no way the audience would believe that was part of the play. I looked at Kurt and saw that he was tickled, so I took a chance and improvised a funny line. He responded in kind, and after a few more exchanges we were back on track. The audience loved it, and Kurt and I seized the moment for a bit of shared fun.
Q: Any other favorite moments that stand out for you?
A: It was more than a moment, but I have to highlight the entire experience of working on the show White People, a drama about race in America today. It was so important to me, and to everyone who worked on that project, that we get everything just right. And I think we did. It was such a labor of love, an important piece of theatre that I was proud to be a part of.
Q: You mentioned your improv background earlier. Tell us more about that.
A: It all started very simply. A buddy of mine was starting an improv troupe and invited me to join. At the time it was a bit of a departure for me because in college I wanted to be taken very seriously and focused exclusively on drama versus comedy. And in the beginning of my work with the improv troupe (a troupe that would later become Section 8 Comedy), I played all the “straight man” roles. But I began to realize that I wanted to do it all, so I took classes to round out my skills as an actor.
Q: In fact, today you have your own improv school, don’t you?
A: Yes. I had the privilege of taking classes from Randy Bennett, one of the original Groundlings, when he moved to Dallas to start Lone Star Comedy. I ended up moving to LA, went through the Groundlings program, then came back to Texas to start my own school. My students have gone on to work in film and television; some have even started their own schools. I take pride in helping create an awareness of different styles of improvisation and contributing to a vibrant improv community.
Q: Looking back at all your experiences, who would you say has influenced you the most in your career?
A: Definitely Randy Bennett. I learned so much about improv from him, and I value the friendship we formed over the years. Lynn Metrick was a very influential teacher of mine from whom I learned a great deal about acting, voice, and speech. I appreciate the influence of my wife, Leslie Patrick, who encouraged me to do more than I thought I was capable of doing. She urged me to try directing, and she was the primary driver behind my auditioning for the role of Lt. Foster. And I am deeply grateful to Kurt and Barb for giving me so many opportunities, for trusting me artistically. We’ve developed a friendship that extends beyond the theatre and that means a lot to me.
Q: What comes next for you?
A: In the near term, I’m so excited about working on The Comedy Hour (our August show) and collaborating with Kurt! In the long term, I hope to continue to act and direct with Pegasus Theatre, while doing some improv on occasion. Pegasus Theatre is an established organization that means so much to so many people, and I want to do my part to keep it thriving and relevant.