MPT is pleased to welcome back Karl Scheidegger as Belle’s eccentric father Maurice in Beauty and the Beast! Keep reading to learn more about Karl’s favorite musical memory, how he prepares (or not) for auditions, and what he has set as his ringtone.
Are you a Madison native?
I’m a Mount Horeb native (51 years and counting).
What do you enjoy about your character Maurice? In what ways are you similar or dissimilar to him?
Maurice is a creative kind of guy. I tend to be a little creative, as well. Maurice is an older cast member and I’m an older cast member. We both have daughters; He has one and I have one times three.
What is your favorite theatrical work?
I’m a big musical fan, so I would probably say Phantom of the Opera. I’ve got the music from the “papier-mache musical box, in the shape of a barrel-organ. Attached, the figure of a monkey in Persian robes playing the cymbals” as my ringtone. “Hide your face so the world will never find you.”
How do you prepare for auditions? What did you sing to audition for MPT’s 2019 season?
I don’t really prepare for auditions. I generally choose a song from our family “collection” and sing it a few times. (Unfortunately, the first time with an accompanist is usually during the audition – not recommended, and not great for your confidence). For MPT’s 2019 season, I had to go the video audition route.
What is your favorite theatre memory?
I would have to say when my entire family (Wendy, Kallee, Kacey and Karley) was in the cast of MPT’s Les Misérables in 2013.
What do you do when you’re not performing/working in the theatre?
By day, I am a fisheries biologist with the Department of Natural Resources. I’ve worked the past 27+ years trying to make fishing better for the residents (and nonresidents) of Wisconsin.
What are people going to think about as they drive home from Beauty and the Beast?
That MPT does a great job producing quality shows and that local theatre is alive and well in Madison!
Where can people go to learn more about you and your projects?
You can visit http://kjscheidegger.com to learn a little about my struggles with fishaholism.
Come see Karl on stage in Beauty and the Beast! Tickets are on sale now at www.middletonplayers.com/tickets.