Artist Spotlight: Michael Hagins (post-show)

Read pre-show questions from Michael here!

Read my write up on Conquering the Canon here!

A week or so ago, I posted pre-show questions from Michael Hagins.  I didn’t entirely know what I was going into with Conquering the Canon, but I knew I was extremely excited for the show.  And it was absolutely amazing!  I think if I had known beforehand, I would have had a million more questions for Michael, so it’s probably a good thing I just based questions on what I knew.  The best part about doing something like this is that I get a second chance at asking Michael a few more questions about his show.

I learned a lot about Michael and his life from watching Conquering the Canon.  And I walked away with even more questions for him.  I feel like I could sit with him forever, asking questions about what I saw in this show.  The show was magical.  Michael was even more magical performing it.  There was so much to it, both on a surface level and a much deeper level.  I loved every second of it.  I love one-person shows.  I love Shakespeare.  I love seeing performers that just blow me away.  And Michael definitely did that.

I asked Michael some post-show questions.  I needed to know more about Conquering the Canon, and the brilliant mind that created this show.  And Michael gave me a lot about both of those things.  This show really did something for me…a lot of the themes really resonated, and I was truly spellbound by the story being woven in front of me.  Michael doesn’t just know his Shakespeare, he knows how to weave a story of his own.  That’s not an easy thing to do!  So here we are, getting a bit more about this play!

A theme throughout your show was “validation”.  How do you weave this, and what it means, into the story of your life?

My whole life...I've had a difficult time fitting in, and most times I did everything I could to just be a part of something, even at the cost of my own dignity and pride.  But at the end of the day...my need for validation grew less and less as I got older.  I started having confidence in the person that I am...instead of needing others to give me confidence.  Now, my validation comes from being proud of my family, my work and myself.

Is there a Shakespeare play you’ve always felt you belonged in as an actor, director, or fight choreographer?

As much as I love King Lear, I feel so at home building fights for Macbeth.  The combat, the themes, the moments...it's always so amazing.  A runner up is acting in Romeo and Juliet...as I've played so many parts in that show.

You were dealing with insecurities, the need for validation, and a hunger to do something huge.  How did you best figure out how to balance everything you were doing in a way that worked out for everyone, including yourself?

Honestly...I never have found a balance.  I still struggle with not taking on too much, and making sure I have time to spend with friends and family.  I'm better than I used to be...as I've done as many as 8 shows at a time.  This past summer...I was doing 4 shows, and I would come home mentally and physically exhausted.  But...I loved every minute of it.

You’ve done so much with your life, but Shakespeare seems to be what you always come back to.  What is it about the Bard that always brings you back to him?  There's no subtext.  There's no restrictions.

I've always felt that it's a blank slate of possibility.  You can do Shakespeare in its time period.  You can do it in the 1700s, 1800, or even today.  A good director and good cast can make any Shakespearean text work.  That's the reason I think every U.S. state has at least one Shakespeare Festival.

As an African-American man, how do you feel about having conquered the Canon and stayed true to yourself the whole time?

Proud.  I am so proud that I conquered the Canon.  I'm still waiting for someone to challenge me for William Shakespeare World Canon Championship.  The number of companies...the roles I played...the places I've been to...even the age I finished...I'll put that up against anyone’s resume.

What’s up next?

I'm going to take a break from building shows.  My wife is pregnant with our little girl...and I want to not be doing 4-8 shows when she's taking her first step or saying her first words.  One thing I can say, though...my daughter will always have my validation...and my love.

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Michael has done so many amazing things with his life, and not just involving Shakespeare.  He’s built a name for himself, a world for himself, and a world for his baby.  It’s so inspiring to me that there’s someone out there who can conquer so many things.  Not just the Shakespeare Canon, either.  But Michael will always be a strong person, both on stage and off.  Conquering the Canon is a show I would happily watch over and over…it was definitely a play worthy of the Bard!