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Basic Training is a story about family; about my relationship with my mother.Upstage Host Eric Sukhu spoke with writer/performer Kahlil Ashanti about Basic Training, presented as part of Zoofest. Below is an abridged version of the interview, edited by Estelle Rosen, CharPo Editor-in-Chief.
UPSTAGE
Is this the first time you’re presenting Basic Training?
ASHANTI
First time at Zoofest but not the first time in Montreal. Sold out performance at Centaur in 2004; also set ticket sales record in 2004 Fringe Festival. Good to be coming back to Montreal.
UPSTAGE
Has it changed much since then?
ASHANTI
Yes. We’ve played Broadway and have continued to refine it. The show you’re getting is the best version.
It starts with me joining the military to escape an abusive childhood...
UPSTAGE
UPSTAGE
Tell us about the story.
ASHANTI
Basic Training is a story about family; about my relationship with my mother. It starts with me joining the military to escape an abusive childhood, only to learn the night before leaving for basic training that the man who abused me all my life wasn’t my real dad. My mom swears she told me before and I probably just forgot.
UPSTAGE
That’s quite a shock!
ASHANTI
It is. It’s one of those shows where shock hits you in the heart; you also laugh; a roller coaster of emotions. We meet 23 characters, no costume changes, no props and it’s interactive. The audience gets to participate in the show.
UPSTAGE
Are you planning to take this on tour?
ASHANTI
I’m hoping that Zoofest is the start of a Canadian tour.
Jeffrey Tambor was the person who was probably the single biggest influence on my life as a performer.
UPSTAGE
UPSTAGE
ASHANTI
It was completely unintentional. I spent most of my early career as a comic hiding behind the comedy. Then I took an acting class from Jeffrey Tambor, a respected character actor in L.A. He was the person who was probably the single biggest influence on my life as a performer. He forced me to drop the façade of comedy and tell the real story .
Originally the story was just about me touring with Tops in Blue. My job in the military was break dancing for the troops on the front line. That was the original show concept. It was funny and people loved it. Then in Jeffrey’s class he asked me why I joined the military. To escape an abusive childhood I answered. Isn’t everybody who joins the U.S. military running away from something. If you tell us that story we’ll laugh with you, we’ll cry with you and you’ll have a career in this business. I was running away from a lot, and at the end of the day we all want to survive.
That's what Basic Training is really about – survival.
The process of writing the show was painful but equally therapeutic because it made me give more on stage.
UPSTAGE
UPSTAGE
Tell us about the process for writing this show.
ASHANTI
It was an Acting class exercise. I had to get on stage, tell a complete story with beginning, middle and end of an event that changed my life. To this day this part of the show is still completely intact as originally written. Me sitting on the porch with my mom as she’s cross stitching; and she lays this bomb on me. By the way, the man who’s been abusing you and throwing you down the stairs and punching you in the face your whole life is not your real dad – I told you and you’ve probably forgotten.
The process of writing the show was painful but equally therapeutic because it made me give more on stage. That has been what has resonated with audiences from Dubai to Australia. Sounds like it’s the military but this story can happen anywhere. It just so happens that military was my backdrop. I shake everyone’s hand at the end of the show at the theatre exit. Some of the stories told me as people leave the theatre have brought me to tears.
UPSTAGE
Clearly you’ve had a positive reaction.
ASHANTI
Positive and emotional. People come in expecting a comedy - but they don’t expect to be touched in the way the show touches them. Twenty-three characters in 60 minutes goes by fast.
Really it’s been many years of rehearsing, falling on my face and getting back up to make it right.
UPSTAGE
UPSTAGE
How do you do that?
ASHANTI
Watching a lot of Looney tunes! Really it’s been many years of rehearsing, falling on my face and getting back up to make it right.
UPSTAGE
Which city surprised you the most
ASHANTI
I would have to say Montreal because it was the first place outside of acting class I performed the show. After Montreal, I was signed to an option deal for film and now my show is being made into a TV series. After performing at Fringe my show shot into the stratosphere. Had begged Just For Laughs for years to let me do my show there. Finally got in to Zoofest. Also just got selected for Cirque du Soleil. I live in Vancouver, maybe need to move to Montreal!
UPSTAGE
Did you work with a director on this show?
ASHANTI
Early on, I worked with a couple directors. Working with directors was the hardest thing I’ve ever done because when you know your story you want to keep it authentic. So after the off Broadway run, I ended up just doing it my way.
I can tell you there’s a plot turn in the middle of the show...
UPSTAGE
UPSTAGE
Did this story have a different title?
ASHANTI
Yes - Father’s Day.
UPSTAGE
Any reason for title change?
ASHANTI
When I originally wrote this show, I hadn’t met my real father. Without giving away the whole show. I can tell you there’s a plot turn in the middle of the show that allowed me to meet my real father by accident while touring around the world with the U.S. Air Force. After speaking with my father, we decided to change the name to Basic Training as a metaphor for we all have a basic training in life that we go through.
July 14 – 22 Place des Arts - Zoofest
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