Joshua Mayfield
Photography by Jennifer A. Lin
We asked Seedfolks actor Joshua Mayfield a few questions about his experiences working on this beautiful production. Read what he said!
On the different roles in Seedfolks
In this production of Seedfolks, I play a few different roles: Gonzalo, Philippe, Sam, and Amir. Four people of all different ethnic backgrounds and some from very different countries outside of the states. Out of the four of them, I connected to Gonzalo and Philippe the most. Gonzalo resonated with me because growing up in the north-county area of Saint Louis I knew a lot of young boys that were very similar to him. Throughout the process of reading the script and also figuring out the image of how we wanted Gonzalo represented, I could see that this person felt very familiar to me. I went to middle school with this person, I used to eat lunch with this person, we were in the same gym class. And with Philippe, he was an interesting person to me. I really enjoy getting the opportunity to play the role of a positive father figure. Philippe is a person who cares for his family so much that he would sacrifice his home just so his daughter could have a chance to go to college, and there is something really beautiful about that. The lengths he would go to to ensure the well-being of his family, especially his daughter, is so touching. And tapping into that for the show just came very naturally for me.
On dialects
Dialects. Dialects have been a very fun experience in this production. I have never had to use them for a show before, so this was a very new concept for me. At first glance, dialect training can be a bit daunting, especially using a dialect that you may have never even heard before. And there’s also the aspect of making sure you are being respectful of how you use it. It’s important that when learning to use a dialect other than your own that the performance of it remains authentic. Keep the dialect true to the person that you’re playing and be careful not to let the dialect seem like a joke or a caricature of that identity. Those things being said, our director was able to get us in contact with a lovely dialect coach to help us achieve the aforementioned factors of dialect practice. She provided us with video references as well as just simply sitting with us, going through the script and finding keywords we could use to really help the new dialect stick. Something that surprised me during this process was actually the duality of how easy it was for me to pick up a Haitian accent, and how beyond difficult it was for me to consistently hold a New York accent. I suppose some things just come through with less push back and our minds may believe one thing should be easier than another, but it’s actually the complete opposite.
The “trash” choreography in Seedfolks
Another thing that was interesting about this production was the ‘trash’ choreography. It was a huge part of the magic of the show. A lot of the rehearsal process was fine tuning the movement of the trash. Figuring out what pieces moved when, and who would be taking them off. And that’s “who” as which actor, but also which of our characters. And then being able to account for something being accidentally left on stage, and deciding who could be the hero to remove the piece in a motivated manner that fit the current scene. There were a lot of pieces to consider and keep track of, and in my opinion we’ve made it look easy. But definitely at first encounter, we were all unsure of just how we were going to pull it off.
Building Trust
The trash choreography is just one example of how we have learned teamwork and built trust amongst each other. This type of art is community building, and that is exactly what our show is about. Building community, making connections, starting new relationships, and mending the rips in the broken ones. That is what I want people to take away from seeing Seedfolks. Know that it is never too late to do something about it. Take action. And it does not have to be something huge, the community in the show started with something as simple as planting a few lima beans in some wet dirt. And from there, a domino effect of actions from others leading up to something beautiful that none of them could have initially predicted. If you take anything away from Seedfolks, let it be that an act of kindness goes a long way. It may seem little to you, but to someone else it could make the sun shine a bit brighter.
For young people
And for the kids that see our show, pay attention to what you see on stage. Notice the way things start versus how they end. Realize what can be done to help others. Share your findings with those around you. One reason I love performing for young audiences, especially with a show like this one, is that we as artists are trying to teach these lessons of community building and helping thy neighbor. But when the kids see this, and really resonate with it, they go off and do amazing things. Children are the future, what better way to ensure their success and prosperity than to teach them to look out for each other. We always close our show with a quote, “The lot was for anybody who wanted to plant a garden.” Take this with you, help make space for others as well as yourself. Do this, and the world is already a better place.