CalRep actors connect on and off stage

If it is true that Beatrice and Benedick live happily ever after in perfect harmony at the end of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing," then their alter egos are living proof of it. Doina Roman-Osborn and Jeff Paul transmit the same wonderful connection offstage as their characters do on.

Roman-Osborn and Paul, both Cal State Long Beach graduates, are starring in lead roles in the California Repertory Company's performance of "Much Ado About Nothing," currently playing at the Studio Theatre in the Theatre Arts Building.

"Much Ado About Nothing" is the first major Shakespeare play for both actors. Their attraction to this particular play stems from the type of Shakespeare which it represents.

"I think the wholeness and fullness of all the characters is what draws me to this play. There are no characters that are flat, they are all very dynamic. There's something so simple about it that makes the play so delightful," Roman- Osborn said.

"It's more relationship-oriented than many of Shakespeare's plays in that, it's not about gods, fates, or fairies that change things. No one ends up dead in the end, " Paul said. "Sure, there are plot mix-ups. We have a villain and heroes. It's about people speaking as people do and they're all witty people. Intelligence and charm are all prized by this group of people."

Their performance here, in comparison to other experiences, is a bit of a challenge.

"One thing that's in my mind about this is that it's so well-known and beloved that there might be people who know the words and know what I'm suppose to be saying. I'm constantly aware of whether or not I'm speaking the correct words," Paul said.

"It's almost like singing a song that everyone knows. You want to adhere to the familiarity and create your own thing, but it's so well-known that people have an idea of how they want it," Roman-Osborn said.

Roman-Osborn and Paul, two of only three members in the company who completed their undergraduate work at CSULB, decided to join CalRep upon graduation. "I'm pretty rooted in this area and constantly redefining my goals. I didn't look beyond this place because it suited my needs," Paul said. Roman-Osborn agreed, adding, "It just fit in with the plan. CalRep is not like any other Master of Fine Arts program."

Their roles in the play are just one of the many things they do in the theatre arts department. As a member of

CalRep they have schedules that average 13 or more hours a day. RomanOsborn and Paul are both teachers, master students, and performers of theater.

"We wear a lot of different hats," Paul said.

A typical day may begin with teaching morning classes, attending midmorning to early afternoon instruction, then, rehearsing for an upcoming play around 3 p.m. and performing the current play in the evening.

Their future aspirations keep them rooted in the theater. "I hope to keep teaching and working in theater professionally," Roman-Osborn said.

Paul adds, "What's nice about acting is it's very temporary, so you can always be looking for the next thing."

In his reflection of the acting world, Paul shares some advice for aspiring actors. "I tell my students to always consider yourself a beginner and, in a way, it takes the pressure off of you." "It's a great profession because I believe art is as necessary as medicine because it makes the world go round. To not have art in the world and not have entertainment in the world , we would not be creative beings. Without being creative beings we would just be robots. For me, art makes the world go round, so I like being part of acting," Roman-Osborn said.

"Much Ado About Nothing" is continuing at the Studio Theater until Oct. 14.