Arts Alive! podcast: Actress Rita Cole, ‘The Figs’

Making her second career appearance with American Stage, Miami-based actress Rita Cole plays “The King” in The Figs, a “once upon a time” fable by playwright Doug Robinson.

Her character, greedy and self-absorbed, is obsessed with figs. Because it won’t grow in local soil, the small, delectable fruit must be imported from other lands. If the King can’t obtain figs in an honest way, he’s not above burning, killing and pillaging to get his hands on them.

The long and winding adventure of The Figs involves the Princess, who has a true love – but that’s not in line with the old man’s plans. He wants to marry her off to a fig farmer, so he’ll always have a fresh supply.

Things don’t go the way he intends.

“The Figs”: Rita Cole is second from right. Photo: James Zambon.

During the conversation, Cole discusses making Robinson’s story come alive, through the use of colorful but minimalistic set pieces, sound and lights, props and puppets, along with a cast of seven that plays a total of 26 characters.

It’s a morality play, a cautionary tale, a comedy and a drama all in one. The Figs, onstage through this weekend (one show tonight, two on Saturday, and the final performance Sunday afternoon) is narrated by an amiable storyteller who insists, right at the start, that there’s really no deep message – we’ll each take away our own interpretations.

Click on the arrow to listen to the interview.