DAVID KWIATKOWSKI – STAFF WRITER
Reporter’s Note: Each summer, Chautauqua Theater Company and Chautauqua Opera Company invite young actors and artists into its program for a fully-funded fellowship. This summer’s program consists of seven actors and five Young Artists, as well as some guest artists. To better connect readers to the actors themselves, Q-and-A interviews will run regularly throughout the remainder of summer.
Who: Walker Borba, from Santa Monica, California, is a junior at Kenyon College pursuing his undergraduate degree in theater. He portrayed Brighella in Commedia this summer.
What is your favorite movie?
“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” It’s so enjoyable from start to finish. It’s perfectly paced. They give you a laugh whenever you need a laugh. Everybody is such a specific character, and performed just exceptionally well. I think the script is just perfect. There’s not a slow moment in the movie. Every moment accomplishes exactly what it needs to accomplish. Then you blink, and it’s over.
What have you been binge-watching?
“Rick and Morty.” I’ve been really keeping up with all the new episodes and things like that. I’m loving it right now. The humor is just so good.
Before that, “The Sopranos” was what I was watching because I just love James Gandolfini.
What is it like working with your dad (CTC Artistic Director Andrew Borba)?
It’s honestly been amazing. This is like the biggest question of the summer, but I’ve worked with him before in terms of auditioning for schools. He’s just so smart and knows exactly how to communicate with actors, which is something that directors can’t do a lot of the time.
In terms of Commedia, it’s kind of generic, but he’s really just treated me like another actor so I can respond like another actor. He’s given us so much space just to play and the moments I have in the show are completely my own to do whatever I want with, and it feels so creatively liberating. I also feel guided in a great way.
The double-edged sword is I get to go home, and he gets to have a lot of discussions about (the show) and what we can do next time. When everyone’s at home, I get to pick his brain, and we get to communicate in a way that he can’t with the other actors, just because we have so much more time together.
What is your favorite song/album right now?
Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho, by Travis Scott and Quavo. It’s just really good and all of the songs are super catchy. I’ve been listening to a lot of The Beatles as well.
What’s your favorite Beatles song?
“I’m Looking Through You” is one of my favorites right now. It’s such a capturing of a specific feeling. It’s so universal, but also so personal and vulnerable at the same time. It’s funny listening to The Beatles and looking for guidance around how to be in a relationship and how to love.
What is your dream role?
I would love to play all the leading Shakespeare men at some point. I’d love to work with Clint Eastwood as a director because he just gets great performances out of his actors consistently. I’d love to see how he does it.
Who are your inspirations?
I get very influenced by directors like Wes Anderson and Quentin Tarantino, even though that’s such a (basic) answer, but I do. All the young actors here, too. All of them are so passionate and the conversations I have with them inspire me.
What is the best part about being in CTC?
The connections with a lot of young up-and-coming actors who are talented and all that. We get to have so many Zooms with people in the industry, and so many people here get to see us perform. I get to work with so many great actors and people in the company. I know if I was directing something in the future, I could call up any of these guys to ask for advice or ask if they want to be a part of it. That’s an awesome thing to have.
