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Actor Buchanan leads double life on soap and stage soap

By Daily Bruin Staff

May 12, 1996 9:00 p.m.

Monday, May 13, 1996

Daytime star takes lead in ‘Love and Anger’By Stephanie Sheh

Daily Bruin Contributor

As if working on a daytime soap is not enough to keep busy,
Emmy-nominated actor Ian Buchanan is tackling the lead in George F.
Walker’s play, "Love and Anger."

"I don’t think about it. Sometimes I think about it and when I
think about it, I don’t know how I do it," Buchanan says. "I go
through phases. I either want to do absolutely nothing, lie in the
shade and eat Bon Bons, or else I want to be so busy I don’t know
where I am."

For the past few months Buchanan has been racing from the TV
studio to the theater where he has been rehearsing for "Love and
Anger," which runs through June 30 at the West Coast Ensemble/La
Brea Theater.

Although Buchanan plays the lead, Petie Maxwell, in "Love and
Anger," he still manages to work full time on "The Bold and the
Beautiful," where he stars as psychiatrist Dr. James Warwick.

"I love the pace of television," Buchanan says. "I love doing
television … just going in the morning and you know, very little
waiting about, banging it out and then going home."

Buchanan gets up at 7 a.m. to go to the TV studio. He leaves
anytime between mid-afternoon and 6 p.m. Then he makes his way to
the theater.

Time constraints limit Buchanan to doing one play every three
years. According to him, theater is more challenging. It keeps him
focused and improves his acting techniques.

"It picks up my skill, sharpens the mind. Everything else just
falls into perspective when you sort of push yourself a little
further," says Buchanan.

Pushing himself is important to Buchanan, because he does not
feel completely at ease on the stage. He loves doing theater, but
has to force himself to do it.

"I’ve never really thought of myself as being a performer. I’m
kind of a bit shy," Buchanan says. "To get out in front of people
and perform … I have to push myself into that and once I’m there
it’s great, but it takes me a lot to get through that."

"Love and Anger" which premiered May 10, is Buchanan’s third
production with the West Coast Ensemble in what he calls a "very
nice, very very joyful collaboration.

"They are a good group," Buchanan says. "I love the space they
have, and I like the people that they have in the company."

The cast of "Love and Anger" consists mostly of people who
Buchanan has not worked with before. However, that has not
prevented him from having a good experience. Buchanan admits he has
really enjoyed playing the unique character of Petie Maxwell.

"(Maxwell has) been majorly successful and has no conscience and
reaps the rewards of having a superior intelligence, therefore
being able to take advantage and manipulate a lot of people,"
Buchanan explains. "And then he has a debilitating stroke which is
kind of actually an epiphany which brings him back to what he
believes he was originally, which was this pure idealistic
soul."

During this spiritual crisis, Maxwell is transferred to a dumpy
apartment in a working-class neighborhood. Eventually, he and his
followers rail against the police and the courts.

"It’s kind of a mini ‘Les Mis(erables)’ without the music. It’s
just as grubby. People will be on their feet towards the end,
cheering the little people."

The audience will also be cheering because Maxwell takes on a
wealthy publisher of a redneck tabloid. He ends up putting the
publisher on trial in his office.

Unlike the character he plays, Buchanan has never had any
negative experiences with bad press. He has also never disguised
himself out of fear of being recognized in public. Buchanan says
that he is not bothered by these kinds of things.

"I get totally overwhelmed by silly things, not by practical
things … not by things that can be dealt with," relates
Buchanan.

The silly things that bother him are along the lines of picking
out tropical fruit. "Choosing the perfect mango at the market just
sometimes is way too much for me. I guess when you don’t come from
a tropical climate, you’re not supposed to know one end of the
mango from the other."

Things not quite as trivial as mangos also occupy Buchanan’s
mind. He is bothered when people only pay attention to his
looks.

"Every now and then, I guess, I remember that I am quite
handsome, and that sort of view of me," says Buchanan. "So when
people view you that way, sometimes you get very upset when you
don’t want to be there. They think you’ve been given all of this
and that’s what you should be. So then you say, ‘No, I think that I
don’t want to be that. I want to be kind of invisible actually if
you don’t mind.’

"I think it is very easy for people to deal with someone’s
appearance and not deal with who they are. And it’s also very easy
to have people just deal with your appearance. They don’t have to
ever know who you are."

Just as he dislikes the superficial elements of appearances,
Buchanan discourages pursuing acting for the wrong reasons.

"Fame and fortune is not enough," Buchanan says. "I always say
that fortune is quite nice, but fame and fortune is really not
enough. It has to be that sort of burning desire deep inside.
People say that we become actors because we want to be different
people. I think that yes we do, but I think also we want to explore
ourselves fully, and you get the opportunity to do that."

Buchanan feels that actors should also explore all the different
media fully. He believes that they should not waste any
opportunities. He does not think actors should limit themselves to
solely film, television or theater.

"Go after absolutely all of it," Buchanan says. "If you have
ever experienced it on stage or just that moment just before when
there’s total blackout and peace and quiet … then it just begins
… same thing on a film set when there’s total silence when the
bell rings before they roll and it is total silence. It’s a great
thing to feel your heart beat and hear the blood rushing through
your ears. It’s a wonderful thing and then you’re in control, in
charge and then … just go!"

THEATER: "Love and Anger" at the West Coast Ensemble/La Brea
Theater Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 3 p.m. through
June 30. TIX: $18, $15 for seniors and students. For more info.,
call (213) 871-0502.

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