Photo credit: Francis Gacad

Written by Patrick Chavis

Spike Pulice won the Best Young Actor & Performance at the OCR Awards this year for his role in Abyss at the Larking House, despite not attending the ceremony due to a friend’s birthday.

“The day of the ceremony I was going to attend, but it was one of my best friend’s (Angie) birthday that day, so we were out celebrating (at the Blind Rabbit in Anaheim) that night, and one of my friends (Sarah Pierce) was there (the OCR Awards) and recorded the entire process,” said Pulice.

Pulice described the birthday party as a very supportive environment for his friend’s birthday, and he also received quite a bit of support from his friends in attendance.

“It was really nice to get that support from my friends,” said Pulice.

I was talking to Pulice through a Zoom chat around 8 p.m. in December, months after the OCR Awards. He was wearing a black jacket with an orange zipper. I asked him, “If you were at the OCR Awards, what would you have said on the stage?” Pulice thought to himself for a quick second, and he said:

Acceptance Speech

Jared McCarthy

“I would have thanked Jared McCarthy for writing the show in the first place. That play went through a couple of drafts. It was started, and I think I can’t remember what year, but it was a playwright intensive at the Larking House, and they went through a bunch of rewrites. I want to thank Jared McCarthy for allowing me to be a part of it throughout the entire process.”

Lizzie McCabe

Pulice goes on to mention other very important people: Lizzie McCabe, one of the founders of the Larking House, Paige Taylor the director of Abyss, and his co-star in the piece Gabrielle Gutierrez, who plays the Eagle tasked with eating Prometheus’s liver for all eternity, in the most painful way possible, and this production, does not skim on the details. It was gruesome, yes, but necessary, I would say.

Pulice was also grateful to his parents and his girlfriend Chloe who also acts and sings.

Tale of Two Plays Day & Night!

“I would come home after both of those rehearsals
(Abyss, Larking House 2024 and Emile, Curtis Theatre 2024) and I would be beat, because it would be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. I would be rehearsing for Abyss, and then Thursday, Friday, Saturday,  I would be rehearsing for Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight,” Pulice said.

photo credit: Matthew M Hayashi

While the stress of putting on two shows was not easy, Pulice recalled having fun in the process.

“I was going back and forth, having to remember Prometheus lines and [the] six different characters that I was playing in Emilie. But it was a really fun time because it was the juxtaposition of the two shows were, night and day. One of them was super dark, literally dark, and the other one was more upbeat,” said Pulice.

Pulice described the role of Prometheus with an infectious enthusiasm.

“It was kind of a dream being able to play a god, a fallen god. I like the idea of playing a god who loves humanity that much, the same as me. I love humanity. So, so freaking much. I love people; I love talking to people. I love learning about people. That’s why I’m an actor in the first place,” said Pulice.

Pulice found Director Paige Taylor’s style well-balanced. She allowed Pulice to experiment more with the character but also reigned him in when appropriate. Pulice felt it was a healthy collaboration. Second, Pulice thanked a process used at the Larking House he’s not a fan of but found undeniably helpful — journaling.

I always hated journaling. I hate journaling with my entire soul, but it’s really a really fantastic tool if you want to, know your character,” Pulice said.

photo credit: Matthew M Hayashi

Pulice described a tedious but helpful process: The actors would read through the material, repeatedly, and write down their thoughts on how to approach the moment. Because two people played the same part of Eagle, Gabbie G, and Jonathan Herrera,  Pulice had multiple opportunities to practice his lines.

Pulice has been acting since his high school days at California High School in Whittier, and he made the decision to pursue acting over the math degree his family recommended.

I’m glad I did, because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have met Lizzie, I wouldn’t have worked with Larking House, I wouldn’t be here,” said Pulice.