Interview with Blue Book and Jonathan Bella Luto

Sponsored by Blue Book Theatre Co.

Founded in 2022, Blue Book Theatre Company is a multicultural theatre company producing international plays in Barcelona in English, offering a space where performing arts students and professional actors can put their skills to work.

Acting is something similar to going to the gym—it takes dedication. Actors have to really work hard to stay open, clear, honest and vulnerable to the beautiful process that is required for character and stage work. They need to be constantly exercising their skills through communicating, rehearsing and practicing, using their voices and bodies as tools to live, grow, express and explore through other characters.

The Company works in English because it is the common language of a diverse group of creators from around the world, including Catalunya, Georgia, Brazil, the Philippines, Congo and more. Given the international background of the actors, the plays chosen address universal concepts that we all share as humans. Blue Book collaborates with directors and coaches who have similar experiences and who can navigate the beautiful cultural differences that can arise in a multicultural group.

Blue Book creates a sense of community  by bringing together a group of people that are moving towards a common goal: storytelling. The meetings, rehearsals and practice are a kind of “laboratory” where actors create together, applying learned skills to the theatre piece that coincide with the director’s vision, while also sharing the experience with the audience and the local community.

Interview with Jonathan Bella Luto, German-Congolese Actor 

What Inspired You to Become an Actor?

I was always drawn to the film industry, but not really necessarily knowing exactly which part I’d like to work in. My actual dream was to be a director, but my passion for watching early films and movies from the 1940s and 1950s allowed me to be inspired by people such as Gene Hackman and John Cazale. Just watching them work, along with more recent actors such as Denzel Washington and Jack Nicholson, was enough to make me want to give acting a try on my own. 

Why Is Theatre Work Important for Your Career?

I believe theatre is the foundation of acting, given the obvious reason that it all started there. I am convinced if you, as an actor, take your craft very seriously, then you absolutely have to work at some point in theatre—there is no other way around it. I also believe, especially in theatre, this is where you actually learn how to prepare as an actor in regard to respecting the script, the writing and learning the discipline it takes in this profession. 

Do You Prefer Working in Film, Theatre or Both?

I would say both, because both are so different. Theatre is so much more physical and I love physical work. Film, I consider, is almost the opposite—you really must take your actions into consideration, people can see it and read it on your face without having to say or do anything extra. Both I find extremely enjoyable and leave a lot of room for exploration. 

What Do You Enjoy Most about Acting?

The process of creating a character, working with people from different backgrounds on different levels—it’s also always changing constantly and it is full of surprises. You never know what script you're going to receive next, or what character you're going to be given or what play you will do next, and that I find very exciting. 

How Has Working In an International Atmosphere Contributed to Your Career in Acting?

First, it helps immensely that I am able to speak a lot of different languages. This provides me with a lot of different opportunities: to work in different atmospheres, in different languages on different productions. It’s absolutely always a plus to learn languages, but not only languages per se, but also to learn the culture that goes along with them. I grew up in Germany, and understood right away that the Germans were different from the French, as they are different from the Belgians, from the Dutch, etc., and by speaking those different languages, it only assisted me be more aware and open to those beautiful differences. Language learning can also affect your body language in a way, how you move when you are speaking a particular language, etc., and I find that fascinating.

What Interests You about Acting in English? Why Do You Find It Important

Well, personally, I feel for any interest in movies and plays, writing, etc., it all starts in English. It was a no-brainer to choose to do acting in English. From magnificent playwrights such as Shakespeare or Tennessee Williams or August Wilson, to name a few, this gives us access to so much rich literature and stories for our careers. I think that if you speak English, understand English and also can play in English, it is definitely highly regarded in the industry. I also think that the biggest market is in the English language, so it makes sense.

Who Is Your Favorite Playwright and How Have They Helped You with Your Acting Process?

I’m a huge fan of Edward Albee, and in the fantastic Atelier de Drama which is an incredible place to learn about acting, about life on stage and the value of playwrights. I think for me I learned about human nature from a different perspective and finding myself in those humans. And. it emphasized for me the experience of different human beings other than myself.

Where Did You Hear about Blue Book and How Did You Choose Barcelona?

The casting director Luci Lenox had posted a promotional poster for Blue Book’s last play, The Nether by Jennifer Haley, via Instagram. I had been living in Valencia at that time and had been looking for an English-speaking theatre company in Spain. And of course, living in Barcelona had always been a dream of mine. I therefore came to the casting of our current play Adventures of Nicole written and directed by Greta Griniūtė, and was cast for a part, and I moved here. I am now meeting amazing people and artists in the city and it seems that Blue Book has definitely created something special—creating a space for artists where they can express their art and themselves and tell stories, which is what we actors love to do.

You can learn more about Blue Book Theatre Co. at bluebooktheatrecompany.com and you can follow on social media for the latest updates on Facebook @bluebooktheatreco, Instagram @bluebooktheatre_co, and LinkedIn.

Sponsored by Blue Book Theatre Co.