Stagedoor: Rafael Petlock

Behind the curtain at the Players Theater, there’s a sort of history book of Sarasota’s theater scene. What at first glance appears to be jumbled plots of graffiti on the wall is actually cast signatures, production names and other mementos accumulated throughout the theater’s 86-year history.

Among the autographs, somewhat obscured by the newer ones, is Rafael Petlock’s signature. The local actor spent his childhood performing in Sarasota before heading off to perform in New York City. Now, he’s back in his hometown for good, and he’s ready to add his name to a few more playbills — and walls.

From Sept. 3 through 13, at the Players Theatre, Petlock will star as Brick in Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning 1955 play, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” Just like the character he is portraying, Petlock is full of passion.

“I knew very young what I wanted to do,” he says. “I remember going to see the play, ‘The Mystery of Irma Vep’ at the Asolo Repertory Theatre. It blew me away. It was fast-paced and very clean, and I had a sense of jealousy that I wasn’t in the show.”

The Philadelphia native moved to Sarasota at the age of 2, and it wasn’t long before he got his first taste of his future career. His father was the assistant lighting director at Asolo Rep from 1976 to 1990, and his mother was the theater’s wardrobe supervisor until she retired three years ago. Petlock would hang around with his family backstage developing his love for theater during those hours as a curious child.

“I still remember being 3 and being on my father’s shoulders when he’d be doing light checks,” he says. “He’d count and point out the lights and bring each one up to see that it was focused correctly and that the gels weren’t burned out.”

Petlock landed his first role as Trouble in “Madama Butterfly,” at the Sarasota Opera, and he continued to act in local and high school productions until at 17, he opted to move to New York City to pursue his acting dream and earned a full ride at Marymount Manhattan College, where he got a B.F.A. in theater.

“I don’t think my parents were absolutely thrilled at the decision,” he says. “But they were very encouraging. They were quite proud that I hadn’t even graduated from high school, and this college wanted me to enroll.”

After 18 years of performing off-Broadway and in small TV roles, Petlock sought a change from the big-city pace and cold winters. So he came back to Sarasota, where he’s pursuing acting full time and working as a stagehand at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and other venues.

For his role as Brick, Petlock has studied the script and worked on the character for three hours a day — not including rehearsal time — for the last six weeks. Not only has he learned his lines, but he’s also mastered the physicality of an angry alcoholic who’s been forced to use a crutch after breaking his ankle.

“I started working with the crutch early,” he says. “I got so good with it and the glass that it was ridiculous.”

Working as a stagehand and watching others perform has triggered the same twinge of jealousy that first turned him on to the performing arts. He’d like to  to transition to full-time acting.

“There’s nothing worse than being backstage watching somebody else do what you want to do,” he says.