Lost Sam Riegel "Don" and Darren Dunstan "Splinter" interviews

[pannoni1]

Well I have a couple more lost Ninja Turtles Network interviews to post here to share in case you missed it when these disappeared several years ago. Today I'll present these 2003 interviews of voice actors Sam Riegel and Darren Dunstan for the 4kids animated series.

SAM RIEGEL INTERVIEW

1)Donatello has an interesting case in Turtle
History, at least 6 people have voiced him in the past
20 years. Have you looked to any of the previous
incarnations for 'advice' on how to bring the
character to life, or did it just evolve naturally
after a while?

First off -- let me apologize for not replying
to this board sooner. I had CRAZY computer
problems last week -- I ended up reinstalling
Windows XP 3 times to fix it. And yes, I do realize
how ironic it is that the turtle with the most
computer knowledge is having the most computer
problems. Now, onto your questions... To tell you the
truth, I haven't really heard the other voices of
Donatello very much. I mean, I have seen the old
series and the first movie, but not in a long
time. I would have to say that my voice is mostly
based on early rehearsals with our excellent Voice
Director, Sue Blu. When I auditioned, I modeled
my voice after a college friend of mine from
Virginia who talks with a very nasal tone. Sue had
me tone that down a little and lighten it up, and VOILA!
The new Donatello.

2)I consider myself a bit of a Tech Head in training.
Basiaclly teaching myself HTML, how to use a computer
ten years ago to the point where I feel comfortable
enough to try and build one myself, and an advanced 3D
program used to make 3D turtle characters . Are you
a fellow techy in training like Donatello, or are you
one of the computer illiterate?

Am I a techie in real life? Well, kinda, yes.
I own lots of electronic gadgets, and as I said
above, I've had computer problems this week, but
I did solve them all BY MYSELF. Thank you, thank
you, please hold your applause.

3)Expanding on that, so far, the show has been
rather light on Treknobabble, or Technobabble.
But, for the lines you did have, any trouble in getting
through them? Do you think you'd be able to get
through the really heavy stuff that might be coming
around when the Utroms are eventually introduced?
Even the seasoned Star Trek actors have trouble
with that stuff.

Regarding Technobabble. Despite the pretty out-there
things Donatello sometimes discusses on the show,
so far I haven't had to say anything that I didn't
somewhat understand. So far, the only problems I've had
recording the dialogue came when I had a terrible
sore throat. You can hear it in one of the episodes
if you listen really closely. I think it's around
episode 10 or 11. Also, there is an episode coming
up in Season Two that begins with Donatello talking
REALLY REALLY fast. That was tricky, because in real
life I usually speak slowly.

4)The King is one of my favorite episodes.
Donatello is really in his prime in this episode
as well, since he finally has someone as smart as
him to mesh with in the form of Kirby. Where you
a fan of Jack Kirby going into this episode? Or,
like me, did you learn about what he accomplished
only after the episode aired?

THE KING is my favorite episode, too. Not just because
it's all about Donatello! Because it's a story with a
lot of heart... an action... and good art... okay, okay,
and because it's all about me!