Jadyn Nasato embodies complexity and courage in “Four Minutes Twelve Seconds”

As she readies to portray Cara in Studio 180 Theatre’s North American premiere of Four Minutes Twelve Seconds, it’s clear that Filipina-Italian actor Jadyn Nasato is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with. 

Since her graduation from York University’s Acting Conservatory in 2022, Nasato has taken on diverse roles, including Maria in Billy and The Dreamerz at the 2022 Toronto Fringe Festival, and Hermia in last summer’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Canadian Stage’s Dream in High Park. Equally at home on stage and screen, her recent film Desync has made waves across prestigious festivals like the 2023 Reel World Film Festival, Canadian Film Fest, TIFF Next Wave, NFFTY in Seattle, and FascinAsian Film Festival in Calgary and Winnipeg. As we’re unpacking her succession of successes, Nasato calls for a “shout out to our awesome director Minerva Navasca, writer Chen Sing Yap and the amazing Desync team!”

Directed by Mark McGrinder with Assistant Director Chantelle Han, Four Minutes Twelve Seconds dives deeply into the shadows of our digital age, exploring themes of privacy, trust, and the harsh consequences of a digital footprint left unchecked. The play explores the aftermath of a leaked sex tape involving two high school students, Jack and his ex-girlfriend Cara. It features a cast of just four characters – Jack’s parents Di (Megan Follows) and husband David (Sergio Di Zio), Cara (Nasato), and Jack’s friend Nick (Tavaree Daniel-Simms). 

When Jack is beaten up at school due to the leaked video, Di goes into overdrive trying to protect her son, whom she sees as the innocent victim. However, as the play progresses, it becomes clear that Jack may not be quite as blameless as Di initially believed. By focusing on Di and David’s response to the situation, the play examines the complexities of consent, victimhood, and how perceptions and sympathies can shift when dealing with a digital-age scandal.

Inside the character of Cara

In this context, Nasato’s Cara is a teenager navigating the tumultuous waters of judgment and presumption. She embodies resilience, and within that frame, Nasato speaks passionately about the complexity of the role: “Cara is such a tough girl. The challenge was in balancing— not to underwhelm or overwhelm her story . . .. That being said, the reality of it is overwhelming!!” 

Nasato praises Fritz’s nuanced writing of Fritz, emphasizing its openness for interpretation and portrayal. A key part of her preparation involved pondering Cara’s backstory – particularly the absence of her mother, which Nasato believes is a cornerstone of Cara’s tough demeanour. “Is that where my angst about vulnerability builds from?” she asked herself about Cara: “Though not talked about in the script, I knew it was a factor in Cara’s story. From that circumstance, more things came up, and I just kept playing.”

The character of Cara resonates deeply with Nasato – particularly the societal expectations imposed on young women regarding appearance and behaviour. And being “a young woman of a certain socioeconomic class” means that Cara must face “a lot of assumptions about how she acts, what she cares about, what her values are, and even why she dates who she dates”. This is further complicated by society’s prevailing notion that women should dress in a certain way to be considered “respectable” or “appropriate”. Since Cara is a “little fashionista” who “takes the time to get herself ready for the day… and chooses to show skin, she is automatically sexualized,” 

Nasato is articulate about the protective veneer that she feels Cara had to develop. “Because she puts up a strong front, she can’t get hurt. She can get through anything. Cara’s tough for a reason,” Nasato explains. “To have the opportunity to play her in my own body, skin, and the realities of the prejudices people may have about me – Jadyn – adds a whole different layer to the story that I trust people will fill in for themselves . . . just by watching it, ironically enough.” This personal connection adds authenticity and urgency to her performance, ideally inviting audiences to introspect and empathize.

Catalyzing conversation . . . and reflecting on personal growth 

Nasato sees Four Minutes Twelve Seconds as a catalyst for conversation – particularly about societal judgments surrounding consent and dignity. After watching it, she believes that audiences will “need to debrief”, because it “provokes thoughts that people are wary to bring up”. She hopes these debriefs will turn into essential dialogues where audiences examine their perceptions and rethink their assumptions. “Assuming is not understanding,” she stresses. And ”once that can of worms is open, you examine and understand every side of the container: every edge, every curve… and in this particular can, every single worm!” 

Reflecting on her experiences during the production, Nasato is candid about both the surprises and the lessons learned: “Truth be told, as a starting actor, working with the ‘big kids’ always intimidates me the first few days of rehearsal. I just get a little nervous, you know… a healthy amount!” However, during the process, she found herself ”really having fun just playing”. She surprised herself because she trusted that the director and assistant director “always had my back— and knew whether to pull me back or push me further”. This process of discovery in such a supportive environment has been instrumental in her growth as an actor:  “I’ve learned so much from just being able to observe, ask, and offer. To be in the room with such creatives is definitely one thing, but to be able to play alongside them is a whole other thing to be grateful for!”

What’s Next?

Her role as Cara showcases not only her talent, but her commitment to tackling complex characters and themes with integrity and daring. And while the future is unwritten, Nasato’s enthusiasm for her craft and her upcoming projects – including the festival circuit for Desync – remains undiminished. With no specific role yet lined up to follow Four Minutes Twelve Seconds, she is focused fully on this current challenge, even as she seeks her next opportunity to stretch herself and further her journey in acting. 

Four Minutes Twelve Seconds runs from April 20 to May 12, 2024 in the Tarragon Theatre Extraspace. The running time is 90 minutes with no intermission. Reserve tickets at TarragonTheatre.com.

© Arpita Ghosal, SesayArts Magazine, 2024