And you thought you had trouble answering the question, “Who do you think you are?” For one actor, that could mean any number of different people.

On his way to Fargo, N.D., Marty Ellenberger of Ames will perform the award-winning play, “Pounding Nails in the Floor with My Forehead,” one last time before competing in regionals of a nationwide competition among community theaters.

As part of the Ames Community Theater (ACTORS), the Eric Bogosian play won the trophy for the state of Iowa in February.

The play has seven different characters, all played by Ellenberger, with various controversial personae. Ellenberger enjoys “watching people react to [the play]” as he performs different characters such as a radio talk show host, a subway panhandler, an inspirational speaker, a drug dealer and a “recovering male.”

” [The characters] are people you wouldn’t want to invite over to your house,” he said. “They show something that you would rather not see.”

He added that the play is controversial because “everybody can see a little bit of themselves in the characters and that’s a scary thing.”

The play deals with such sensitive subjects as homelessness and AIDS. “Subjects people would rather not think about,” he said. “But they’re there, and if you don’t pay attention, they could bite you in the ass.”

Aside from the controversial aspect of the characters, playing seven of them is “a challenge” in itself, Ellenberger said.

“I have trained myself to be able to drop in and out of character at a moment’s notice,” he said. “It is not like other plays where you can sit out for a half hour or so and get into character.”

Ellenberger said fun is his No. 1 goal, despite the somber issues.

“Theater is hard work. And if it’s hard work and you are not having fun, then there is no point to doing it,” he said. Ellenberger said he does it “for the love.”

“It has been a pleasure to bring something different,” Ellenberger said. “It’s not ‘Oklahoma.’ The play is very controversial.”

Ellenberger and ACTORS will head to the national competition in mid-June if they succeed in the regional contest.

“Pounding Nails in the Floor with My Forehead” will be performed Sat., May 3 at Fisher Theater.

Performance times are 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tickets are $5 and are available through Ticketmaster or the Iowa State Center box office. Tickets can be charged by phone at 233-1888.