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War Stories: Interview with Richard Dresser, successful PlayPenn dramatist

6/30/2016

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By Henrik Eger ​​
PlayPenn is an artist-driven organization dedicated to improving the way in which new plays are developed. Their most prominent public event is a three-week conference each July in Philadelphia where they develop eight brand new plays by playwrights who are on the forefront of American theater. Each play receives two readings that are free and open to the public. To celebrate this year’s conference, Phindie is running interviews with prestigious playwrights who have benefited from their experiences with PlayPenn. 
​

First up is Richard Dresser. Dresser’splays have been produced in New York, regional theater, and Europe. They include ROUNDING THIRD, BELOW THE BELT, TROUBLE COMETH, 100 YEARS, and CLOSURE. He wrote the book for the musical JOHNNY BASEBALL and a new bluegrass ghost musical, THE HOLLER. Both appeared at the Williamstown Theater Festival with music by Rob and Willie Reale. He is on the board of the Writers Guild Initiative--which does writing workshops with veterans and caregivers--among other groups. ​
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Richard Dresser, courtesy of the playwright
Incubation
​Henrik Eger: How did you come up with the concept for your play, War Stories?

Richard Dresser: I do writing workshops with wounded warriors and caregivers—primarily women who care for husbands with traumatic brain injuries—and have become conversant with some of the issues they face. My friend David Tucker, a fellow mentor, was in the Army for 20 years and fought in Iraq. He suggested that I write a play about “stolen valor,” which is when someone claims to have served but didn’t. This is, naturally, an extremely emotional issue among veterans, and the more I investigated it, the more intrigued I became.

Eger: Describe the stages that your script went through, from your very first draft to the version that you submitted to PlayPenn.

Dresser: I tend to write a very fast first draft, which certainly happened in this case. I then had David Tucker read it and offer suggestions. He has an impressive military background, but is also a fine writer and teacher. He had some terrific ideas which I was able to incorporate. So, I went back to the play and revised it several times before I submitted it to PlayPenn.

Eger: If you have taken other play development workshops, what made them different from your PlayPenn experience?

Dresser: My other play development experiences were at the O’Neill Playwrights Center [Waterford, CT], New Dramatists [New York, NY], and The Lark [New York, NY]. The O’Neill was a month-long residency, and I was lucky enough to go relatively early in my career. It had a profound effect on me, both in developing my plays and in the writers I met. It was when Lloyd Richards was in charge; it was a pretty amazing time.

New Dramatists is more self-directed in terms of developing a play. You chart your own course, but there are amazing resources there. The impact was in the opportunities but also in meeting the writers.

The Lark is also extraordinarily successful at genuinely assisting playwrights at every stage of a play’s development. Each of these venues has its own approach and each has been hugely important in developing my plays.
​

This was my first experience at PlayPenn and it was short—four days—but it was as focused, productive, and engaging as any of the other workshops I have experienced. And because of Paul [Meshejian], it has its own unique, exhilarating, and demented sensibility.
​Collaborative Process
Eger: Many theater-goers seem to know little about the important work of dramaturgs. Could you describe the input on your work, if any, by your dramaturg, Michele Volansky?

Dresser: I’ve known Michele since I was doing plays at the Humana Festival [Louisville, KY], and I was thrilled to learn that she would be my dramaturg on War Stories. She brings her own clear-eyed point of view which she manages to articulate with grace and humor, but leaves it completely up to the playwright whether to act on it. I found her to be right an annoying amount of the time.

Eger: What impact did Paul Meshejian, your PlayPenn director, have on the way you rewrote parts of your script?

Dresser: Paul was the perfect director for War Stories. He is a veteran of both Vietnam and the American theater, both of which are baffling enterprises, which can only be understood with a large tumbler of whiskey in hand. But more than that, he was truly attuned to what I was trying to do with War Stories.

There are some directors who feel the need to impose their own vision on a play, and there are directors, like Paul, who take on the much more challenging task of figuring out what a thin-skinned, contentious playwright is trying to say—and finding ways to achieve that. One of many examples of this in War Stories was his belief that Boyd’s troubled relationship with his own son was the key to his relationship with Danny. For me, an observation like that is gold, and I don’t look for anyone to tell me how to do it, just that it is an important aspect of the play that I hadn’t developed.

Eger: Tell us about your work with the actors, especially anything they said that might have helped you in reshaping parts of your play, or perhaps rephrasing something.

Dresser: I love working with actors, particularly in situations like PlayPenn where they are truly a part of the collaboration. I think actors are rarely empowered to be a creative force—and the truth is, with a three-week rehearsal process for a new play, there often isn’t the time. However, the PlayPenn actors were really wonderful at stepping into the fray, making some important contributions to the play. One example is Kevin Meehan, the actor playing Danny, who suggested that Danny should take the phone call from the political handler at the end of the play when Boyd is out in the riot. This recommendation turned out to be a critical piece in establishing how Danny comes into his own by the end of the play.

Eger: Among playwrights in North America, both Paul Meshejian and Michele Volansky are renowned for nurturing new plays. Could you give examples of how their work shaped part of your script?
​

Dresser: They started with the issue of clarity. In the initial draft, there were a number of aspects of the story that didn’t quite add up, such as the specifics of the women’s plan in approaching Boyd. So, my first pass at the script was to make the story clear, and that resulted in a huge all-night rewrite. We were basically working from a new script on day 2. From there the notes were aimed at strengthening the scenes, refining the characters, sharpening specific moments, and cutting out the dead wood. As a result, the play got stronger every day.
Playing at PlayPenn
​Eger: One of the PlayPenn goals is to “provide as many resources and remove as many obstacles as possible.”

Dresser: To have a willing cast, a smart director, and an engaged dramaturg—those are the only resources I need. However, there were two obstacles: the first was time—to whip this play into shape took every minute we had. I wouldn’t have hated a few more days of tussling with War Stories. The second obstacle wasparking [at Drexel University], which was challenging, but not impossible.

Eger: Could you tell us a bit about your experience with Anita Castillo-Halvorssen, your intern?

Dresser: Anita brought a great spirit and a number of ideas to our rehearsals. She was completely a part of the collaboration from start to finish.

Eger: Your play was given a public reading with professional actors. How much did that process shape your play?

Dresser: The audience is a huge part of the process: audiences don’t lie. If it isn’t funny, they won’t laugh—even if they happen to be blood relatives, as I have discovered to my dismay. So, it was exciting to face an audience after four hyper-intense days of rewriting and rethinking War Stories and see what emerged from the wreckage.

It really illuminated the soft spots and the land mines in the play. As there was no talk-back after the reading, I got informal reactions, which were very positive, but of course there was an open bar. I was mainly concerned with the clarity of the storytelling and that the audience not get ahead of the play.

Eger: Overall, how would you describe the PlayPenn process and its impact on your play? What were some of the best insights you gained from the PlayPenn team?
​

Dresser: I really loved the open-ended quality of PlayPenn. All the resources were there and it’s up to the playwright to dig in and make the play better. My experience was more compressed than others, but I had the feeling that there was a basic foundation of support for the playwrights, who could choose how much—or how little—they wanted to do to further develop their plays.
Playwrights Under Pressure
Eger: If there were moments when your play moved into a different direction than you had anticipated, how did you handle feedback and any possible misunderstandings?

Dresser: Since we just plunged in and kept charging forward, from first reading through the public presentation, all of the activities I experienced were presented with honesty and directness. There was no time to be polite or dishonest, which was quite a refreshing change from the rest of life. I think one of the big questions in War Stories was whether Boyd was fully conscious of the lie he’d been living. Examining that situation took the play in a different direction, as did the clarification of what Jackie’s plan was when she came to the hotel. Answering those questions had a ripple effect throughout the script.

Eger: What do you think your play or your main characters would say about being looked over and reviewed extensively by theater experts?

Dresser: Boyd, the main character in my play, would be thrilled at the attention, wherever it came from. He would be heroically modest and understated, but keep the spotlight on himself by talking about turning the spotlight on others. And then there would be a simple question from a rail-thin, haunted stranger standing in the shadows—which would reduce Boyd to a quivering ball of terror, curled in the fetal position, calling for his mommy.

Eger: While the serious work might have been stressful at times, were there funny, perhaps even hilarious, moments?

Dresser: I was out of the room when anything amusing happened.

Eger: As a PlayPenn playwright, how has your participation in this intensive workshop series changed the way you might handle challenging situations differently in the future?

Dresser: The way I work is very much the way PlayPenn is structured. I am very collaborative by nature with directors and actors. I was doing a first production of a new play this summer, and my work with that cast was actually quite similar to the way I worked with the War Stories cast. Actors often have insights into their characters that the playwright doesn’t have—it pays big dividends to listen. That doesn’t answer your question but what are you going to do, sue me?
​

But I will say that PlayPenn made me hyper-aware of the value of staying open. You never know where the insight will come from that can change your take on your play and open up all kinds of new possibilities. As playwrights we are sometimes too attached to aspects of our play that might in fact be limiting its power. PlayPenn is all about opening up possibilities. It’s up to the playwrights to be super-vigilant in acting on them.
All’s Well that Playwrights Well: Beyond PlayPenn
​Eger: Since 2005, PlayPenn has helped bring about 100 plays to a state they cautiously call “closer to production-readiness.” How close do you consider your play to be to that state? And what are the next steps you have taken to get it produced?

Dresser: I told Paul going in that my goal was to get War Stories ready for production. I believe it is much, much closer now, and, importantly, I think I know what needs to be done. The work that remains is not structural, but rather going deeper into the characters—specifically, Boyd’s troubled relationship with Eddie (his unseen son) will be an important element in understanding who Boyd is and why he has taken Danny under his wing.

Eger: What has become of your work overall as a playwright since the PlayPenn conference?

Dresser: I did productions of two new plays, CLOSURE (NJ Rep) and TROUBLE COMETH (SF Playhouse). A movie was made from my play ROUNDING THIRD. I did a workshop of a new bluegrass ghost musical, THE HOLLER. I workshopped WAR STORIES at Key City Theatre in Washington and it will be read at Williamstown in August in ever more refined versions.

Eger: Where do you see yourself now in this process of becoming an even stronger playwright than before?

Dresser: The most effective way to improve as a playwright is through incomprehensible mistakes, errors of judgment, constant rejection, prolonged disappointment, envy, greed, desperation, public humiliation, private terror, insomnia, and crippling need. If you can find time for even a few of these you will make steady progress—assuming you figure a way to stay in the game.

Eger: What have you discovered about yourself through the PlayPenn process—not only as a playwright, but as a mensch?

Dresser: With each passing day there are fewer things I care about, but what remains, I care about more deeply.

Eger: What advice do you have for the next generation of playwrights?

Dresser: We all work so differently. We all have to find our own way through the jungle. You should ask yourself basic questions, like what you need to be happy. Does it require a house, a family, a car, imported beer, mood altering drugs, a large pet, a vacation, a sport coat, a servant, new socks, a smartphone, dental work, season tickets, or a sailboat? Then you have to be realistic about how you will get those things you want while writing plays. That will make you write faster and faster. Eating and paying the rent are wonderful incentives.

If you can’t figure out how to get the things you need to be happy while writing plays, then you’ll have to choose. In terms of the work, it’s important to stay open, not only to the world around us, but also to the people in the room. I never go into a rehearsal believing I have to defend my work, and if anyone comes up with an idea that will make it stronger, I rewrite. I believe in keeping the script as alive as possible, and not getting into a defensive crouch.

Eger: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Dresser: Yes, but I have to go out and move my car. Okay, I have just a few seconds before I get a ticket. The theater is in extreme danger. It is on the verge of becoming utterly irrelevant to the way we live. It is on life support and needs everything we can give it. This has been true for two thousand years. But it’s absolutely and eternally true, so step up and leave your mark while there’s still time. 

 July 5-24, 2016; playpenn.org.
​

Read a three-part interview with PlayPenn founder Paul Meshejian
  • PlayPenn, Theater, and “A comfortable place for misfits”: Interview with founder Paul Meshejian, Part 1
  • Everything you always wanted to know about PlayPenn, but were afraid to ask: Interview with founder Paul Meshejian, Part 2
  • How to Get Accepted into PlayPenn: Interview with founder Paul Meshejian, Part 3

Originally published by Phindie. 
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Jamaica, Jamaica: Interview with actors and dancers at the New Freedom Theatre

6/25/2016

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By Henrik Eger ​​
​Jamaica, a 1957 musical that contributed to the fame of Lena Horne, but has rarely been performed since, was just staged by the New Freedom Theatre under the direction of Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj. We asked three questions of the cast members to share their responses to this exuberant musical:
  1.  What were the most wonderful aspects of this production of Jamaica for you?
  2. What did you bring to your role in terms of your skills and your experience?
  3.  Is there anything else you would like to share that would help readers to get a better understanding of this musical?
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Aneesa Neibauer. Photo by Jason Gillman, Gotham,
Aneesa Neibauer (Savannah): Jamaica—remembering those who have come and gone

Working with this cast of people has been a truly wonderful experience.

I am an actor before anything else. When I take on a role, even in a musical, I take it on from an actor’s perspective. I hope to find depth where others may only see singing and dancing. My goal is to find the character’s truth, find out how that makes her an individual, and how it affects the world of the play.
​

Productions of this kind must not be forgotten. Our director, Rajendra, stressed throughout our rehearsal process that in doing this work we are remembering those who have come and gone—like Lena Horne, Alvin Ailey, and Ricardo Montalban. That is of great importance to me. As people of color, their fight to create their art is what allows me to do what I do today, and I am honored to do this show.
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Shabazz Green. Photo by Paul Greco.
​Shabazz Green (Koli): “We sometimes forget the joy of letting go and following our heart”

I loved the freedom to play with these terrific actors. We got to tell a love story on an island. During the hustle and bustle of life, we sometimes forget the joy of letting go and following our hearts.

My character is an Alpha Male: a protector, a provider, and a lover. While he is stoic, he does feel. I believe I know how to show the virility of the role, but also get to the emotions of his heart—a truth that is contagious for the audience and my fellow cast mates to allow themselves to open up and live their own truths.
​

We bring to life a forgotten history and culture. The show also provides audiences with a reason to smile and remember love. Watching Jamaica, you will feel lighter, laugh a bit easier, and let your heart and mind open to appreciate what you already have.
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Walter DeShields. Photo by Chris Descano.
​Walter DeShields (Joe Nashua): “A leading man quality of mid-20th century film noir in America”

I enjoyed the ensemble nature of the show, the experience of adding my abilities, and my interpretation to the show. A piece like this has many moving parts, and you need every single person to make it go.

As Joe, I worked on bringing a leading man quality of mid-20th century film noir in America, along with the comedic antics that make him more complicated than expected. I do stand-up comedy several times a year in an effort to work on timing and improvisation.
​

We’re all looking for something: sometimes it’s things we already have and some of us, such as Joe, are looking for the next challenge or the next adventure. Life is about exploration—inward and outward. We shouldn’t run from it. Jamaica allows us to think about what’s out there for us, what’s already inside of us and maybe, most importantly, what’s right in front of us.
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Deborah Billups
​Deborah Billups (Grandma Obeah): “Proud, musical, and sassy Grandma who’s having a blast!”

I love the wonderfully supportive cast. As an entertainer who works with three bands (4AM, 6th Street Quaternion, and Blues Tattoo) it’s been great to have the energy of a talented live band.

As the oldest member of the cast with years of experience in theatre and music, I brought my passion and energy to my role as Grandma. I read one review that said I was too young to play the part, but I’m a proud 60 year old—moving and dancing with the rest of the cast. I even lost weight during the process!

I adore Jamaica, the country, so it has been great to perform a musical comedy about it. I have a flare for comedy, and write a one-woman cabaret show every year. When you combine that with my love of jazz, you end up with quite a sassy Grandma who’s having a blast!
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Courtney Roberson. Photo by Kevin Lacy.
​Courtney “CJ” Mitchell (Quico): “Jamaica brought out ‘Pinocchio— the playful, curious kid’ in me”

The best part about Jamaica is working with a talented cast, live music, and singing. I am working with real professionals, and they taught me about stage presence.

I brought my real personality to the role for Jamaica. I am a good singer and dancer, and I loved the harmony. In acting, I play a lot of serious characters. Playing Quico in Jamaica allowed me to be myself and bring out “Pinocchio”—which is what Mr. Rajendra calls the “playful, curious kid” in me.
​

Jamaica is an awesome production. It is so awesome that I feel more excited each time that I step on the stage. The show is about wanting things that you might not have, but don’t need. Jamaica proves that the most important thing is having people around you that support you and love you—and I feel the love in the show.
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Reji Woods. Photo by Corey O’Brien.
​Reji Woods (Cicero): “The New Freedom Theatre is on the rise again”

The cast is the most wonderful aspect of this production. The camaraderie, love, and collaborative spirit of the cast was just tremendous.

Though I never considered myself a comedic actor—that is how I have often been cast! I use that now and am secure in those abilities. I also bring a level of adaptability to the production. Rajendra is a director who layers in the rehearsal process. You have to adapt to the new material while staying true to what has been established.

The New Freedom Theatre is on the rise again. For nearly 50 years, it has been an important institution in the African-American community. I feel the same about Jamaica. It was an important piece for the time period and with this production is also on the rise again. I feel fortunate to be a part of the history of this show and this theatre.
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LaTasha Morris. Photo by Morgan Rogers Burns.
​LaTasha Morris (Ginger): “Push De Button”for a better life

What were the most wonderful aspects of this production of Jamaica for me?The historical aspect. I was first introduced to this musical in high school through a song we performed (“Push De Button”). It was so much fun, the lyrics were comical, yet expressed hope and expectation for a better life. I wanted to know more. Who knew—15 years later this is where I am now.

What did I bring to this role in terms of my skills and experience?A few things: my sense of humor, my vocal abilities, and my work ethic.

What I love most about this show is that it will not only make you laugh and fall in love with the cast, but the themes in this story will connect historical and current events.
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Sanchel Brown. Photo by Cory Daniels.
Sanchel Brown (Dance captain): My spirit from the U.S. via Senegal to Jamaica

I enjoy the dancing in Jamaica because it is reminiscent of the productions I watched as a child, such asStormy Weather. My admiration and connection to Katherine Dunham and Alvin Ailey has come full circle while performing in this production.

My experience as a professional dancer with Urban Bush Women as well as my dance studies in Senegal, West Africa, gave me innumerable experiences to create an authentic experience as a woman of the Caribbean on stage. I always hope to fill the audience with a spirit they will remember. As dance captain, I always strive to give my cast the belief that no matter what discipline they come from, we all can move together as an ensemble.

I thank my mother Gwen Brown for being my biggest supporter and for encouraging me as a child to never give up and to always do the homework for my craft. 

[1346 North Broad Street] June 15-26, 2016; freedomtheatre.org.

Originally published by Phindie. 
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‘Happy Days’ by Samuel Beckett: An Interview with E. Ashley Izard 

6/24/2016

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By Henrik Eger ​​
​The much talked about Quintessence Theatre Group, one of the few ensemble theaters in Philadelphia, under the direction of Alexander Burns, is featuring two of its actors—E. Ashley Izard as Winnie and Gregory Isaac as Willie, the husband—in its latest production of Samuel Beckett’s (1961) Happy Days in a most intimate production and a tour de force, especially by E. Ashley Izard.

In this interview, she shares some pretty personal things about her eyes, her voice, her fear of being scooped up in a claustrophobic environment, and the support she is getting from Beckett, the director, the cast, and even other staff members in this most exhausting and yet liberating production.
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Aquarell of Samuel Beckett's Happy Days.
Henrik: What are some of your earliest childhood memories of your playing and developing a sense of drama and theater?
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E. Ashley Izard. Photo by Kate Raines.
​Ashley: From a very early age, thanks to my wonderful parents, I studied dance, followed by piano, then singing lessons. All three creative expressions lent themselves to performing at various times—whether a dance performance, piano recital, or voice recital. I loved singing in the choir at my school in Nashville, TN, where I grew up. It all began in 5th grade. Singing was my first love. I had an amazing chorus teacher who helped me discover that I was a soprano.

When I first went to college, I was a BA voice major, but by the end of my first year, I found my way to the theater department after having been cast in my very first straight play--The Shadow Box. Ultimately, I found my home in the theater.

You have expressed great reverence for your parents.

  Yes, indeed, great reverence for my father, who is still with us—and the same reverence for my dear mother, who passed back in 2009. My mother, who was often my best friend, was also a theater artist. She acted and directed for many years. I had the great pleasure of being directed by her in a few productions when I was in my early 20s. We shared our passion for theater. It was a special bond.  She is most with me when I am doing a play.

My father, who had a remarkable career as a psychology research scientist and professor, whose field was Human Emotions, was always supportive of the arts. My parents were also supportive of my two older siblings. My father and my mother had one of those amazing marriages, filled with great love, passion, and mutual respect. They were married for 64 years. I am and will always be indebted to my parents for all that they have given me.

You have a most extraordinary voice that is unmistakably you. 

Well, thank you so much, Henrik. I can’t help but chuckle a little, because I, for many years, thought my voice was way too high. I have memories from Grad school of being told to lower it. I also had to learn to take out what Southern accent remained. My regular Ashley voice is a good bit higher than the voice that often comes out when I am playing a role. However, in my current role as Winnie, a lot of my natural register is heard—[artistic director] Alex Burns approved!

A funny side note: when Alex first met me after seeing me audition at the Generals [annual auditions of the Philadelphia Theatre community] three years ago, one of the first things he remarked on was how high my voice was in comparison to what he heard on stage.

Where did you study drama and what were the most important roles you’ve played since? 
​

I went to West Chester University and graduated with a BA in Theatre Arts. I got my MFA in Acting from Temple University. Most important roles—well, some of my favorite roles in the past have been two Christopher Durang pieces, Baby with the Bathwater [Tomlinson Theater of Temple] andBeyond Therapy [Lantern Theater]. I enjoy doing comedy, and I love drama equally. I’ve been most fortunate to play some incredible roles: Nora [A Doll’s House], Mrs. Alving [Ghosts], Madame Ranevsky [The Cherry Orchard], Lady Macbeth [Macbeth], Regan and Goneril [King Lear], Nurse [Romeo and Juliet], and now Winnie [Happy Days].
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Gregory Isaac and E. Ashley Izard. Photo by Shawn May.
Happy Days is one of Beckett’s most demanding plays. How did you work yourself into your role as Winnie, the main protagonist? 

No question, the most demanding role of my artistic life. When I learned I was going to play Winnie, about two months before rehearsals were to begin, I knew I had to memorize as much as possible before we started. After getting some council from a dear friend on how to go about that, I worked pretty diligently for seven weeks. It was tough going, and very hard to learn. I didn’t get as far as I had wanted to, but was grateful for what I had managed to get into my brain. However, there was still much to learn—and so little time. It was terrifying.

A lot of it I didn’t quite understand, but having Alex Burns as my director has been wonderful. He did understand and together we forged a way into Winnie and this complex, beautiful play. Also having Gregory Isaac as our Willie is wonderful. His input and presence has always been helpful and insightful. I am very lucky to have him there, with me, albeit not seen much by the audience, but believe me, his presence is felt by me—and Winnie.

In a more traditional play, actors get their cues from their fellow actors. However, in this piece, apart from the occasional interactions with Gregory Isaac as Willie, the husband, you carry the bulk of everything being said and done through your facial expressions, movements, even silences. There are literally hundreds, possibly thousands, of nuances with which you present Happy Days to the audience. How did you prepare yourself for this fascinating, if highly demanding and exhausting role?

It was a long process. And for much of it, it was the overwhelming, daunting task of memorization. Our wonderful ASM [assistant stage manager], Janel [Villartoro], was instrumental in assisting me with the learning process, as were some dear friends. Believe me, it took a village! And, aside from all those many words, the emotional ride both high and low—with Alex as my guide—I felt it bubbled up from my core. In a way, my performance of Winnie embodies all that I have ever done in my artistic life and my life itself. That might sound strange, but hey, it’s Beckett. And, it’s Happy Days.
​
Beckett is one of the few writers who not only insisted that his stage directions must be followed 100%, but he even took some famous directors to court for changing them. How did you and the Quintessence director cope with that legal and artistic restraint? Were there moments when both of you felt tempted to do what a lot of contemporary directors do with older plays, namely re-imaging them?
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E. Ashley Izard as Winnie in Happy Days, applauding cheerfully. Photo by Shawn May.
I think, after my experience, I can understand and respect why Mr. Beckett insisted his stage directions must be followed 100%. They are such an integral part of the play and make it what it is. If anything, Alex and I wanted to stay as true to the course as possible. Now, after breathing Winnie for a while, I have come to realize how it all flows together: the specific stage directions, the numerous pauses, even varied in length, and the rhythm of it all. It just works. And it’s really an incredible ride, to say the least.

Could you describe the way Alex Burns, the director, and you worked together?

This is the eighth play Alex has directed me in. Six were in repertory. We have a good working relationship. I certainly have a lot of respect for him. He is brilliant and works incredibly hard. He not only directs, but designs and builds sets, and is a great photographer. I enjoy collaborating with him and find him to be a wonderful guide.

The director also created the intimate stage design. How did you first respond physically and psychologically being squeezed into this shut-in, claustrophobic heap of sand and pebbles?

At first, especially for Act II, I did panic some. However, Alex made some adjustments and in time, I got used to it—much to my surprise.

In his program note, the director wrote, “Do not expect naturalism. If you expect anything that corresponds to traditional narrative, drama, or action, you will be frustrated until the play’s climax.” Facing the audience, what responses have you observed to this surreal and challenging drama?

Fortunately, for me and my nerves, I am somewhat near-sighted. And I don’t wear contacts. The combination of the above—plus Solomon [Weisbard]’s incredible, very bright lighting, installed by John Allerheiligen, the master electrician—does not allow me to see faces specifically, which is a good thing. However, the one thing I have reflected on as of late, is just how quiet the audience is at times. Not a bad quiet—one that seems like they are really listening and taking this journey with me and Winnie.

The play is a marathon, and I really don’t have that inner voice going on about what’s happening in front of me with the audience the way I sometimes do with other roles. I just have to keep on going, ‘cause, well, I talk for one hour and eight minutes—pretty much non-stop in Act I. It’s just my head talking for 33 minutes straight in Act II. So crazy!

What have audience members told you about their experiences with Happy Days?

I have had some incredible responses from audience members. Some most heartfelt. I am always humbled by such encounters. It’s that connection you dream of, at least for me, to make with your fellow human beings—especially through one’s craft. It’s times like those I feel lifted and grounded at the same time.

During this whirlwind experience into the surreal world of Beckett—before, during, or after your performance—what responses to Happy Days are you experiencing within yourself?

Before, I am always very nervous. During, I’m just going from one moment to the next—trying to plug away, and live in Winnie. Right after, as I am leaving the mound, I sometimes cry.
​
How do you cope with your emotional overflow after those intensive performances—all by yourself?
​Typically, I will hang out at the theater with some folks—or go out for some food and drink.
Picture
Gregory Isaac (Willie, Winnie’s husband).
Photo courtesy of Quintessence Theatre Group.
​Sometimes, I give a high five to Janel [Villartoro], but even as I walk back to the dressing room, arm-in-arm with Greg [Isaac], I am just worn out—exhausted from what has occurred— yet, most grateful that I managed to get through another climb. I might add, before each Act, our wonderful PSM [production stage manager] Shannon [Kearns], accompanies me from the dressing room to the mound. I hang on to her for dear life.

That walk with her gives me courage to face what is ahead of me. And when I see Janel, who is there, crouched underneath the mound to my left, throughout the whole show, I always greet her with “Hello, friend.”

All of these people make it happen, including our costume designer, Jane [Casanave]; the general manager, Wes [Somerville]; our wonderful company and house manager, Mara Burns; our interns, Leo [Neyman] and Dana [Maginity]; our box office managers, Madeline [Addis] and Mariliz [Diccicco]; and everyone else at Quintessence Theatre Group. It really takes a village.

​​What do you do to relax after your brilliant, but draining tour de force?
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The ‘Happy Days’ Creative Team: L-R, Alexander Burns, Solomon Weisbard, H Mara Burns, E Ashley Izard, Gregory Isaac, Janel Villatoro, Shannon Kearns (1)
If you had an opportunity to talk with Beckett, what would you tell him or what would you ask him? 
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Samuel Beckett in a Paris theatre in 1961.
Thank you, Mr. Beckett, for writing Happy Days! And, thank you for inspiring Alex Burns to want to direct it. I feel most fortunate to have experienced Winnie. I hope you would approve.

Ashley, thank you for all that you have brought to the Philadelphia theater world. What are your next plans?

Thank you, Henrik—most kind of you to say. My next plans are two short trips to see shows and visit friends. Can’t wait!

Is there anything else you would like to share?

No, I think I have prattled away enough . . . a la Winnie! By the way—I do love her!

Thank you—another happy day. We love you, too, Ashley.

Running Time: 2 hours, with a 15-minute intermission.

​Happy Days plays through this Sunday, June 26, 2016 at Quintessence Theatre Group, performing at The Sedgwick Theater – 7137 Germantown Avenue (Mount Airy), in Philadelphia, PA. For tickets call (215) 987-4450, or purchase them online.

LINK: Review: ‘Happy Days’ at Quintessence Theatre Group in Philadelphia by Tim Dunleavy.
Originally published by DCMetroTheaterArts. ​​
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An Outstanding Father On and Off the Stage: An Interview With Jeff Coon On The Arden’s ‘Secret Garden, Part 1.

6/22/2016

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In this two-part interview, we look into some corners of the secret garden in the life of actor Jeff Coon at a time when American family structures are changing and expanding. Jeff talks about his life as a problematic father on stage in the magnificent production of The Secret Garden at the Arden, and as a happy father of his two children—his daughter, Piper (9) and his son, Jackson (8)—who are being brought up jointly by him and his life mate Joey Abramowicz and Jeff’s ex-wife and her new husband.
​t all started with Jeff Coon, a talented young theater student at a high school in Cape May, NJ, who studied, worked hard, and became one of Philadelphia’s most popular actors and singers.

​He was offered quite a few roles as a father, including Mr. Banks in Mary Poppins at the Walnut Street Theatre, Mr. Addams in the Addams Family at the Media Theatre (see Jeff’s interview on his role as father on stage and off stage), and now the tortured Archibald Craven in 
The Secret Garden at the Arden Theatre.

​Dedicated to theater arts, he reached out to the children of the next generation, encouraging them via a scholarship offer to their parents to move forward through the study of theater arts:

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Jeff Coon. Photo courtesy of Arden Theatre Company.
“Twenty-five years ago, I was some version of your kid. I was figuring out who and what I was and wanted to be. I had some great teachers who pointed me in directions that I didn’t necessarily expect, but enjoyed anyway. […] that’s part of why we’re establishing a scholarship […] because I want to be able to give a small token of my thanks to the community that helped foster me by doing the same thing for another kid interested in the arts.”
​
Henrik: How do you prepare yourself for the role of a father?

Jeff: One of the first methods that I use in trying to find my way into any character is by asking myself how the character and I are most alike.

Archibald Craven and I are most alike in that we are both terrified of being “not enough” for our loved ones. Archie has become emotionally crippled by this fear. He blames himself in many ways for Lily’s death, he blames himself for his son’s ailments, and he removes himself] from as much human contact as possible as he doesn’t want to harm anyone else in his life. It’s why Mary Lennox’s arrival at Misselthwaite is so disturbing to him at first. He’s incapable of being a true guardian for her because he’s afraid that she’ll fall to harm as well.

Could you give an example of your role as a fearful father and guardian in The Secret Garden?

Thankfully, my fear of being “not enough” is not nearly as extreme as Archie’s, but it is absolutely a real emotional burden I place on myself. I constantly struggle with what being a good father means and how sometimes the disparate “job requirements” don’t always work in tandem.​
Picture
Baily Ryon (Mary Lennox) and Jeff Coon (Archibald Craven)
in ‘The Secret Garden.’ Photo by Mark Garvin.

How do you interact as the stage-father with the two stage kids for whom you’re supposed to be father for the boy and guardian for the girl?

I think there’s something similar in my relationship with the two actors, Bailey Ryon [as Mary Lennox] and Hudson Orfe [as Colin Craven]. They’re both so good and such good kids that I strive to be as good as I can be for them and the rest of the show. They’re not precocious or precious. They’re amazing young actors without pretense or over-inflated senses of themselves. Bailey already has a Tony Award, for goodness sake, so who could blame her if she did? They both inspire me to be as present as I can be in each scene with them. Hopefully, I can help them have a lifelong memory of an experience that is filled with adults who care about them—an experience that I hope is fulfilling for them.

Could you give me some examples where and when Bailey or Hudson, your stage children, moved you?

Where to start? The first time I heard Hudson sing “Round-Shouldered Man,” I wondered how I was ever going to be able to get through this show on a daily basis without breaking down. His voice was angelic. And then you spend time with him and you realize that he’s one of the most gifted musicians at ANY age you’ve ever met. Ask him to show you his solfegg sometime and I defy you not to be moved and impressed.
​
Bailey’s work moves and inspires me on a daily basis within the show. She’s so extraordinarily good. There is something otherworldly about that young lady. I don’t know how to put an exact label on it other than to say that you’d have to be an automaton to NOT be moved by Bailey. Her spirit is irresistible.
​
Picture
Jeff Coon with his daughter Piper and his son Jackson.
Could you give me an example where Piper and Jackson, your own children, moved you?

Again, where to start? I’ll give you an example for each of them that I think typifies who they are as people. The other day I was watching Jackson [Jax], Piper, and their little brother Wyatt ([my ex-wife] Hattie’s child with [her new husband] Craig). There was a thunderstorm coming. We were all in the same room but not “together.” Jax was playing a game on his Nintendo device, Piper was reading on the other side of the room, Wyatt was watching Bubble Guppies on Nickelodeon, and I’m sure I was on my phone. There was a BIG thunderclap, like a window rattler. And Jackson yelled, “What was that?” I said, “It’s just thunder, buddy.” And he said, “Where’s Piper?! Where’s Wyatt?!” I said, “We’re all right here, bud.” And then he was fine. I was moved by his unfiltered response of wanting to make sure that Piper and Wyatt were ok. That’s Jax to a tee. And Piper.

Do you have another example? One day you may even write a play or a musical about your children.
​

We had a cat, DeeDee, that died almost a year ago. And we had a small service for him in the backyard where I dug a hole and we all said a few nice words about DeeDee and then I buried him. Jax took a brick and a Sharpie and made a little headstone for him. And then, promptly, forgot about it. Piper, however, would make sure that every time she saw that gravestone it was free of leaves and remained undisturbed. She even would take a Sharpie and make sure that what Jackson had written remained readable. She took care of the gravestone as if it were the cat himself. That was incredibly moving for me. Just the other day she asked why the brick had been moved. I said I moved it because I didn’t want it to get bumped or bothered when the lawn was cut. She begrudgingly allowed that was at least a good enough reason for me to not be berated by her right then and there.
The Secret Garden plays through June 26, 2016 at Arden Theatre Company – 40 North 2nd Street, in Philadelphia, PA. For tickets call the box office at (215) 922-1122, or purchase them online.
LINKS:

An Interview With Jeff Coon On The Arden’s ‘Secret Garden: Part 1: An Outstanding Father On and Off the Stage by Henrik Eger.
​
An Interview with Jeff Coon: Part 2: Raising His Two Children in His Own Special Secret Garden by Henrik Eger
This interview was originally published by DC Metro Theater Arts on June 22, 2016.
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Raising His Two Children in His Own Special Secret Garden: An Interview with Jeff Coon, Part 2.

6/22/2016

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In this two-part interview, we look into some corners of the secret garden in the life of the much talked about Jeff Coon at a time me when American family structures are changing and expanding. Jeff talks about his life as a father on stage in the magnificent production of The Secret Garden at The Arden Theatre Company, and as a happy father of his two children—his daughter, Piper (9) and his son, Jackson (8)—who are being brought up jointly by him and his lifemate Joey Abramowicz, and Jeff’s ex-wife and her new husband.
Henrik: What does it mean to you to be a “good father”? ​

Jeff: I want to spend as much time with my kids as I can. I want to be there when they need me at all times. I want them to know that I am “for” them in all situations—but I have to work to support them. I have to take time away from them to help provide the financial support for them to do all the things that I’d like them to do in their young lives.

You seem to worry that you may not do enough for your children.
​

Sometimes, even when I’m with my kids, I’m thinking or worrying about something else that is part of being an adult, and then I find I’m not really WITH them in the way I want to be. And on those occasions, or the times when I miss a dance recital or a basketball game, I wonder if I am enough for them. However, I don’t think this is unique to me—at all. I think all parents experience this to some degree or another, especially when their kids are younger.

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Jeff Coon. Photo courtesy of Arden Theatre Company.
In what ways have you overcome this notion that you may not always be “enough” for your children?

I’m not sure that I have or ever will. I just keep trying to tell myself to “BE WITH THEM WHEN THEY’RE WITH YOU.” Because I think that’s all they really want most of the time.

Could it be that you are harder on yourself because of your amazing, if unusual family structure: you and your lifemate, Joey, and your ex-wife and her new husband. Could this perception, however subconsciously, impact your being tough on yourself, sometimes wondering that you may not always do enough for your children, even though, you do more than most fathers?

I’m sure that’s part of it. I also think there’s a fundamental part of me that is always convinced that I’m not enough in any part of my life, and so I’m constantly hard on myself to do and be better. It’s a pathology, I know. [he smiles] 
Picture
Jeff Coon with his daughter Piper and his son Jackson.
All four of you have created a wonderful, working relationship amongst yourselves, taking turns in bringing up both children. Could you tell us how the children are responding to this most nurturing and creative environment that all of you have created?

We are our own little village trying to raise these children as best we can. We don’t always all of us agree, but I think we put the three kids (Piper, Jackson, and Wyatt) first as much as we possibly can. And that helps clarify things when there are disagreements. I think all three know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are loved—deeply and truly by all four of us. Where is the bad in a child knowing that he or she is loved?

Have you ever regretted taking on an acting role since it takes time away from your children? If so, how did you deal with this apparent disconnect?

Yes, but—ultimately—I can make peace with it on some level because I have never taken a role or job that I didn’t think was going to help me take care of my family. That’s helpful for me.

If you had more time with your children, what would you like to do with them? Where would you go?​
Picture
Joey Abramowicz.
We’re going to New Orleans next month to visit Joey’s family. They’re going to meet his niece and nephew . They’re going to meet Joey’s niece and nephew for the first time. And that’s exciting for all of us. But if I had more time I’d like to take them to see their extended family more often. My mom’s family and my step sisters are in Florida. I have family in Seattle. I’d like to just be able to take them to spend more time with people who care about them. And maybe the Harry Potter exhibit in Universal Studios Orlando. Piper is on her second trip through the books and I think we’d all love to go there.
​
​Thank you, Jeff. May you and your family always be safe in the secret garden of life. And may those children grow up to become so mature and caring that future generations will respect all types of loving relationships.
And, of course, may even more people see The Secret Garden at the Arden Theatre with its great cast, directed beautifully by Terrence J. Nolen, and with its spectacular scenic and video designs by Jorge Cousineau (conceived jointly by Nolen and Cousineau)—one of the most extraordinary productions that I have ever seen of this moving and thought provoking musical.
Picture
Baily Ryon (Mary Lennox) and Jeff Coon (Archibald Craven)
in ‘The Secret Garden.’ Photo by Mark Garvin.

The Secret Garden plays through June 26th, 2016 at Arden Theatre Company, 40 North 2nd Street, in Philadelphia, PA. For tickets call the box office at (215) 922-1122, or purchase them online.
LINKS:

Tori Mittleman reviews The Secret Garden at The Arden Theatre Company.

An Interview With Jeff Coon On The Arden’s ‘Secret Garden: Part 1: An Outstanding Father On and Off the Stage by Henrik Eger.
​
An Interview with Jeff Coon: Part 2: Raising His Two Children in His Own Special Secret Garden by Henrik Eger.
This interview was originally published by DC Metro Theater Arts on June 22, 2016. 
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Pushing the Envelope to Attract Contemporary Audiences: Goldoni at the Hedgerow Theatre. An Interview with Director Aaron Cromie, Part 2 

6/8/2016

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By Henrik Eger ​​
Here is the second of two interviews with Aaron Cromie, one of Philadelphia’s most beloved directors, mask makers, writers, and interdisciplinary theater artists.
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Hilarious scene featuring Jared Reed as the tall Truffaldino. Photo by Ashley LaBond.
Henrik: Carlo Goldoni (1707-1793) went beyond “the comedy of masks and the comedy of intrigue” by focusing on actual life and behaviors of his contemporaries in ways that had not been seen before. He added his own wit and honesty, and created a new form of Italian comedy. Looking at your production, how are you following in his footsteps, or are you perhaps reinventing Goldoni?
Picture
Aaron Cromie. Photo by Robin Marcotte.
Aaron: My version of the Goldoni play is replete with possibility. I’ve learned a lot about structure from his model in this play. My hope is that I’ve honored Goldoni’s play, found a way to connect with our audience, and collaborated with the actors, stage management, and designers to make a fresh take on the play.

Could you give an example or two where the actors or members of the artistic team impacted your production?

​
I think the catch-all answer here is that each cast member has a silly and funny character choice—making the others laugh—so that initially set the bar. Each time we got more confident and off book with the material, the size and ridiculousness of the characters began to grow in reaction to each other.​
The actors all pushed each other through the process. Kayla Speedy’s wigs and costumes really helped fill out the comedy. The actors got even funnier in those creations.
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Unexpected kiss in Goldoni's THE SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS. Photo by Ashley LaBonde.
As a highly innovative director, what do you do to attract contemporary audiences?

​I appreciate the compliment, but the credit goes to the collaborative process and all of the people involved. As a maker, it’s my job—and the job of other artists—to make the art we want to see. There are always challenges of inclusion, diversity, and pushing the envelope, but we live in a time when there must be movement in all aspects of the art spectrum to create accessible theatre that tell stories about all kinds of people and experience.
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Director Aaron Cromie rehearsing THE SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS. Photo by Ashley LaBonde.
​Tell us how you go about working with actors, administrators, and the artistic team—in this case, using the collaborative process at the Hedgerow Theatre.

Play. Play. Play. If something worked in the first read through—if the table read had laughs—I built from there. If it didn’t work, we cut liberally. Many actors, designers, and other collaborators made offerings, improvisations, and suggestions, so we revised throughout the process.

Could you give an example or two where actors and members of the artistic team made recommendations that you integrated into your production?
​Jared Reed [The Artistic Director of the Hedgerow Theatre, playing Truffaldino Battocio] gets credit for the dinner scene ad libs—which have now made it into the script—but I don’t want to spoil the laughs. Brock [Vicker]’s chest hair was a distinctly important contribution.

You have worked with actors and the creative team at the Hedgerow as a guest director in the past. What do you remember of those experiences and what do you perhaps want to do differently this time?

The Hedgerow community really makes me feel welcomed and appreciated, and everyone there works hard to make each next show special. This is my third collaboration, and I’m happy to see how the ensemble really works with what each production needs, rather than just having one method of rehearsing a project.

Reflections: Going beyond getting praised and pigeon-holed

When you look back on your life as an actor, puppet-master, and director, what would you say were the highlights in your life?

​I’m far from a puppet-master to be sure, but I’m very grateful to have had a career that began as a musician, then on to an actor, from there to designer of masks and puppets, and for some time now, working as a director and writer. Philadelphia has been very kind to me, and I feel lucky to be able to do all kinds of things to make a life in art.
Picture
Jared Reed as Truffaldino. Photo by Ashley LaBonde.
Similarly, what were the three things you struggled with the most in your life?

Making the mortgage is always a challenge, as there is no consistency in scheduling a season. I’ve been lucky to make it work, but it is a constant hustle, and I have to do a lot of things to make it work.

Another is being sometimes pigeon-holed as the “puppet guy” or the “commedia guy.” I’m definitely excited by that work, but I think sometimes people don’t see that artists are capable of more than the one or two things they are most known for. My friend and collaborator Kittson O’Neill recognized and encouraged my interest in scenic design, and I had the chance to work for Hedgerow, designing for her production of [Eric Overmyer’s] On the Verge last season. It was gratifying to have her believe in me.

Lastly, being busy making masks and things: my house is always in need of cleaning.
Picture
Director Aaron Cromie, photo courtesy Hedgerow Theatre.
What are your plans for the next few years?

I’d love to do more adaptation and collaboration projects with ensembles—not unlike this production. I have a few devised projects I’d like to make. Also, I’ve been playing music with local performer Emily Schuman with our folk and acoustic duo Chickabiddy. We recently recorded our first EP, and we’d like to tour our music. Lastly, I’d love to write more theatrical music with Emily. We are currently collaborating with the Almanac Dance Circus Theatre on a project for the Fringe Festival this fall.

Would you be willing to share one thing that only your best friends know about you?

​I make an excellent zucchini pasta sauce. Learned it from my friend, Fabrizio, in Italy.

​I heard that you actually did research at the Goldoni Institute in Venice. Is that true?
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True. Venice is a magical place. I had the chance to travel there on several occasions—visiting my friend and collaborator Fabrizio Paladin, an incredible commedia practitioner and pedagogue—to do research in the Goldoni Library many years ago. Every person should walk down those streets to take in the sights, sounds, and tastes of that magnificent city.

For all those who can’t make it to Venice, let them go and see Goldoni’s Servant of Two Masters at the Hedgerow Theatre—the second best thing to meeting with commedia practitioners in Italy. Thank you, Aaron, for bringing classical Italian theatre back to life in the greater Philadelphia area.

​Running Time: Two hours, including a 10-minute intermission.

​The Servant of Two Masters, plays through June 26, 2016 at the Hedgerow Theatre Company – 64 Rose Valley Road, in Media, PA. For tickets, call (610) 565-4211, or purchase them online. Performance are on Fridays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 4:00 pm and 8 pm.

‘Riffing, Replacing, and Reworking Goldoni’s “Servant of Two Masters” at the Hedgerow Theatre: An Interview with Director Aaron Cromie: Part 1.

Originally published  by DCMetroTheaterArts. 

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Riffing, Replacing, and Reworking Goldoni’s SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS: An Interview with Director Aaron Cromie, Part 1

6/7/2016

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By Henrik Eger ​​
This is the first of two interviews with Aaron Cromie, one of Philadelphia’s most beloved directors, mask makers, writers, and interdisciplinary theater artists. 

​Henrik: Carlo Goldoni (1707-1793), from childhood onward, could not be persuaded to do anything but play theater with his puppets and read and watch plays. Later, he ran away with a company of strolling players. When he was forced by his father to join a strict religious college, he spent most of his time reading classical comedies. How much does your childhood and youth resemble that of Goldoni’s?
Picture
Aaron Cromie. Photo by Robin Marcotte.
Aaron: HA! Not really at all. My father and mother encouraged our artistic growth. I am the son of two public school teachers, and my father—a high school music and drama teacher—is responsible for my deep love of music and theatre. I used to spend every winter and spring break at his side as he taught the HS play and musical. I did see a lot of plays and musicals growing up. My father was also a church choir director—our whole family sang in the choir—and I sang in church services from grade school through college.

Goldoni started his career as a playwright composing a tragedy. However, it failed both financially and critically. Count Prata, director of the opera in Milano, told him that in France he could try to please the public, but in Italy he had to consult with the actors, the composers, and the stage decorators. In your experience, how would you describe the equivalency in America when directing a play today: pleasing the public or consulting with actors and the artistic team? ​
I don’t think there is any one method for creating theatre, nor do I think entertaining the audience while collaborating with the artistic team to be mutually exclusive. With a play like The Servant of Two Masters, we hope to delight the audience with an exploration of human folly and ridiculousness, but must rely on the vision of the many minds and talents in the room.

​Goldoni, who lived in troubled times, surrounded by a corrupt elite, tried to feature the values of the rising middle class with their yearning for a progressive stand toward rationality, honesty, and humanism by mocking those in power—holding up a mirror. We, too, live in troubled times. ​
Picture
Jared Reed and Sarah Knittel. Photo by Ashley LaBonde.

​To be fair, as much as Goldoni was interested in the stories of the rising middle class, his stories often perpetuated the time’s existing tropes about the systems and distribution of power. In our production, we do make reference to the obvious Patriarchy of Goldoni’s time, which we can agree still exists today in our country and around the world. We hope to remind our audience how aware we are of this fact—with comedic acknowledgement.

Goldoni was influenced by the work of Moli
ère that he loved and was taken by the strength of the commedia dell’arte. Given your studies with Antonio Fava, probably the most famous Italian mask-maker, author, and practitioner of commedia dell’arte in our own time, are you integrating elements of the Italian comedy that you are bringing to the Hedgerow through this famous Goldoni play? 

Fava’s influence is apparent in my approach to the commedia movement and the speed of verbal wit. He is a very clever man, with a big robust laugh and voracious appetite for humor. He has a codified way of performing movement–training that I’ve received–though we take a lighter approach in this production: still physical, but really catering to the strengths of the performers. The masks I’ve designed are also inspired by the style that Fava makes. He was one of my design teachers and a big influence on how I make masks.

Goldoni, after a fight with Carlo Gozzi, an Italian playwright who accused him of having deprived the Italian theater of the charms of poetry and imagination, claimed that he was so disgusted by the traditional taste of the Italian public in theater that, aged 54, he left Italy for good and spent the rest of his life in France, writing his plays and memoirs in French . . . 
 

. . . 
actually, a much longer story: Goldoni lost a bet with Gozzi, when Gozzi’s first play, The Love of Three Oranges, eclipsed the success of Goldoni’s offering. He left Italy in embarrassment, as Gozzi, though a proponent of classic theatre, had found a way to take the old and make it more spectacular than before: populist? yes, but more imaginative than what had come before.
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Zoran Kovcic, Madalyn St. John, Mark Swift, and Jared Reed. Photo by Ashley Labonde.
Looking back at your own life, were there phases when you felt concerned, if not disgusted, by certain modes of theater in the U.S.? If so, what did you do to step away from the occasional polished mediocrity and come into your own as an innovative performer and director? 

​I think we live in a time when theatre is in constant competition with TV and Netflix, among other options for peoples’ time and money. Audiences will be drawn to what interests them, so I don’t fault any person who wants to see well-produced populist work. That work helps keep the art alive, entertaining audiences, and employing artists, designers, and technicians. That said, I don’t waste any time complaining about mediocrity.

Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni (1746) has been such a popular play that it has been translated into many languages and has been adapted and performed in many permutations. Which translation are you using and what changes, if any, have you made to make it accessible to a contemporary American audience? 

Aaron There are several translations of the play with which I am familiar. I worked primarily from the main structure of the story and wrote my own version of the play—riffing, replacing and reworking things in a way that allows my sense of humor to play. I think that’s what the play seems to ask of its various interpreters. I also wanted to play with more recurring jokes and bits that reveal the characters’ comic histrionics, flaws, and humanity while capitalizing on the comic talents of the cast members.
​
Could you give an example or two of a traditional translation and how you riffed it and brought in your sense of humor in the Hedgerow production? 

In traditional commedia, the lovers have on occasion used rhyming couplets in their dialogue. Goldoni didn’t employ that tactic in The Servant of Two Masters, and the translations I’ve come across don’t use it either, so I thought it would be fun to do it for the Hedgerow’s version and wrote some of their scenes using rhyming couplets.

Also, the dinner scene is one big, long lazzo [an “improvised comic dialogue or action in the commedia dell’arte”] which has to be constructed by the people doing it. So we set a basic structure, and then riffed from it to find what kind of wordplay and physical schtick would fit nicely. The ensemble helped to evolve it through many revisions. 

Running Time: Two hours, including a 10-minute intermission.
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​The Servant of Two Masters, plays through June 26, 2016 at the Hedgerow Theatre Company – 64 Rose Valley Road, in Media, PA. For tickets, call (610) 565-4211, or purchase them online. Performance are on Fridays at 7:30 PM, Saturdays at 4:00 PM and 8 PM.

For Part 2 of the interview with Director Aaron Cromie by Henrik Eger, click the link below: 
“Pushing the Envelope to Attract Contemporary Audiences: Goldoni at the Hedgerow Theatre."

Originally published by DCMetroTheaterArts.
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Taken Hostage by a Play: Interview with Ian Merrill Peakes on THE INVISIBLE HAND

6/4/2016

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By Henrik Eger
Theatre Exile’s production of THE INVISIBLE HAND by Ayad Akhtar features an all-star creative team, including director Matt Pfieffer and actors Ian Merrill Peakes as Nick Bright, Maboud Ebrahimzadeh as Bashir, and Anthony Mustafa Adair as Dar. Henrik Eger conducted interviews with all four. In this interview, we hear Ian Merrill Peakes’s thoughts on this provocative new work.  
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Ian Merrill Peakes (left) with Maboud Ebrahimzadeh in THE INVISIBLE HAND. Photo by Paola Nogueras.
Henrik Eger: What was your first response reading the script of The Invisible Hand?

Ian Peakes: When I first read the play, I immediately wrote Matt Pfeifer [the director] and said I want to do this. I love the whole play, but it was the chance to portray such a subdued character that appealed. Not that Nick doesn’t have a lot to contend with over the two hours of this play, but it’s in a more internal way.
I have been on a great streak of pretty bombastic characters. So, the opportunity to do the polar opposite of say, Black Stache in Peter and the Starcatcher [by Rick Elice at the Walnut Street Theatre], was extremely appealing. I loved that [The Invisible Hand] challenges us to view “others” through a different filter—selfishly, I really wanted to do this role.

Henrik: What did you bring to this challenging play as an actor?

Ian: So, what I brought to the role as an actor was a whole pile of history. I have been playing the dominant character on stage quite a good deal lately. That helped me to understand where dominance comes from, and it is not from the dominant person on stage. If power isn’t given to you by the other actors, well, simply, you have none. You can’t act power.
I have been very fortunate to have played with a bunch of terrific actors who gave me all the power when it was needed. My only training in this business was being raised in a theater and I have always been a watcher of actors working. Fascinating thing, that—an actor at work. So, to this role, as to almost every role I have or will play, I take all the good, effective work I have seen others do and trust it, and then make it my own.

Also, this play depends on listening and given circumstances. I’m good at those and I knew that would come in handy in this production. By given circumstances, I mean to put yourself in the actual position your character is in and take the ride from there. If the play is well crafted, as this one is, it’s pretty easy from there. Trust. Listen. React.

Henrik: What surprised you about the play and/or your own evolution during the rehearsal process and the performances?

Ian: The biggest surprise for me was the depth of the relationship between Bashir [played by Maboud Ebrahimzadeh] and Nick [played by Peakes]. I got it a little on my first quick read, and it became more clear as I was doing my pre-rehearsal work. But, man, Maboud and I found levels in their relationship that I find compelling as hell. We have never worked together and only met a week or so before rehearsals started at the photo shoot for the play. Suffice to say, we like playing together on stage. We don’t even talk about developing moments—they just happen.
Yes, we have a special chemistry, but you can give a majority of the credit to [playwright] Ayad. He wrote an insane relationship play and surrounded it with all this talk of banking, stocks, drones, and terrorism. And that was the biggest surprise for me.

Henrik: Do you have a sense that audiences and theatre critics relate to the complexity of this play, or do you have a sense that some folks might label the three Pakistani characters as one-dimensional terrorists while considering you as the American hostage as the only real human being in the play?

Ian: Whether the audience leaves feeling that to be the case or not is irrelevant. The fact that it’s true for me means the story will be more rich, layered, deep, and, at the end of the day, a better experience for the audience—and definitely more complex and harder to compartmentalize. Ayad shows you some stereotypical stuff, and then he takes it away.

Henrik: What is the invisible hand that drives you in your life as an actor and a mensch?

Ian: I feel very fortunate to call acting my profession. It is not every production that becomes this fully realized and rewarding. I love my guys in the show. Trust them implicitly. Matt Pfeifer is one of my oldest and dearest friends, and to take this journey with him at the helm at this juncture in his life has been special for me on many levels. This play makes me really excited to go to work every night. Everyone should see it.

Henrik: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Ian: I wrote some quick thoughts as my child has a play date with a class mate. I answered three or four only. Sorry. Hope there’s something there useful.

[Studio X, 1340 S. 13th Street] May 12-June 5, 2016; theatreexile.org.​
  • Interview with Matt Pfeiffer
  • Interview with Ian Merrill Peakes
  • Interview with Maboud Ebrahimzadeh
  • Interview with Anthony Mustafa Adair
  • Kathryn Osenlund’s review of THE INVISIBLE HAND

Originally published by ​Phindie. 
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The Power of the Invisible Hand: Interview with Anthony Mustafa Adair as Dar, a Pakistani captor, at Theatre Exile

6/4/2016

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​By Henrik Eger 
Theatre Exile’s production of THE INVISIBLE HAND by Ayad Akhtar features an all-star creative team, including director Matt Pfieffer and actors Ian Peakes as Nick Bright, Maboud Ebrahimzadeh as Bashir, and Anthony Mustafa Adair as Dar. Henrik Eger conducted interviews with all four. In this interview, we hear Anthony Mustafa Adair’s thoughts on this provocative new work.
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Anthony Mustafa Adair (left) with Maboud Hamidzadeh and Ian Merrill Peakes in THE INVISIBLE HAND. Photo by Paola Nogueras.

​Henrik Eger: 
What was your first response reading the script of The Invisible Hand?

Anthony Mustafa Adair
: I felt a little like Nick [Bright, the American hostage] does at the end of the play. Paralyzed. Many great plays don’t make for a good reading experience—they are meant to be seen. However, this play was arresting even on the page alone.

Henrik: 
What did you bring to this challenging play as an actor?

Anthony: 
Dar was a lot of work for me. I’ve played other characters who had more stage time and more to say, but playing with a language impediment and a thick accent and even a bit in Punjabi: it was so many balls to juggle at the same time while still trying to maintain being an honest human being on stage. We had excellent help: dialect coach, Mel [Melanie Julian]. She helped me use training I received at UArts [Philadelphia’s University of the Arts] to build Dar’s voice.

Henrik: 
Going into the rehearsal process, what were the toughest parts for you?

Anthony:
 I think this play is pretty dark, and in order to keep ourselves sane, we ended up joking around a lot more than you might expect. We obviously got the job done, but we were allowed to be ourselves to trust each other enough to confront the weight of the play from a playful place. I also think this ended up helping our ensemble grow.

Henrik:
 What did you bring to a play in which cultures, economies, religions, worldviews, and personalities clash in terms of your
own cultural, economic, religious, ideological, and/or behavioral background?


Anthony:
 Well personally, I’m a Libertarian, much to the chagrin of all my very liberal friends. This means I’m socially liberal but fiscally conservative, so I do in fact believe, like Nick Bright, in the power of the Invisible Hand. Whereas most of my community is heavily Democrat, I find myself caught in a tension between my own beliefs and those around me—who usually presume that I share their opinions. We often have debates and I’m usually outnumbered, but I still enjoy it. I think divergent thinking always leads to more understanding. You don’t learn that much from people who think all the things that you think. The people you learn from most are the ones who’ve challenged your views, forcing you to really think about why you believe the things you do—which is why this play resonates 
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Anthony Mustafa Adair. Photography by Jacques Jean-Tiziou.

Henrik: Looking back, what are some of the most rewarding parts of the play for you now?

​Anthony: The people who’ve seen the show have been very complimentary and I think this play’s content is not your typical dramatic experience—so It was hard to tell exactly what people were going to think. I think the audible gasps and “oh my God” [utterances] that happen in the audience during the show are very rewarding.

Henrik: What surprised you about the play and/or your own evolution during the rehearsal process and the performances?

Anthony: This play requires a lot of heart. It may not seem like it, but I think it would be very easy to do this play and have the audience not like anyone at the end of the play. Our production has a lot of heart. I think we did a good job with legitimizing everyone’s point of view and letting the audience empathize with all of us—not just Nick.

Henrik: Do you have a sense that audiences relate to the complexity of this play, or do you have a sense that some folks might label you as either one-dimensional terrorists and the US hostage as the only real human being in the play?

Anthony: I think the people who come to see the theater are already inclined to be skeptical of America’s intentions in foreign meddling. So I do think those that have come to see it have really followed along and based on our talk-backs, the questions have been complex, so this gives me hope. But it would be interesting to see if this play had a really wide demographic audience—who’s to say what the afterthoughts would be.

​[Studio X, 1340 S. 13th Street] May 12-June 5, 2016; theatreexile.org.
  • Interview with Matt Pfeiffer
  • Interview with Ian Merrill Peakes
  • Interview with Maboud Ebrahimzadeh
  • Interview with Anthony Mustafa Adair
  • Kathryn Osenlund’s review of THE INVISIBLE HAND

Originally published by ​Phindie. 
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The Invisible Hand of Director Matt Pfeiffer

6/4/2016

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By Henrik Eger 
​Theatre Exile’s production of THE INVISIBLE HAND by Ayad Akhtar features an all-star creative team, including director Matt Pfeiffer and actors Ian Peakes as Nick Bright, Maboud Ebrahimzadeh as Bashir, and Anthony Mustafa Adair as Dar. Henrik Eger conducted interviews with all four. First we hear Matt Pfeiffer’s thoughts on this provocative new work.  
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Matt Pfeiffer at the first rehearsal for THE INVISIBLE HAND.
Henrik Eger: What was your first response reading the script of The Invisible Hand?

Matt Pfeiffer: I saw the play before I read it. In performance, I was blown away by how smart and provocative the storytelling was. It reminded me of the Mamet plays I’d directed for Exile--American Buffaloand Glengarry Glen Ross. It’s a heist story, but buried within it are probing moral questions and a critical examination of the evils of money.

Henrik: What did you bring to this challenging play as a director?

Matt: I started out as an actor, so my work as a director has always been about performances. I’m driven by actors. So when you come upon a 4-character play, in a very small setting, the power of the play rests on the nuanced psychology of the performers. And that is what I get most excited about as a director. Working with actors to bring a deep level of psychology and emotional truth to the stage

Henrik: Going into the rehearsal process, what were the toughest parts for you?

Matt: I was nervous about portraying Muslim men in a cliché fashion. When you meet these characters they are, for all intents and purposes, the kind of cliché you see in most popular fiction: “Muslim extremist carrying a gun.” But I knew that there was more to the characters and that the playwright was doing something more dimensional and nuanced than that. I wanted to make sure that I had a full understanding of where these characters were coming from. I spoke with scholars at Penn [University of Pennsylvania] from Pakistan. I made sure that I had very open communication with the actors about their characters and how they felt about them. I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t being ignorant about who these men were.

There’s no question [playwright] Ayad [Akhtar] is asking provocative questions about Pakistan and the west; they are very smart and observant questions. I wanted to make sure I ask those questions purposely.
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A table read of THE INVISIBLE HAND. Matt Pfeiffer on far left.
Henrik: What did you bring to a play in which cultures, economies, religions, worldviews, and personalities clash in terms of your own cultural, economic, religious, ideological, and/or behavioral background?

Matt: I don’t know that my perspective is unique. But I certainly don’t want to live in a world of absolutes. I think many questions of moral conscience live in areas of gray. So I hope as a theater artist, I work on material that allows audiences to ponder both sides of the equation. That is important to me. It’s why I would do this play.

Henrik: Looking back, what are some of the most rewarding parts of the play for you now?

Matt: Getting a chance to work with this cast. They were fearless in their approach. They were very open with each other and asked great questions of the play and the process. Fortunately for me, a lot of my creative experience is fueled by this. But it doesn’t make it any less rewarding, when you come upon such fierce talent and are able to help focus that talent into truly unique performance

Henrik: What surprised you about the play and/or your own evolution during the rehearsal process and the performances?

Matt: I was mostly surprised by how brilliant I continued to find the play. Ayad is a remarkable playwright. And there are subtleties and nuances that emerge over the course of rehearsal that were startling. Little things that I don’t want to give away, but little choices, small gestures, that I found really rewarding.

Henrik: Do you have a sense that audiences and theatre critics relate to the complexity of this play?

Matt: I think audiences and critics are responding to the play in full. Most of the conversations I’ve had with audience members or what I’ve seen from critics have been very considered and responsive to what Ayad is doing.

Henrik: Given the heated pre-election climate in the U.S., what effect do you think this play could have on U.S. voters?

Matt: I think this play suggests the world is far more complicated than much of the approach we’ve seen in this election climate. There’s no such thing as a catchall slogan to answer all of our problems. There are two sides to every issue. In the play, for example, the examination of America’s influence, financially, on the rest of the world, is pretty indicting. It’s hard for me to hear an argument that Muslims should be “banned”—without any examination—of our role, in the state of affairs in the Muslim world.

Henrik: What is the invisible hand that drives you in your life as a director and a mensch?

Matt: I think the world is a marvelous and wondrous place. I hope every day I wake up, I contribute to the ongoing conversation about who we are and where we’re headed. Sometimes you get to do plays like the Invisible Hand that are provocative. Sometimes you just got to make people laugh, and appreciate how good life can be. But either way, my driving force, is to hope that I’m offering something worthwhile to my fellow person.

Henrik: Matt, is there anything else you would like to share?

Matt: Thanks for having this conversation.

 [Studio X, 1340 S. 13th Street] May 12-June 5, 2016; theatreexile.org 
  • Interview with Matt Pfeiffer
  • Interview with Ian Merrill Peakes
  • Interview with Maboud Ebrahimzadeh
  • Interview with Anthony Mustafa Adair
  • Kathryn Osenlund’s review of THE INVISIBLE HAND

Originally published by Phindie. 
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