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A Few Words from Finegan Kruckemeyer, Playwright of “Where Words Once Were”

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A city skyline with the white silhouette of a boy running.

How do you write a show where language is the main character? This was the mission of “Where Words Once Were” and its playwright, Finegan Kruckemeyer, when the Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts first commissioned the play in 2016. We recently asked Finegan some questions about the show and about his outlook on language and words!

There is so much word play in this show. How did you come up with these elements like the anagrams, etc?

I am a word-nerd and cryptic crossword lover, so these were a pleasure. Some were autobiographical (my wife once gave me a card saying ‘see leaf fall’ and I looked at it and saw ‘feel all safe’), others were contrived for the play itself, and a couple were respectfully borrowed (‘No! It is opposition’ is a pretty amazing, existing palindrome, though I can’t locate its specific source). At the heart of the exercise, though, was writing the story, with all its emotional peaks and troughs. The wordplay was a layer then added, both for my own pleasure and (hopefully) yours.

Is there a particular character you identify with more than others?

I can see aspects of myself in all those onstage (and indeed in all plays I’ve ever written, whether knowingly imbued or by osmosis). If the ultimate intent is to write without judgment, I can recognise myself at my most austere in the teacher, and at my most rebellious in the two protagonists.

This show was originally commissioned in 2016, how do you think this show’s impact has grown since its premiere?

It’s cause for both sadness and celebration that every moment in time holds great oppression and great dissent. I am an optimist, and a humanist, and do believe that society’s trajectory is ultimately positive, that the glacial shift is a positive one. But of course the voices challenging that are loud too, and I guess it’s up to us to choose which we will listen to.

What do you hope young people will take away from the show? What do you hope parents/adults will take away from the show?

Sorry to be vague but I really try never to answer this question. I hope that each individual audience member takes from it whatever they wish. And whatever that is, you’re correct.

What is a word you can’t live without?

‘Autumnal’. I put it in the play because it’s my favourite word. And ‘love’. And ‘murmuration’. And ‘coffee’.

Thanks very much from across the seas to the ensemble for bringing this play to life, and to the audience for coming along.

“Where Words Once Were” runs through April 7, 2019 at the Kennedy Theatre in the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets available at: https://theatreraleigh.com/family-series/

An Interview with Rocky Horror star, Jesse Gephart

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A man is in red and black lingerie strutting around a stage

Out at The Booth, the sun was just beginning to set as the cast and crew prepared for the evening tech session – when the lights would come on, and the magic would really start to happen.

As we waited for the last bit of daylight to fade, I took the opportunity to speak with Jesse Gephart, who stars as the otherworldly scientist/pleasure-seeker, Dr. Frank-N-Furter. 

Entering his dressing room backstage – which he shares with Penn Holderness, who plays Riff Raff – I found Jesse mid-prep, getting some corset-lacing assistance from the show’s Associate Choreographer, Kate McMillan.

The Allure

As he continued getting ready, I asked Jesse what he thought it was about the show (and the movie it spawned) that generated such a cult following — with hoards of dedicated fans attending midnight showings, where people dance around in their underwear while hurling toilet paper and rice at the screen.

“I think that there is something about the whole ‘freedom of expression, it's totally fine to be totally weird' aspect of the show. It’s like Halloween every day. And Halloween makes people go crazy. At the end of the day, I think it's a show that rocks pretty hard, and it’s so weird, and it’s so sexy. And so unapologetically sexy too. And that excites people.”

The Audience

As we chatted, the sounds of “Sweet Transvestite” fittingly echoed from the stage, where Ethan Andersen – the show’s Music Director – was running through the number on the keyboard.

I asked Jesse about his experience doing the show before (three years ago, at a theatre in Wilmington), and he confessed that it was quite a ride.

“I was not prepared for the audience reaction to it. When I came out the first time for Sweet Transvestite, the audience went so crazy I could feel the walls shake.”

While the thrill of that moment was certainly intoxicating, Jesse mentioned that he wasn’t the only one who felt…overcome during the show. It seems that audience members (understandably) wanted to share in that “intoxicated” feeling – so much so that he once had to stop a performance and ask a particularly disruptive patron to pull it together or leave. 

But he acknowledged that when it comes to Rocky Horror – a show that invites audience members to shout insults and one-liners directly at the stage – you have to be prepared to take it as it comes. Because after all, that’s half the fun.

The Icon

Aside from fending off over-eager audience members, taking on a role made famous (both on stage and screen) by the incomparable Tim Curry comes with a unique set of challenges. 

I asked Jesse how he approached stepping into the shoes of an icon – which, in this case, are a pair of fabulous 5-inch patent leather heels.

“You either honor him, or you do something totally different. And I just don’t think that doing something totally different has benefitted people. So [honoring him] is what I try to do."

Discussing how he walks the line between honoring and imitating, Jesse offered:

“I think a lot of it is in the way that I say things – the vocal quality of it. He was so free in it. And so loose, and a very raw kind of sexy. And then on top of that, it’s whatever I bring as me."

While Tim Curry’s genius in the role is hardly debatable, the actions of his character, Dr. Frank-N-Furter, are much more contentious. When I asked Jesse for his take on Frank, he suggested:

“It’s weird because he’s given this moment at the end, with this beautiful song to sing [“I’m Going Home”]. But he is all about absolute pleasure, all the time, at any cost. And he wants to maintain control of it all. [...] One of the things I love about this production is that in the bedroom scenes [with Brad and Janet], we’ve really been able to ground the scenes in something really true. You get to see Frank work his magic – and it’s not rooted in the visual [referring to the typical treatment of the scenes played in silhouette, for raunchy laughs]. You get to watch him manipulate them, and see it all happen – and that’s fun.”

Making an Entrance

“I do think this might be a little tight. Just a little bit.”

After a brief pause to make sure he could breathe properly in his newly fitted costume (now consisting of a silky red corset, a black mesh bodysuit, fishnets and heels), I asked Jesse what he found to be the most difficult aspect of playing the role.

“I don’t necessarily feel like me, that Jesse, is like a sexy person. So having to embody someone like Frank can be difficult. But I think it will be easier now for me to feel sexy because of what I have on.”

When I mentioned the heels, asking Jesse about his comfort level with them, he revealed that they actually belonged to him, and that he’d worn them before. But while the footwear wasn’t an entirely new experience, he mentioned that there were aspects of the show that were unfamiliar to him.

“I don’t think I’ve ever done a show where it’s like a Britney Spears concert - where I’m in the front, doing minimal movement, while the ensemble is behind me busting their humps and looking amazing."

And when I inquired as to his favorite moment in the show, he answered without hesitation:

“Sweet Transvestite - the whole number, but especially the entrance. My gut tells me that as soon as that piano starts playing, people are going to go crazy.”

We paused for one final corset check.

“Is it tight enough? Can you breathe?”

“No it’s good. [slight pause] I mean, it’s how it should be.”

And in many ways, that was a fitting picture of the role, and of the show itself: sometimes uncomfortable, but always (at least, when laced up right) an undeniably sexy statement that – in it’s own deliciously twisted way – is truly beautiful to behold.

A woman's legs are stretching from the bottom of the poster, clad in red high heels.

Catch Jesse Gephart in The Rocky Horror Show!

Cary’s Booth Ampitheatre
October 27 & 28
7:30pm

Time is fleeting…. Get your tickets now!

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Young Performer Spotlight – featuring Huck Borden

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Young boy smiling, with light skin and brown hair.

In Huck's words...

What do you like most about acting/performing?
"I love performing because I like to become different characters and bring them to life. I also love live theatre because anything could happen at any moment, it keeps you on your toes! And I really like making new friends who are interested in the same things as me."
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How do you balance rehearsals, school work, and being a kid?
"I'm homeschooled so it makes it much easier to do the things I really love. I spend a lot of my time doing theatre related things, but I also really love playing video games online with my friends!"
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What has been your favorite experience thus far working on The Adventures of Peter Rabbit and His Friends ?
"I've really enjoyed bringing these classic characters to life, I really like being able to use a British accent, and my castmates are a lot of fun! We all have a lot of fun doing this show together!"
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Is there anything you've learned while working on the show?
"I learned how to perform in a black box theater! This is my first time doing a show like this. You have to be sure you are always on and in character and paying attention because the audience is so close to you and can see everything!"
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Do you have any advice for kids who want to get into theatre/acting?
"First of all, dont be afraid to try different things your teacher might ask you to do in your theatre classes. Sometimes it might seem crazy or embarrassing, but you have to trust them. And don't forget to have fun! Acting is so much fun!"
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In Malissa's words...

What is the best part about raising a young performer?
"My favorite part is watching him learn and grow, and be willing to take on and try new things. Sometimes I feel as though we are on a crazy rollercoaster because there are a lot of ups and downs in this business, but no matter what happens, it's always a lot of fun to just be along for the ride!"
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What is the most difficult part about raising a young performer?
"The most difficult part of this life is juggling my career and our home life with his schedule. Finding balance is really hard sometimes, but our family believes that life is short, so live it to the fullest, and don't be afraid to dream big."
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What would you say are some of the benefits of getting children involved in theatre?
"The biggest benefits of getting your child into theater is how it helps build their confidence and self-expression! What's more empowering to a child than to teach them it's ok to be seen and heard! It gives them a voice they might not otherwise have in their everyday life."
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How involved are you in Huck's work as a young performer?
"I am very involved in the sense that I take him to classes, find the best places and people for him to train with and find him the auditions to go on, but when it comes down to it, he is the one putting in the hours, staying focused on what he wants, and doing all the hard work."
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Do you have any tips or advice for parents whose children want to get into theatre/acting?
"My first piece of advice to parents who think they want to get their children into acting is just do it! Find somewhere you trust that have professional teachers and trust the process. With the way technology and the lack of social interaction has taken over our world these days, signing them up to learn about acting and theatre will open up a whole new world to them they didn't even know they needed."
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Thank you so much to Huck and Malissa Borden for taking the time to share their thoughts!

Looking for ways to get your child involved in theatre? 

Check out upcoming opportunities on our camps and classes page!

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10 Things You Didn’t Know About Maria Callas

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Young woman in a large black hat and wearing a small smile

Introduction from Ray Dooley, director of Master Class

I had the great good fortune to see the original New York production starring Zoe Caldwell on a trip to New York with my wife in 1993—a trip that also included Savion Glover’s Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk before it moved from the Public Theatre to Broadway, and Angels in America in the original New York production. Quite a trip. That production of Master Class, which also featured a newcomer named Audra McDonald, has stayed with me all these years as an example of a brilliant exploration of the artistic spirit and its profound depiction of Maria Callas in her later years.

More generally, my love of opera had begun in the late 1970s soon after I returned to New York from advanced study of Acting at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. My friend Frank Dwyer (later Dramaturg at the Mark Taper in Los Angeles) instructed me in the finer points of seeing opera at the Met on a budget. We would stand in line in the morning for $10 standing room tickets. These were places at the back or the second balcony—as far from the stage as possible.  We would watch the first act from there, and then go down to the lobby at the first intermission and ask people who were leaving at the intermission if we might have their ticket stub. Usually, it worked, and we would watch the remainder of the opera from a seat in the orchestra. I remember particularly Franco Zeffirelli’s production of Verdi’s Otello with Jon Vickers in the title role (with Renata Scotto and Cornell MacNeil), and John Dexter’s production of Smetana’s The Bartered Bride, which featured Teresa Stratas singing an aria atop a six-foot step ladder as she trimmed a Christmas tree.  From 1995 to 1998 we spent part of each summer with the Santa Fe International Theater Festival and were able to see productions at the Santa Fe Opera, including a particularly memorable Don Giovanni.  Now, when my PlayMakers schedule permits, we love to attend North Carolina Opera.

Ray Dooley

Although Maria Callas passed away in 1977, Opera Today suggested in 2006 that, “Nearly thirty years after her death, she’s still the definition of the diva as artist.”

So what made “La Divina” so special? Many cite her awe-inspiring vocal range, her skill in dramatic interpretation of a role, and her unmistakable presence on and off the stage.

Below, we offer a few things you may not know about the life of this incredible woman. Click through to test your knowledge, and maybe learn a little something before you see the show!

Young woman in a bathing suit reading a newspaper
Young woman dressed in a ballgown and white gloves. Black and white
Young woman wearing a white blouse and skirt seated at piano
10 Things You Didn't Know About Maria Callas
Curated by Ray Dooley
Although famously Greek in heritage, Callas was born in New York City in 1923. Her family returned to Greece in 1937.
The family name (and Callas’ birth name) was Kalogeropoulos, shortened by her father first to Kallos, and then to Callas.
Callas weathered the German occupation of Athens during WWII, including, as mentioned in the play, singing Fidelio for the occupying forces.
Callas had an elder sister, and an elder brother who died early from meningitis.
Callas’ relationship with her mother, who brought her back to Athens to study singing, was troubled, and mostly ended after 1950.
Callas was strongly nearsighted, barely able to see the conductor.
During 1953 and 1954, Callas - convinced that she had become too heavy for the roles she was singing - lost 80 pounds.
Callas left her husband for an affair with Aristotle Onassis – who then left Callas when he married Jacqueline Kennedy.
Callas died in Paris in 1977, as the result of a heart attack. It is possible that she was suffering from dermatomyositis, a disease of the muscles and tissue which, according to some experts, may also have been partially responsible for her vocal decline - as it would have also affected her larynx. The treatment for this condition, steroids and immunosuppressives, again according to experts, may have affected her heart.
As a singer, consummate musician, and artist, she left an indelible mark. Leonard Bernstein called her “the Bible of opera,” and Yves Saint-Laurent said of her, “Diva of Divas, empress, queen, goddess, sorceress, hard-working magician, in short, divine. Devastator, explosive, nightingale, turtle-dove. She passed through the century like a great solitary eagle whose outspread wings have concealed from us forever those who will outlive her.”
Intrigued? Come See the Show!
Watch Broadway star (and Theatre Raleigh favorite) Judy McLane embody "La Divina" in Master Class: August 8-19 at the Kennedy Theatre.
Learn More
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A note from Ray Dooley: “I’m grateful to many sources, including my friend and colleague Adam Versenyi, for research for the play.”

We would like to thank Mr. Dooley for his time and insight in contributing to this month’s blog!

A young woman in a blue dress stares at the faded reflection of a woman wearing makeup
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Wallace x Woodall

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A man seated on a sofa, looking out.

What was your inspiration for writing Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions?

My love of myth and folktales collided with the tumultuous relationship I had with my father. Books are often born from moments like this, when two seemingly disparate things become one. Like a Reese's Cup.

Did you have an “Edward Bloom” in your life? If so, how did he/she change you?

I definitely did: my father. Without him there would be no Edward Bloom, just as there would be no Daniel Wallace.

Your North Carolina connection was one of the reasons Lauren Kennedy and I wanted to bring this musical to Theatre Raleigh. The themes of this musical are universal; however, are there aspects of this story and characters that you think Southern audiences could especially connect with?

I do think the themes of this story are as real and important here as they are in, say, London, where it was recently staged. But the characters and the setting definitely have a Southern source. Every Southern family seems to have an Edward Bloom in it: a larger than life charmer, a raconteur, the salesman who is selling himself.

Could you elaborate on the “mythic proportions” element of your novel?

Many of the stories in the book are lifted from Edith Hamilton’s Mythology. I don’t think she would have had a problem with that, since she lifted them herself from Homer et al. For instance, one of Hercules' Twelve Labors, to clean the Augean Stables, is, in my novel, set in mid 20th-century Birmingham, where my hero gets a job cleaning cages at a vet. Little myths are scattered throughout: if you find them all you might get a prize.

After the Broadway production, John August and Andrew Lippa reconfigured the musical script so that it can be performed by smaller theatre companies. This revised script allows for a cast as small as twelve to tell the story. Have you seen a production of this condensed version? If so, what are your thoughts?

I have seen the “12 Chairs” version, and prefer it to the bigger, pizzaz-filled Broadway show, though both are wonderful in their own ways. I like the intimacy of the smaller production; the smaller story packs a bigger emotional punch. More laughs, more tears, more transcendence, the way it should be.

What are some of the ideas and themes most important to you in the novel of Big Fish?

Forgiveness. Other things too, but let’s just highlight that one for now.

Is there an inherent aspect or tone of your book that is difficult to capture in the performance genres?

There are a lot of things a book can do that a musical can’t, and vice versa: but God, how I wish my book could sing!

Theatre is another form of storytelling. In reference to Big Fish, is there an example of how the musical can expand upon your incredible characters in a way that can’t be done on the page?

Music deepens character and emotional moments in ways that can’t be done on the page, at least not as quickly. What takes three bars in a musical takes twenty-five pages in a book, sometimes.

Do you have a favorite Southern joke or “tall tale” that you could share with us?

This is the worst best joke – or best worst joke – I know: It’s about a cat who lived in an alley behind a bar, who was in love with the cat who lived inside. Sometimes they stared at each other through the window, because she, the indoor cat, was in love with the alley cat too. But he could never get inside the bar. One night it became too much for him and as the bartender was hauling out a load of trash the old cat thought he’d make a run for it, and tried to slip into the bar while the screen door was open. But it wasn’t open long enough, and it slammed shut on his tail, lopping it off, and the old cat had a heart attack and died. Later, around two in the morning, the bartender was taking out the last of the trash, when he was confronted by the spirit of the old dead cat. In one little paw the cat was holding its severed tail, and the cat spoke to the bartender, saying, “I’m dead now, and heartbroken, but because I have no tail I am cursed to wander the feline afterlife forever. You kept me from my one great love, but now I ask one thing of you. Put my tail back on my body. Give me peace.” But the bartender shook his head. “I’d like to help you,” he said. “I would. But it’s against the law to retail spirits after 1 AM.”

About Daniel Wallace

Adult man wearing glasses and a suitcoat. He has light skin, frizzy hair, a pepper-gray beard and blue eyes

Photograph by Brent Clark

Daniel Wallace is the author of six novels, including Big Fish (1998), Ray in Reverse (2000), The Watermelon King (2003), Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician (2007), The Kings and Queens of Roam (2013), and most recently Extraordinary Adventures (May 2017). His children’s book, published in 2014, and for which he did both the words and the pictures, is called The Cat’s Pajamas, and it is adorable. In 2003 Big Fish was adapted and released as a movie and then in 2013 the book and the movie were mish-mashed together and became a Broadway musical. His novels have been translated into over two-dozen languages.

Daniel Wallace is the J. Ross MacDonald Distinguished Professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his alma mater, where he directs the Creative Writing Program.

For speaking engagements: Trinity@Tuesdayagency.com

(Bio courtesy of www.danielwallace.org) / Photo courtesy of Simon & Schuster

About Eric Woodall

Adult man wearing a tuxedo. He has light skin, blue eyes and dark glasses

In addition to Big Fish, Eric Woodall’s Theatre Raleigh directing credits include: The Light in the Piazza, Parade, August Osage County and Violet. On Broadway, Eric served as the resident director of Mamma Mia! (as well as on the National tour, Las Vegas and International companies.) Other directing credits include Gypsy, Jesus Christ Superstar, Mary Poppins, Billy Elliot, Driving Miss Daisy  and  Steel Magnolias (North Carolina Theatre); West Side Story, Big River, On Golden Pond  (Casa Mañana);  Amadeus  (Memphis’ Playhouse on the Square); and  Hay Fever  (PlayMakers Repertory.)

Over the last 16 years, Eric has been working as a Broadway casting director in the office of Tara Rubin Casting.  Through casting and developing new musicals, Eric has been  fortunate  to work alongside Stephen Sondheim, Cameron Mackintosh, William Finn, Sir Richard Eyre, Stephen Daldry, Susan Stroman, Stephen Schwartz, Casey Nicholaw, James Lapine, Phyllida Lloyd, and Hal Prince. A few of his Broadway casting credits include  Dreamgirls  (upcoming), Sunset Boulevard, Aladdin, Falsettos,  Big Fish, Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, Billy Elliot, Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid, and  Mamma Mia! Eric is a drama graduate of Carnegie Mellon-University. Member of SDC and CSA. Thank you, Lauren! Dedicated to the memory of my dad, Bill Woodall.

Photo courtesy of EricWoodall.com

10 Signs That You’ll LOVE Significant Other

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A bouquet of flowers is falling at far right against a blue background

1. Your bachelorette party playlist would (or did) include the song, “Get Low.”                  And you would (or did) follow those directions LIKE A BOSS.

2. You recently stayed up till 2am compulsively analyzing EVERY PHOTO EVER in            which a certain someone was tagged.

3. You see NOTHING wrong with sending lengthy messages expressing your                  DEEPEST FEELINGS to a recent Tinder match. 

4. Your friends consistently urge you NOT to send said messages — and suggest            that doing so would result in the recipient filing you IMMEDIATELY under                    “crazy/desperate/run away.”

5. Your views on wedding planning are largely shaped by your [HIGHLY                            SOPHISTICATED] views on irony.

6. While YOU may appear at your office pool party, your BATHING SUIT most                  certainly will not.

7. You’re CONFIDENT that if you got paid what you spent at every bachelorette              party/engagement party/wedding/baby shower, you’d be retired and sitting                on a beach right now.

8. You’ve hung up on your grandma…because it was 1am and her name was                  RIGHT NEXT TO “Guy from Bar.”

9. You’ve been on a first date that was so bad, you legit HOPED for instant-onset            food poisoning during the appetizers.

10. Your friends have enough photographic evidence (of events you don’t                          remember) to potentially blackmail you for the REST OF YOUR LIFE.

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“10 Questions” with…Megan McGinnis

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From left to right: a woman reads the Daddy Long Legs book. A woman with a hand over her mouth. A woman posing in a green jacket.

Question 1: This production of Daddy Long Legs marks your directorial debut! Has directing always been a goal, or was this just an opportunity that came along at the right time?

I don’t think it was a general, “I want to be a director.” It was more, “I want to do Daddy Long Legs from a different perspective.”

Lauren [Kennedy Brady] wrote me an email months ago asking me if I had the script to Daddy Long Legs, because she was doing it in her season. […] I told her that I wanted to direct it. […] I was really thrilled that she said yes and that she’s given me this opportunity!

I’d actually never thought about directing. I can’t remember which run of Daddy Long Legs it was, but we’d all gone out to dinner. John Caird, our original director and book writer, he mentioned something – just very casually – about me directing a piece. He was like, “You should direct it some day.” I sort of laughed it off. It stuck with me though…

Then hilariously when Adam, my husband, joined the show Off-Broadway, he had very little time to be put into the show – and John could only be with us for three days or so. So for the two weeks or so following – let’s just say honestly the entire run – I would give him notes.

I would never have done that with anyone but my husband. But at the same time we discussed that I knew the show best, better than anybody else at this point. I’d done it on and off for seven years. I’d done every incarnation of it. I’d helped to develop it along the way. So I was able to fill Adam in on [so many details]. I think those two things together made me think I could do this show. But I don’t think it was a general, “I want to be a director.” It was more, “I want to do Daddy Long Legs from a different perspective.”

Lauren [Kennedy Brady] wrote me an email months ago asking me if I had the script to Daddy Long Legs, because she was doing it in her season. I said, “I do have the script, and I also have a director.” I told her that I wanted to direct it. I was really proud of myself. I went out, and I said to my husband, “I just told Lauren I want to direct the show.” She wrote back, and she said, “Well, I have someone in mind, but he’s looking at the whole season. If he’s interested in something else, then I’ll come back to you.” And she did. I was really thrilled that she said yes and that she’s given me this opportunity!

Question 2: What is it like to direct a show that you’ve not only starred in, but been involved with throughout the entire development process (since 2009)?

I was really terrified coming in. […] But I felt like I could have a conversation about everything… I was able to take what I had learned and then redevelop it with Hilary [Maiberger] and Max [Chernin]. I loved that – that we have this whole new show together, our own version.

I was really terrified coming in. I just thought, “Oh, I’m going to feel really on the spot. There will be people looking at me for answers.” I surprised myself – pleasantly surprised myself – the first day where I knew all the answers. I mean, I don’t know all the answers. Nobody knows all the answers. But I felt like I could have a conversation about everything, and listen to people’s concerns, and answer people’s questions and create with them. I was able to take what I had learned and then redevelop it with Hilary [Maiberger] and Max [Chernin]. I loved that – that we have this whole new show together, our own version.

I will say it is very cool to be able to decide things. As an actor you offer suggestions, and you never have the final say. It’s been very interesting to think, “Oh, I get to choose.”

And I do think that it has been very collaborative, but I enjoy the fact that when my actors turn to me and ask me for an opinion, I have an opinion – or I can honestly say, “I don’t know,” and we can talk about it together. My fear has not come true that I won’t know what to do.

Question 3: Have you ever felt you had to shift from “actor brain” to “director brain” during rehearsal?

Well, I don’t think it’s all that different. […] The show is from my gut. That’s what it feels like, so I can just talk to them through my instinct.

Well, I don’t think it’s all that different. Maybe especially in this show because it’s two people. I never have to look so outside of myself to place a thirty-person ensemble or something like that.

Someone asked me if I missed it, “Do you miss performing it?” I don’t. In that way I haven’t had to shift my brain. It’s never been, “Oh, I want to jump in there and sing the songs.” First of all, my cast is extraordinary, so I don’t need to.

There was one day in rehearsal when Hilary and I were working on a scene, and I was pointing out something in my script. She said, “Oh, did you not write any of this down, the blocking that you’re giving us?” I said, “No, no I didn’t.” She said, “Oh, I’m so surprised. That’s crazy.” I said, “I think it’s because so much of it is from my gut.” The show is from my gut. That’s what it feels like, so I can just talk to them through my instinct.

So yes, the shift has been surprisingly nonexistent. It seems very natural.

Question 4: Were there any elements from the Off-Broadway production you knew you wanted to change, or explore in a new way?

Lauren and I had talked about the arrangement of the seats in the theater. I really liked the idea of doing it in the round. After some discussion, we changed our minds and instead decided on this diamond shape.

I like it even better than the round, but what it really allowed me to do was think of the show in a different way — that maybe Jervis’s world can be in the center and Jerusha’s world can be surrounding his. Everything stemmed from that.

I had several conversations with John before we began. First, I wanted to see what he felt about me finally directing, and how he felt about me changing the design. The original design is mentioned in the script: that her space, Jerusha’s space, is separated from Jervis’ space. Jervis’ space is slightly higher – a higher level – and he’s in her study. Her world becomes whatever the scene needs it to be.

I felt that if I had that design I might automatically do the same production – to which John said, “Feel free. You helped create this. Absolutely, go ahead…But I think you can do something else,” and sort of challenged me. Then I said, “But the design is so good. It’s so perfect.” He’s like, “Yeah, but we came up with lots of other ideas” – sort of a challenge again.

Lauren and I had talked about the arrangement of the seats in the theater. I really liked the idea of doing it in the round. After some discussion, we changed our minds and instead decided on this diamond shape. I like it even better than the round, but what it really allowed me to do was think of the show in a different way — that maybe Jervis’s world can be in the center and Jerusha’s world can be surrounding his. Everything stemmed from that.

While the ideas of the show are the same, what John did so brilliantly in the original production was activating the letters so that it doesn’t become… You would think that a show that is all letters might seem dull. But all of them are almost recreated in a sense, and that’s entirely John’s idea and concept.

I just took that, and we did different staging and a couple of different ideas within that. Once that diamond shape was decided on, everything fell into place for me. We used trunks in the original production, and I wanted to look at that a little bit differently. I did end up using some similar ideas for the trunks because it’s just so good.

Question 5: In directing the show, have you discovered anything new? And did that surprise you?

No. I really do think I know the show inside and out! It’s a part of me, and it will always be a part of me. I love that.

Question 6: Having been with the show for seven years initially, and now reviving it two years later, what is it about the show that drives you back to it?

Everything. First of all, the music is so spectacular and also so varied. […]

And the characters themselves are so special. Watching someone like Jerusha Abbott grow into herself is an exciting journey. She’s someone that I think we all wish we were more like.

Everything. First of all, the music is so spectacular and also so varied. There are just so many different types of songs and flavors and styles. It’s so melodic. I could listen to the score every day. I mean, I have, and I never tire of hearing it. Never ever ever ever.

And the characters themselves are so special. Watching someone like Jerusha Abbott grow into herself is an exciting journey. She’s someone that I think we all wish we were more like. I like visiting her. I think we as audience members are more like Jervis, maybe more reserved and trying to rediscover the world, and Jerusha is the one that allows that to happen for him and for us.

It’s so special that I get to – that it’s still a part of my life. What else do I want to share about why the show is so special? I just feel like I could go on and on about it… [but you’ll have to come see it to find out for yourself!]

Question 7: What do you hope audiences will take away from it?

I think some of the things Jerusha tells us are things that we need to be reminded of every day. […] [In] “Secret of Happiness” there’s a beautiful little paragraph she says before the song:
“These are the big troubles in life that require character. Anyone can rise to a crisis and face a crushing tragedy with courage. To meet the petty hazards of the day with a laugh, I really think that requires spirit.”
Everyday I’d get there and be like, “Right, yes, okay. I can do this.”

I think some of the things Jerusha tells us are things that we need to be reminded of every day. I felt that when I was doing the show. Every day we got to “Secret of Happiness,” and there’s a beautiful little paragraph she says before the song:

“These are the big troubles in life that require character. Anyone can rise to a crisis and face a crushing tragedy with courage. To meet the petty hazards of the day with a laugh, I really think that requires spirit.”

Everyday I’d get there and be like, “Right, yes, okay. I can do this.”

The whole show has those moments like that that are just such wonderful reminders – especially in this day and age when I feel like we’re fighting against a lot of negativity, and it feels like an uphill battle. Maybe that’s because I have a newborn child.

Question 8: How do you think today’s audiences relate to a show that’s set from 1908 to 1912?

It’s funny. I don’t actually ever think of the show as a period piece. […]

It’s interesting because in “The Secret of Happiness” – the song that follows that paragraph – the lyric is, “I’ve discovered the secret of happiness is living in the now.” I mean, we use that phrase all the time – but Jean Webster, when she wrote this novel in the early 1900s, basically coined it. She said it then, which is just so incredible that we are still trying to attain that. The message is timeless.

It’s funny. I don’t actually ever think of the show as a period piece. The only thing that makes it a period piece in my mind is ultimately how Jerusha and Jervis fall in love, because it does exist in a world that is…not ours. Things were different then, but Jerusha is so ahead of her time that watching her develop into this young lady, it feels just as timely. All those reminders that I was talking about, again, just as timely. None of that feels like it’s 1908.

It’s interesting because in “The Secret of Happiness” – the song that follows that paragraph – the lyric is, “I’ve discovered the secret of happiness is living in the now.” I mean, we use that phrase all the time – but Jean Webster, when she wrote this novel in the early 1900s, basically coined it. She said it then, which is just so incredible that we are still trying to attain that. The message is timeless.

Question 9: The Kennedy Theatre, which seats about 130, is similar in size to the Davenport (where the show played Off-Broadway.) What do you think it is about a theatre that size that fits the show so well?

What’s so great about this show is that it makes any space feel intimate. But it’s even cooler being in an intimate space because both Jerusha and Jervis talk to the audience. […]

I feel like we as audience members can feel like we’re a part of their journey, sort of helping them along.

What’s so great about this show is that it makes any space feel intimate. But it’s even cooler being in an intimate space because both Jerusha and Jervis talk to the audience. They are sharing with the audience throughout the show. The audience is the scene partner. It’s a wonderful way to share the story and share the spirit of the story. I feel like we as audience members can feel like we’re a part of their journey, sort of helping them along.

But that is not to say that they actually interact. They don’t, but you feel like someone is confiding in you. In a small space like that, you can have actual eye contact. It’s been fun working on that with Hilary and Max too, because they’re not used to that.

It’s something that John brought up the first day of rehearsal in 2009, and I was like, “You are crazy. You want me to look at people?” It changes the show. It really does – and often in a way audiences may not expect. It makes the characters more vulnerable on stage, which is so great.

Question 10: In the show, Jerusha has a line referencing Little Women – and, of course, you starred in the Broadway musical as Beth. But you were also involved in the pre-Broadway workshop productions of Little Women at Duke University in 2001 and 2004. Now that you’re back in North Carolina, have you had any chance to explore the area? Is there anything you want to do before you leave?

I want to go back to Duke. […]

Honestly, I want more time down here. It’s so beautiful. I love it. I remember loving it in 2001 and 2004, and I love it now.

I want to go back to Duke. I mean, the most gorgeous campus I’ve ever seen. I remember having lunch one day in the cafeteria. I don’t remember which year, but one of those. I was like, “Oh, I’m at Hogwarts.” It’s perfection. We went to Marbles Museum with our son, which was incredible, and I want to go back already.

What else have we done? We had some excellent Southern cooking at Tupelo Honey… Honestly, I want more time down here. It’s so beautiful. I love it. I remember loving it in 2001 and 2004, and I love it now.

 

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Daddy Long Legs

May 16-27

Kennedy Theatre

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