Interview with Leigh Silverman
ANDY DRACHENBERG – How did you first get involved with Chinglish? Leigh Silverman – I was directing David’s play Yellow Face at The Public, and we had a great time working together. We did the play out in Los Angeles and then brought it to New York. He said he had this idea about doing a kind of Glengarry Glen […]
Christopher Oram Talks Olivier Award Winning Costumes of ‘Wolf Hall Parts 1 & 2’
Andy Drachenberg: What makes Wolf Hall’s design so unique? Christopher Oram: Since we couldn’t possibly create all the locations referred to in both plays the set had to be something much simpler. We had to find a language were we allowed ourselves a simple unit set that told sense of scale rather then specific place. It […]
Hilary Mantel Talks About Bringing ‘Wolf Hall’ From Book To Stage To Broadway
Andy Drachenberg: What inspired you to write this story? Hilary Mantel: The Tudors have been so worked over in novels, in plays… It’s a risky thing to do. But I became aware that there was a gap in the story we’re being told. Where’s Thomas Cromwell? He’s actually central to the most dramatic events of Henry’s […]
Olivier Award Winner Nathaniel Parker Talks ‘Wolf Hall’ & Portraying Henry VIII
Andy Drachenberg: What about the character is engaging and how are you connected to the character? Nathaniel Parker: If you play Henry VIII you are playing the most famous king in the world. 50 years after he died he was going to be the most famous king partly because he did kill a lot of […]
Elisabeth Moss Talks The Resurgence of Feminism and Starring on Broadway Post “Mad Men”
Andy Drachenberg: Tell us about ‘The Heidi Chronicles.’ Elisabeth Moss: There are several ways you could describe this play-it’s about a generation, specifically the baby boom generation. The best answer is Wendy’s answer: the play is about how friends are your family, and for me that is what it is really about. You go through life […]
Tony Winner Pam MacKinnon Talks ‘The Heidi Chronicles’ and Playwright Wendy Wasserstein’s Relevance
Andy Drachenberg: The first question I’m curious about is why The Heidi Chronicles – what captured your initial interest? Pam MacKinnon: It’s such a great play, I have long been an admirer of Wendy Wasserstein’s work. The muscularity of the language, the humor, the politics woven into something that is actually really emotional and psychological; a deeply, deeply […]
Funnyman Will Brill On Why New Yorkers Should Relax & Take A Page From ‘You Can’t Take It With You’
ANDY DRACHENBERG: What is at the heart of the story of You Can’t Take It With You? WILL BRILL: You Can’t Take It With You is a play about people committed to having fun, and definitely puts out a very beautiful and strong message (particularly for New Yorkers), which is to relax, be easy on yourself, and be […]
Annaleigh Ashford Dishes on Dialect Dominoes & Calling James Earl Jones “Grandpa” | ‘You Can’t Take It With You’
Andy Drachenberg: What is it about the story of You Can’t Take It With You that attracted you to the play? Annaleigh Ashford: This show is literally the title: You Can’t Take It With You, which I think is an incredible theme that is as relevant today as it was in 1936. And even though we’re not in the […]
Leading Lady Rose Byrne Talks Growing Up in A Rambunctious Family and Bonding With Castmates | ‘You Can’t Take It With You’
ANDY DRACHENBERG: What is it about You Can’t Take It With You that attracted you to the play? ROSE BYRNE: The American family is such a traditional theme in theatre, film and novels, and this family is truly one of the original eccentric American families. The play is very radical and modern, particularly for 1936 when it debuted. […]
Tony Winner Tracy Letts Talks ‘The Realistic Joneses’ and Playwright Will Eno’s Reality
ANDY DRACHENBERG: What do you look for in a piece of work that you are hoping to be a part of? TRACY LETTS: Well, I suppose the first thing I look for is quality of writing, that the writing is of a certain baseline quality, it’s got to be good, it’s got to be well written. […]
Michael C. Hall Confronts the Profound in ‘The Realistic Joneses’
ANDY DRACHENBERG: What qualities does a production have to possess to get your interest? MICHAEL C. HALL: I look for a story that’s generally compelling, that speaks to me in some way and I, as an actor, look for a role within the context of that story that’s a part of the fundamental fabric of its […]
‘Lady Day’ Scenic Designer, James Noone, Talks Creating Non-Traditional Immersive Theatre
ANDY DRACHENBERG: How did you first explore designing Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill? JAMES NOONE: Lonny and I actually did a version of Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill about 6 years ago at the Long Wharf Theatre. A lot of the ideas used for this Broadway production have grown out of the Long Wharf production. […]