Yesterday, EAP had the pleasure to interview the cast and creative for Angelwalk Theatre's production of [Title of Show]. We had planned to reproduce an edited version of that interview here, but technical difficulties intervened and the audio recording of the interview was lost. Thankfully the cast was video recording, so some of it may make it into one of their webisodes, for the show. Instead, we decided to write an extended preview piece about [Title of Show] and this production.
As EAP readers will know, we have been strong supporters of [Title of Show]. Our own Justin Haley saw one of the final Broadway performances, and remembers it as one of his most moving theatre experience. A show about creating a show, written by Hunter Bell with music and lyrics by Jeff Bowen, [Title of Show] documents the process of writing and creating a musical. It is sharp, witty and really well written. But, it wasn't a likely Broadway bound work and didn't have a legacy run. It did however develop a cult following, both before and after Its time on the Great White Way. Therefore, it isn't a surprise that an up-and-coming, savvy production team has brought it to Toronto.
Starring Mark Allen as Jeff, Justin Bott as Hunter, Jayme Armstrong as Heidi, Shelley Simester as Susan and Musical Director Anthony Bastianon as Larry, this veteran cast really has their work cut out for them. Not only is the material dense and sophisticated but with a rehearsal time of only a few weeks there is a lot of pressure on these guys to deliver. When we sat down with them yesterday we wanted to find out how the process has been so far and what they are most excited about.
None of the cast members or director Tim French had seen [Title of Show] prior to getting involved with Angelwalk's production. Although some of them were familiar with the original cast recording. We asked them if that, or the fact that they were playing characters based on real people, was a challenge for them. And while they acknowledged that playing actual people was something they had considered, ultimately the characters had to be there own or the show wouldn't feel true. And as Jayme Armstrong pointed out the script is written in such a real way that it would be difficult not to play it naturally.
We had a good laugh with them about all of [Title of Show]'s obscure inside theatre jokes, asking them if they were familiar with all of the refrences. They told us that in many ways it would be impossible to know all of the refrences made in [Title of Show]. But that didn't worry them when it comes to the audiences' appreciation for the production. Mark pointed out the universal nature and relatability of the script, saying that even when the inside jokes don't land it is the heart of the piece that shines through. And Jayme added that ultimately the show is about the creative process, which is something theatre-goers will aprreciate. Theatre geeks will love it for all the refrences and inside jokes but the audience will love it because [Title of Show] exposes the world of theatre like never before. And it does so with great music, humor and pannache.
As for working together, the cast, directed by Tim French, seem to be gelling. Considering how small the theatre community is in Canada, it isn't a surprise that many of them have worked together before, and undoubtably have inside jokes of their own. But we were surprised by their responses when asked how working with such a small cast has affected the experience. For Shelley Simester it wasn't a big depature, "as a six foot tall woman," she doesn't usually get cast as the ingenue and has often worked with smaller casts. Music Director Anthony Bastianon, went even further saying that smaller productions are commonplace in the regional theatre world in Canada, for very practical reasons. Cost being first among them. But with a small cast comes certain challenges, Justin Bott pointed out that being one of four puts an enormous amount of pressure on each actor to really know the material and understand it well. And Jayme added that with a show of this size there just isn't the kind of down time in rehearsal for review. It is a heck of a lot of work for these guys just to get all of the script and music under their belts. Not to mention developing characters and chemistry with one another. But Mr. Bastianon is not worried about the music. He says these guys sound amazing together.
As for working at the Studio Theatre at the Yonge Centre for the Performing Arts, Director Tim French felt strongly that the space really suited this show. As he put it, "the audience is right there," and with a show as intimate as [Title of Show] that will only enhance the theatre-going expierence. And, he pointed out, the Studio space is much more in keeping with the original production done for the New York Musical Theatre Festival or NYMF, than say a 1,000 seat house on Broadway.
In closing, we asked Mr. French how he felt this production might be similar or different to the one originally produced in New York. He told us that he had purposeley avoided watching footage of any of the actual production that is online because he wanted Angelwalk's production to be entirely Its own. But, he said, "As a director my job is to understand the intentions of the writer(s) and be true to that," rather than to create a show that visually looks the same. "Ultimately," French said, "if we have done our jobs right, that is what will feel the same about this production and the original."
[Title of Show] runs from September 24, to October 13th at the Studio Theatre at the Yonge Centre for the Performing Arts. For tickets and more information regarding the Toronto Premiere of [Title of Show] please click the header!
LM & JH
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