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Back in Style: Interview with Alan Schmuckler and David Holstein

Posted on 12 July 2010 by Alissa Norby

Photo credit: Michael Brosilow

In a time when New York producers are parched for new musical ideas, Chicago is disproving the old adage that a fresh, winsome work is as rare as- well, as rare as an affordable modish wardrobe. For the second year, the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre has commissioned the talents of two young, spirited composers to concoct a wholly original and beguiling musical treat for summer audiences. And fortunately for Chicago, composer Alan Schmuckler and book writer/lyricist David Holstein are more than up to the task in their quirky, contemporized adaptation of Hans Christian Andersens celebrated tale, “The Emperors New Clothes”.

Interview by Alissa Norby

ShowBiz Chicago: Walk me through the process of adaptation. How did you work to pair Davids text with Alans score to tell this new version ofThe Emperors New Clothes”?

David Holstein (DH): Alan and I create the story together. Then we sit down and decide what parts of the story should be songs and which should be scenes. He goes off to write the music and I go off to write the scenes and keep an eye on the overall narrative. Then we get together make sure the puzzle fits.

Alan Schmuckler (AS): And the line between dialogue and song isnt as neatly defined as you might think. Lots of times Dave takes a crack at a scene, shows me the draft, and then I say, well, these few lines of dialogue , I think theres a song in there. So the next draft of that scene, some of Daves lines are gone, and theres a song in its place, with some new dialogue sprinkled throughout. Inspiration piggybacks on inspiration.

ShowBiz Chicago: Despite its age, thisEmperorseems to have a contemporary flare, specifically with Sam going off to college and the enviro-friendly message. Was there a specific style, either in terms of text or music, that you went for to add to its modern connection?

AS: Our story is all about the crashing-together of old and new (a father and a daughter, a mother and a son), so I had in mind a score that would do the same: a blend of classic and contemporary musical theater. Hopefully it sounds like it was written sixty years ago and last week at the same time.

DH: In terms of text, we really wanted to keep things relevant and current. Especially when youre telling a story to kids, you want to create as many points of connection as possible.

ShowBiz Chicago: Alan, your 2007 work with Michael Mahler, “How Can You Run with a Shell On Your Back?” was an enormous success. What did you take from this experience, as well as your stage work, that influenced your approach withEmperor”?

AS: I do not think I can put into words what a special experienceShellwas. I learned the value of totally trusting your collaborators, and the joy (and responsibility) of being totally trusted. As far as the acting goes, the jobs I am lucky enough to do onstage inform the writing I do as much as the other way around. I am hugely fortunate in that I get to do both.

Photo credit: Michael Brosilow

ShowBiz Chicago: Rachel Rockwell is quickly becoming one of Chicagos most sought-after directors for her unique style of musical staging. Can you talk about working with Rachel, as well as her approach to the piece?

DH: Rachel is amazing. She brings so many good ideas to the show and she is such a hardworking collaborator. We have been through two workshops with her on this show and I can honestly say we could not have done it without her.

AS: Rachel has pitch perfect instincts and a lightning fast mind. Which means she gets what Dave and I are going for, and then she directs and stages in a way that communicates that vision with crystal clarity. The result is both definitively hers and definitively ours. Amazing, and rare.

ShowBiz Chicago: The concept of the parent-child relationship, and the challenges yet rewards therein, seems to be an especially important theme in the show. Tell me about what you hope kids and family will take away from these messages.

DH: This is one of the shows where if we have done it right, towards the second to last song, the parents will start putting their arms around their kids and the kids will start crawling into their laps. Our hope is that parents will leave the show more connected to their kids, and visa versa.

AS: I think a lot of times we do not see what is right in front of us. Whether it isinvisiblefabric or the fabric of our closest relationships, we take a lot for granted becausethats just how it is”. It does not occur to us to see things from any perspective other than our own. I hope parents and kids walk away a little more aware that they are deeply connected to each other and that just because their points of view differ does not mean there is any love lost.

ShowBiz Chicago: Finally, both of you consistently work on new theatre pieces. What do you both see as the importance of introducing children to original stage works, as opposed to the more common stage version of popular young adult movies?

DH: I think as long as families are going to the theater together period that is a good sign. But for starters, I think taking children to original stage works introduces them to simpler stories that were created for a simpler medium. Movies tends to have more characters, more locations, more plot, more cutting back and forth between things and when you adapt that for the stage that complexity needs to be paired down. I think it is too hard maintain the original impact of the film version, because you are trying to contain something larger. When you write something especially for the theater, you are starting with a simple idea and expanding it, not the other way around.

AS: No joke, I think bringing your kids to an original stage work is one of the best things you can do for their minds and hearts. A brand new story nourishes and sparks the imagination. They have never heard it before, so all they have is what is happening right now in front of them. Plus, a lot of those movies are already brilliant, why skim a little of their magic off the top when you can whip up a fresh dose?

The Emperors New Clothes runs through August 29, 2010 at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre at Navy Pier. For tickets or for more information, please visit www.ChicagoShakes.com.

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Interview with Gift Theatre’s Andrew Hinderaker and Michael Patrick Thornton

Posted on 10 July 2010 by Alissa Norby

[caption id="attachment_4238" align="alignleft" width="473" caption="Joshua Rollins and Michael Patrick Thornton in "Suicide, Incorporated". Photo credit: Emily McConnell"][/caption]

Situated in a quaint, effacing storefront in the heart of Jefferson Park, The Gift Theatre has been generating some of the city’s finest dramatic works since its inception. Andrew Hinderaker’s new “Suicide, Incorporated”, a searing drama that unflinchingly examines both the course and consequence of its titular subject, is drawing sold-out crowds weekly. Playwright Andrew Hinderaker and artistic director/performer Michael Patrick Thornton (also of ABC’s “Private Practice”) caught up with ShowBiz Chicago to discuss the unprecedented success of the piece, the Gift’s unique performer-playwright partnership, and why matters of death can give way to the most enlivening of theatre.

Interview by Alissa Norby

ShowBiz Chicago: How did the concept behindSuicide, Incorporatedbegin and what attracted you to writing this piece?

Andrew Hinderaker (AH): After losing a friend to suicide, and reading some alarming statistics on the rate of suicide among men (and young men, in particular), I really wanted to address the relationship between suicide and masculinity. It just seemed like a clear and strong connection and I felt like very few people were talking about it. So I reached out to the JED Foundation in New York, who focus specifically on suicide prevention for college students. They put me in touch with some parents who’d lost their sons to suicide, as well as young men who had attempted to take their own lives. These conversations crystallized what I wanted to write about — not only that relationship between suicide and masculinity, but also the unique kind of grief that comes when a loved one commits suicide. So I knew what I wanted to write about, but finding a way in was a challengeWhen writing a piece about suicide — particularly when there’s a personal connection — it can easily turn into something educational or confessional, more akin to a diary entry or academic presentation than a compelling piece of theaterFortunately for me, while I was trying to write the piece, I also had a miserable paying job with a company that ‘edits’ its clients admissions essays for undergraduate and graduate school. In my opinion, that company was at best morally questionable, essentially rewriting their clients’ work for a fairly hefty sumBut it gave me the idea for the company in “Suicide, Incorporated” — and once I had the premise, the entire story unraveled for me. And I knew it was a story that would allow me to discuss the topic I wanted to address, while also providing tension and humor.

ShowBiz Chicago: Tell me about the development process withSuicide”. How did it morph from the page, to Steppenwolfs First Look, to its premiere with the Gift?

AH: I wrote the first draft in 2007, and in general, I don’t share anything until that first draft is complete. Once it’s done, I’ll share it with folks I trust, and who won’t judge me too harshly. Because the soul of the story is usually in tact in that first draft, but the writing itself is, well, not polished. So I’d take the initial draft to a weekly writing group I was attending at the time, hear a scene read, and make changes. After probably the fourth or fifth draft, Aaron Carter at Victory Gardens was nice enough to give the play a staged reading. A few months after that, Jeni Mahoney (head of playwriting at NYU and Artistic Director of the Seven Devils Playwrights Conference) called me to tell me they’d selected “Suicide, Incorporated” for Seven Devils. Honestly, that’s where the greatest development happened; I had nearly 40 hours of rehearsal and a staged reading at the end, so I had a great forum for exploration. First Look happened shortly after Seven Devils, and gave me the opportunity to work with Michael and Jonathan. Really, I’ve been extremely lucky that the development process for this play hasn’t been rushed and has allowed me to work with some tremendous artistsWhen you have the opportunity to write a draft, have it read at Victory Gardens, then take a couple months off, write another draft and have it read at Seven Devils, then take a couple months off, write another draft and have it read at Steppenwolf — you’re very lucky indeed.

ShowBiz Chicago: Mike, how did you get involved with the production and what attracted you to it as both a performer and artistic director?

Michael Patrick Thornton (MPT): I first encountered the play through Steppenwolfs First Look Rep two years ago and immediately fell in love with its economy and restraint, its giant heart and mind. The piece semmed to benefit from intellectual and emotional intimacy, which were two things I knew The Gifts small storefront space could provide. As an actor, I loved Norms humour and heart. I understood his lonliness and the feeling of a world turned inside out. As Artistic Director, I felt a play about the male inability to ask for help would take on a special resonance in working class Jefferson Park (where Gift is) not to mention the plays subject is personal to me.

ShowBiz Chicago: Walk me through the rehearsal process forSuicide”. How did the production shift and grow through collaboration during this time?

AH: This is probably a better question for Mike, but from my perspective, it was a really lovely rehearsal process. Jonathan was at the helm, and if I had questions or comments during rehearsal, I’d run them past him, and he’d incorporate them into rehearsal, or into his notes. For the most part, I tried to watch each scene and tighten up moments. There were some definite rewrites that occurred during rehearsal, but nothing that major.

MPT: Same here. I assured Andrew early on hed be welcome at all rehearsals. It was very open and welcoming and ribald humour during breaks often broke up the drama.

ShowBiz Chicago: Mike, you of course star in the popularPrivate Practiceon ABC. What was the experience returning to the Chicago theatre scene for this production?

MPT: I couldnt wait. I love doing the TV show, but Gift is my heart and soul, and getting back to the slightly dusty, cavernous rehearsal room was sweet, sweet delightWere sold out every night. Its been a great homecoming.

ShowBiz Chicago: The play is set primarily in a business that edits suicide notes, a very brutal environment. Why was this harsh setting, that truly shines a light on individualswillingness to capitalize on otherspain, important as a context?

AH: The easy answer is that it was a way to introduce some humor into a very heavy, very dark subject, and to ultimately make the play more entertaining. And to make it more dramatic — Jason’s desire to save his clients is clearly and strongly opposed by not only his boss, but the clients themselves — a set-up that would ensure tension and conflict throughout. Ultimately, though, I’m most fascinated and troubled by this cutthroat capitalist country we live in. People talk about this being a perverse or ‘brutal’ company, but to me it’s not worse than hundreds of ‘legitimate’ companies that exist in this country, and so clearly profit at the expense of others’ pain. At the same time, I’m deeply proud to live in this country and grew up in a Midwestern city where folks were almost always good to one another. So as a writer, I find myself fascinated by the coexistence of philanthropy and brutal capitalism in America, and the ways in which compassion arises in the most unfeeling of places.

ShowBiz Chicago: The majority of the actors that perform inSuicideare not part of the Gift ensemble. What was the experience collaborating with these younger actors to tackle the show?

MPT: In many ways the fact that I am the only ensemble member has been a real gift, if youll forgive the pun. Norms (the character I play) entire journey takes place with strangers, and while I perform regularly with Ed Flynn (who plays Scott) in Gifts improv show Natural Gas and have worked with both Jim Farruggio and Jay Worthington at Gift and Steppenwolf, yes, they are not ensemble members of The Gift, I have not collaborated with this group for a decade, and there is something rich in acknowledging that; that I am alone without my fellow Gift ensemble, which engenders a sense ofwho are these people, how did I get herewhich I think is valid for and synchronistic with Norms experience. It makes me feel entrusted to live up to and embody Gifts ethos and the great dizzying talents of the ensemble who are not onstage with me through my performance, and as far as the younger cats in the play go, they may be younger but they have an emotional intelligence and level of commitment that belies their age. If you underestimate them, theyll devour you.

ShowBiz Chicago: One of the most striking elements of the production to me is its use of humor, both warm and at times sardonic. What is the purpose for both you Andrew as a playwright and Michael as an actor in using this kind of humor to tell parts ofSuicide, Incorporated”?

AH: To me, the most meaningful moments on stage and in life occur when humor and pain coexist.

MPT: Jonathan Berry (our director) said early on that Norms sardonic, self-deprecative humour is a very good reason for his still being alive. I think when we can laugh at something, that provides distance, and even just a little bit of distance can be a godsend by providing a wedge between you and the awful, all-encompassing immediate experience of your pain. Its interesting: by being able to laugh at somethingwhether we know it or not or dont want to know itwe have already partly moved on. Sometimes that acknowledgment is the most painful and scary thing. Because who are we then?

ShowBiz Chicago: Youve mentioned recently your interest in the concept of masculinity, with bothSuicideandKingsville”. How do you see the relationship between masculinity and self-harm?

AH: From a statistics standpoint, it’s just recognizing that 80% of suicides are completed by men, and that the two highest groups (men late teens-30 and men, 60s, I believe) coincide with those difficult stages for guys when they’re trying to figure out how to be men, and how to negotiate through life when they’re losing all those qualities that make them masculine in this culture. It’s very important, however, to recognize that people who commit suicide are almost always suffering from severe psychological illness and a huge component of suicide prevention involves getting people in touch with the treatment they need. And to put it simply, men are far less likely to seek out help. They’re less likely to reach out — to professionals, even to friends — and to me, it’s vitally important that we begin to redefine masculinity such that the act of reaching out is seen as one of strength.

ShowBiz Chicago: Michael, how did you incorporate these ideas of masculinity, as well as those of intimacy, in your interpretation of Norm?

MPT: Well, Norms a lot more guarded than I am. There are differences in physicality and voice, etc., but all these somewhat academic topics of male masculinity for methe actorsimply translate and reduce to two things: fear, and love.

ShowBiz Chicago: Andrew, why do you think we as a culture often refuse to view these acts of violence with a gendered lens?

AH: I’m not sure. I suspect that there’s a fear, and a legitimate one, that if we viewed suicide as a “male issue,” we’d be ignoring the very many females who contemplate, attempt, and complete suicide. I also suspect that there’s a real hesitation in taking an approach that could be construed as making men ‘victims.’ The truth is that of course males are at an advantage in many areas of our society; it’s ridiculous, for example, that in this day and age, there’s still a tremendous discrepancy in wages among women and men, but that disparity exists — and must be addressed, and is just one of many areas where men are at an advantage in a sexist society.

That said, to me it’s not about making men ‘victims’; it’s about exploring the role we all play in perpetuating a construct of masculinity that is unhealthy at best, dangerous at worst. We don’t hesitate, for example, to explore eating disorders through the lens of gender, and to examine the relationship between that very significant problem and our societal constructs of femininityOur failure to do the same with masculinity and its possible relationship to suicide, school shootings, and violence at large is a problem I hope to address.

ShowBiz Chicago: On an ending note, what projects are coming up for both of you either in Chicago or beyond?

AH: You mentioned “Kingsville,” and that opens in mid-October at Stage Left, in their new Theatre Wit space (more info at www.stagelefttheatre.com). I also have a reading of a brand new play, “Dirty,” a comedy about a porn company for the social good. That reading will take place at Chicago Dramatists on Saturday, July 24th at 2 PM, and will also be directed by Jonathan Berry. (more info at www.chicagodramatists.org) July. And in August, I head down to Austin, to begin an MFA in Playwriting. (Complete information can be found at www.andrewsplays.com)

MPT: Ill be reprising my role as Tad Rose in Gifts remount of “The Ruby Sunrise” July 28thAugust 1 at Theatre on the Lake. I improvise with “Natural Gas” every Wednesday night at 8m & Friday nights after Suicide, Incorporated @ 9:30pm, Im shooting Ron Howards “Cheaters” in August, hopefully returning to “Private Practice” in the fall, and appearing onstage at Steppenwolf in “Middletown” in 2011.

“Suicide, Incorporated” now runs through September 12, 2010 at the Gift Theatre. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.TheGiftTheatre.org.

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We’re All Mad Here: Interview with David Catlin

Posted on 23 June 2010 by Alissa Norby

Photo courtesy of Lookingglass Theatre Company

Most adolescent boys do away with their freshly-acquired Bar Mitzvah money before you can say “Haftorah”. But not David Schwimmer. Instead, the Lookingglass Theatre Company co-founder and “Friends” superstar mounted what was to become his theatre company’s most illustrious and withstanding production, “Lookingglass Alice”, based on the cherished novels of Lewis Carroll. The company’s Artistic Director David Catlin recently caught up with ShowBiz Chicago to discuss the adaptation and production process for Alice’s latest journey (now playing through August 1, 2010 at the Water Tower), and why this fourth trip down the rabbit hole just may be the best yet.

Interview by Alissa Norby


ShowBiz Chicago: This is the fourth time Chicago audiences will be treated toLookingglass Alice”. For our readers who do not know the story, take me back to 1987 when this production was first getting developed.

David Catlin (DC): We were students at Northwestern University and David Schwimmer had some money in a bank account that he had gotten for his Bar Mitzvah. He decided to self-produce an adaptation ofAlice in Wonderland”. That particular adaptation had been done by Andre Gregory at the end of the 1960s. It was this very physical production that was ensemble-based and had what you would call apoor theatresetting, very simple and transformational and not necessarily strictly for kids. It had a lot of grown-up ideas in it because there was a great deal of response to the turbulence of the 1960s in that production. There was this book that described the process that this [company] went through, and Schwimmer had an old tattered copy of this. So he brought six of us in to do it and use nontraditional ways to create the story. The production did well enough on campus that we brought it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and decided to start a company, Lookingglass. Flash forward fifteen years, we were building a theatre here at the Water Tower and our artistic director at the time suggested that we return and re-tackle that material.

ShowBiz Chicago: I understand that at this time you had become a parent. How did this new personal role affect your approach to the childrens story?

DC: Going into 2005 I was a young father and had a daughter who was about two and a half years old. It occurred to me how just swiftly she was moving through life, even at that age. I remember one of her very first sentences was, “When can I get my ears pierced?” So one of the things we had discovered and felt very strongly about in doingAliceis that these stories were a loving gift from Lewis Carroll to the real Alice Liddell. They were written in a very Victorian world with lots of rules and strict regulations for behavior. Society had really pressured kids to grow up fast and become little adults. So withThrough the Lookingglass”, the structure is actually set up to be a Chessboard. Alice starts as a pawn and the book ends with her being crowned a queen. I realized that, for me and my personal way into the story, was what I would want to tell my daughter about growing up: not to do it too quickly, and to hang onto all of the amazing things that kids are so good at, like believing in impossible things. We as adults often forget how to do that.

ShowBiz Chicago: Carrolls work is of course noted for its sense of wonder and whimsy, but more so its sense of play. How have you been able to incorporate the idea of play into the physical production?

DC: We try to let every square inch of the theatre be part of our playground. Just as the play leads to very different paths, we try, through design and circus work, to evoke this same sense of the unexpected. I have also tried to make the show a little bit loose in terms of feeling spontaneous. There are things that we do that require prolonged degrees of focus and attention for actorssafety, but there are also big sequences where actors are encouraged to discover. To me, play is very much about the ability and willingness to discover, to see things anew. This story, particularlyAlice in Wonderland”, was told to the real Alice and her sisters on a boat ride. So although Carroll may have been thinking about these characters before, they came out in this spontaneous, unscripted way. We want to evoke this sense of play, of responding and exploring in the moment.

ShowBiz Chicago: How did you design the production to tap into these concepts for audiences?

Photo courtesy of Lookingglass Theatre Company

DC: A lot of the props are also reminiscent of childhood. There are balls that show up, distorted scales, physical transformations. A piece of fabric becomes a sea of tears and some junky old folding chairs become a tea party. That idea of transforming simple objects into amazing things, I mean kids do that so beautifully, and we want to continue that willing suspension of disbelief.

ShowBiz Chicago: How did the partnership with the Actors Gymnasium begin, and what is the significance of cirque performance in the role of storytelling for you as an Artistic Director?

DC: The relationship with Actors Gymnasium started really because, as theatres, we have the same DNA. One of the founders was in that initial Northwestern production. As the company was starting, Cirque Du Soleil was doing one of its initial tent shows here in Chicago and we as a group saw it together. We thought, “This is so exciting.” We thought theatre, like that, should bring people to the edge of their seats and always evoke a visceral, kinesthetic response. We want you to experience it in your muscles and in your stomach. There is something about the impossible instance of watching a cirque performance that just fit the Lewis Carroll world, something about the idea of seeing people do things that are magical and entirely unexpected. And theres also that dizzying quality that you get, and we want you to feel that same effect much like how Alice may have felt falling down that rabbit hole.

ShowBiz Chicago: The recent Tim Burton adaptation ofAlices Adventures in Wonderlandfocused a great deal on the themes of good vs. evil inherent in the text. Your adaptation tends to focus more on the lyricism and acrostics of the story. Was this intentional?

DC: Yes, I am very interested in the things that I want my daughter to really think about and therefore the elements of his stories that I want young people to think about. To me, there is somewhat of a battle going on here, but its a battle between the strict, rational mindset of the Red Queen and the kind of irrational force that is the White Queen. The White Queen is telling Alice to believe in impossible things, to return to being a kid. The Red Queen wants propriety. So the conflict for Alice is between these. As we see the Red Queen in our production, she is this incredibly tall, 15-foot force but by the end she is tiny and basically floats away on an umbrella.

ShowBiz Chicago: How did the concept of childhood identity, and the development of it, factor in to your understanding of the text as an adaptor?

DC: As the Red Queen diminishes, Alices esteem and sense of self in the world grows, because this story really is about identity. Theres this concept in psychology known as theLookingglass Self”, which says we define ourselves based on how we believe others perceive us, or see us through the lookingglass. We often, and children in particular, look to others to find who we are. But eventually Alice learns we must look at ourselves to truly define ourselves. Essentially, each square on the Chessboard represents one of those stages in our lives. You look at the work and you can see it. The Tweedles call to mind that awkward stage in adolescence, when we are so concerned with how our friends see and act toward us and how we might fit into that equation. Then theres Humpty Dumpty, which really shows the moment in our young adult lives when we lose somebody, someone important to us, a situation we cannot fix. It makes us older, takes away our childhood.

ShowBiz Chicago: One of the most notable elements of the production is the relationship you portray physically between Carroll and Alice. Why did you decide to make the author such a prominent character in Alices journey?

DC: I think partly because this is a loving gift to her from him. Its these two people who had this connection and loved each other, and that connection is an important force in the story. So in a way it creates two worlds within the production. Carroll was a lonely soul, coming from a big family but never really able to fit in with the real world. I think there is something sad but also beautiful about his connection to Alice, because that world he was most interested in was the one they created together.

ShowBiz Chicago: What do you hope children who see your production take away from its message of the power in imagination?

DC: We live in a world with so much stimulation coming at us, with video games and iPods. I hope that kids will take away the idea of creation, of creating new worlds and characters and to ultimately be okay with that nonsense. Not everything has to be logical and perfect. As Humpty says, “What if you had two eyes on the side of your head, your mouth is above and your nose above? That would be something, that would be different.” And Alice says, “That wouldnt look very nice.” Humpty responds, “Waittil you try.” So I hope that kids will leave wanting to try new things, outside of the boxes that we as adults often make for them. Go out, invent impossible things and believe in impossible things.

ShowBiz Chicago: What does the nameLookingglasscontinue to mean to the company?

DC: It means a lot of things, but among them the connection to Lewis Carroll and the celebration of nonsense and irreverence. Also, the pursuit of clever ideas and that source of wonder that Alice brings into the world. But more, the idea of the mirror that reflects who we are as a society. We need to look into that mirror, and I believe theatre can be one of the best kinds to understand and become aware of the world that surrounds us.

“Lookingglass Alice” runs through August 1, 2010 at Water Tower Water Works at 821 N. Michigan Ave. in Chicago. For more information or to purchase tickets please visit www.LookingglassTheatre.org.

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Sex in Comedy: Interview with Playwright Charles Grippo

Posted on 21 June 2010 by Alissa Norby

Photo courtesy of Charles Grippo Productions

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Just For Laughs: Interview with ‘Lucha VaVoom’ Star Karis

Posted on 11 June 2010 by Alissa Norby

Photo courtesy of “Lucha VaVoom”

In the midst of anticipation for the annual Chicago comedy takeover “TBS Presents Just For Laughs”, a new contender on the festival bill promises to entertain with much more than biting one-liners and ensemble sketch. “Lucha VaVoom”, thus far a budding underground success in both Los Angeles and New York City, boasts a delicate balance (is there any other sort?) between sultry burlesque and rock-’em sock-’em Mexican wrestling, complete with colorful capes and veiling masks. Karis, one of the headlining performers of the production, recently caught up with ShowBiz Chicago to discuss the inception of “Lucha VaVoom”, what the Windy City can expect from a night out, and why hula-hooping wasn’t exactly his first career choice. But it may have just proven to be the best one.

Interview by Alissa Norby


ShowBiz Chicago: Mexican wrestling and burlesque? Tell me about how “Lucha VaVoom” came to be.

Karis: The creators of “Lucha VaVoom” are Liz [Fairbairn] and Rita [D'Albert]. They both used to work on a show together. Liz used to make costumes for the show and was involved with burlesque. She actually started dating a Mexican wrestler and began taking people to see these kinds of shows. After a while Liz and Rita came up with the idea of putting this show together. It really came together quite well. I mean what else can you ask for besides sex and violence [laughs].

ShowBiz Chicago: For our first time readers, what can audiences expect from a night at “Lucha VaVoom”?

Karis: It truly is entertainment. It really gets you involved in what is happening. You can go to a lot of shows and feel very present, but with this all of the entertainers work to purposefully pull you in. We have everyone from wrestlers to dancers and they have been doing this for quite some time. All of the wrestlers are famous for their sport in Mexico. We all try to be at the top of our game for our audiences.

ShowBiz Chicago: How did you originally come to “Lucha VaVoom”?

Karis: When I started performing I was doing belly-dancing shows. A mutual acquaintance of Rita and mine told her that she should hire me. So I went and did show with Rita calledBollywood”, and afterward she wanted me to started working withLucha VaVoom”. I went to the show and absolutely loved it, but I didnt think I wanted to be part of the production. When it started though it was really where all of the artists in the industry went, because it was a bit underground in that sense. People would just go and let loose. It was a very straight crowd though. I was fairly new to dancing at that point and I didnt want to throw myself out there. But I went ahead and tried it, and it went really well. I opened the Halloween show and I completely fell for it. I have been with the show for five years now.

ShowBiz Chicago: You specialize in dance, trapeze and hula- hoop performance. What is your background in these forms? Who were your artistic influences?

Photo courtesy of “Lucha VaVoom”

Karis: It was all a fluke. I did not grow up thinking that I was going to be hula-hooping for a living [laughs]. But I have been very blessed. I actually started with design, I had never done any kind of performance before. When I was in high school I was designing for artists like Marilyn Manson and Slipknot, Disturbed. It was so dark and I got really thrown into it a week after high school. After a year I was so burned out, I was getting about four hours of sleep each night. After that I took myself out and started hula-hooping as a way to relax, for something fun in my life. It just developed into what it is now. Someone saw me and put me in a show and it snowballed. Then I started performing trapeze and trained with a circus. It just took a life of its own. I never planned for this [laughs].

ShowBiz Chicago: You headline the burlesque component of the performance. How does the playful striptease work to complement the wrestling segments for the overall audience experience?

Karis: I really think that going back and forth between dancing and wrestling works more as a palate cleanser. If it were all wrestling it would be really boring, because you dont want to sit through just two hours of wrestling or on the flip side, two hours of just dancing.

ShowBiz Chicago: The production has an interesting motto, “Sexo y Violencia”, Spanish for sex and violence. Why do you think this pairing continues to entice so many people, in all entertainment mediums?

Karis: I think that it is so primitive. You have two things here that have always attracted people to action, violence and sex. So these have always worked as main forms of entertainment because it touches on our instincts. But withLucha VaVoom”, it can be a wonderful experience because it isnt sleazy or exploitative, it is playful.

ShowBiz Chicago: How do you perceive the importance of sexual fluidity and gender ambiguity in the production?

Karis: We really try and do a rough-and-roll show, where we do not apologize for it at all. But at the same time, its not so hit-you-over-the-head. I go out and do my gender-bending performance, but that isnt my talent. I actually have one of those, or at least I hope I do [laughs].

ShowBiz Chicago: From campy masks to stage names, the concept of persona plays a big role in Lucha VaVoom. What is its significance to both you and the performance?

Karis: The guys that wrestle are more like superheroes. They all have capes and things, which makes it more of a fantasy which can be wonderful, because again it is about playing with the audience. I am Mexican so I grew up watching these people on television. So personally it takes me back to that time, and it is easy to recognize the importance of that kind of entertainment for people.

ShowBiz Chicago: We often hear that the audience is the final character, or player, in more eclectic performance pieces. How does audience interaction affect a night at “Lucha VaVoom”?

Karis: They are essential to the show because we need to feed off of the audience. The more they get into it, the better experience it is for everyone, because we give it our all. Our last show in Seattle I was so broken because I was just exhausted, but when I went out there and felt that energy, I just gave it my all and reached a new level. We want to include you in the experience. So in that sense the relationship between performers and audience is so important, its what makes the show wonderful.

“Lucha VaVoom” performs June 16, 2010 at the Park West Theatre in Chicago. For more information or to purchase tickets to this show and others appearing at the TBS Presents Just For Laughs festival, please visit www.JustForLaughsChicago.com.

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Bringin’ the Laughs Back: Interview with Ellen DeGeneres

Posted on 10 June 2010 by Alissa Norby

Photo courtesy of Ellen DeGeneres and TBS

Ellen DeGeneres has always been a woman of many hats. Whether taking a seat as host (or featured dancer) on her Emmy Award-winning talk showThe Ellen Degeneres Show”, offering musical insight to hopefuls onAmerican Idol”, or lending her voice to the LGBT community, DeGeneres has become a trailblazer of the entertainment industry. Now at the height of a career that spans over two decades, DeGeneres returns to Chicago for TBS PresentsJust For Laughswith her fourth variety show spectacular, “Ellens Somewhat Special Special”. A follow-up to last year’s sold-out turn, this year’s production is packed with performances by Lady Antebellum, Nick Cannon, and a slew of acrobats. The funny lady recently caught up with ShowBiz Chicago to discuss her much anticipated return to the Windy City.

Interview by Alissa Norby

ShowBiz Chicago: What aspects of Chicago will you incorporate into the show and what do you like to do on your own in Chicago?

Ellen DeGeneres: Well, I don’t get a chance to do too much because they keep me pretty busy getting this thing together. I can’t reveal where but I will be breaking into a major building in Chicago after hours and shooting a taped piece that will air on the specialThats my Chicago-esque bit there.

ShowBiz Chicago: It’s not the Tribune Tower is it?

Ellen DeGeneres:
I’m not going to tell you. Because then they’ll be ready for me and they won’t let me in.

ShowBiz Chicago: What else are you going to have happening on the show?

Ellen DeGeneres: Personally, I think this is the best one so far as far as interesting acts. It is a jam-packed show  [with] some really cool [acts]. The Kabuki act is really coolThe flagman is great, the magician is incredible, he was on my show and I was just blown away byI don’t know, I have no idea how he does that trick, that’s called [King Street].  [Theres] Lady Antebellum, there’s more comedy than I’ve done before because I’ll be just kind of in between each act and then trying to do probably whatever just happened, I’ll try to reenact some of it. It’s hard to keep it fresh but being able to do just one a year, I’m able to really focus and do as many unique things as possible.

ShowBiz Chicago: Variety shows used to be a TV staple, now they are very rareDo you see yourself as a champion for the format?

Ellen DeGeneres: Yes. I grew up watching Carol Burnett and you know, Smothers Brothers and Donnie and MarieThat was sort of the TV show that everybody had when I was growing upSo I’ve always loved it and I’ve tried to do it before I did my second sitcomI did a pilot for CBS, that was a variety show and it was sort of a Larry SandersIt was me as a host of a variety showIt was the behind the scenes and then it also on onstage. So I’ve been wanting to do a variety show for a long, long time and this is just so much fun that I get to do this when I have my spare time. I think there’s moreAmerica’s Got Talent” [programs] and a lot of people are enjoying this and people are looking on the Internet for all kinds of interesting things that you don’t normally findSo yes, I’m a huge champion for this kind of show.

ShowBiz Chicago: When you were coming up in the comedy business, what’s one of your most memorable gigs in Chicago playing standup?

Ellen DeGeneres: It’s actuallyit’s not a pleasant one. It wasn’t on stage but it was when I was doing  “Women of the Night” and it was Judy Tenuta and Paula Poundstone, and Rita Rudner and myself, and it was  my first big time on stage with HBO Special, I’ve never even had my ownAnd the woman doing my hair gotit was like a curling iron/brush that she got tangled up – up against my scalp and the more she tried to undo it, the more my hair tangled in that curling iron slash. She was burning my scalp and they thought they were going to have cut my hair and I was supposed to be on stage in 45 minutesAnd I’ll never forget that night waiting to go on stage in Chicago, my big break and my hair almost being burned, singed offThat’s my most memorable moment in standup.

ShowBiz Chicago: Is doing this kind of show and the fact you only have to do it once a year a nice break or just a different muscle than you use in your many other jobs?

Ellen DeGeneres: Well, yes, I always like using different muscles, you can take that however you wantBut doing something once a year is fantastic, I highly recommended it if you can do itIt’s a wonderful thing, it’s very freeing and I can put a lot of energy and attention onto it and it’s something I love doingIt is sort of why I took onAmerican Idolwhen I have a full-time gig of my own with the talk show. I like stretching myself, I like challenging myself and I think it is important to, as you say, use another muscle.

It’s just, you can get very complacent if you do the same thing all the time and especially [comedy], it gives me different things to react to and respond to, and it stimulates me, and I love Chicago. I don’t really get to travel unless I’m workingSo this is a a fun excuse to go to Chicago and it’s a fun job that I have.

ShowBiz Chicago: One of the staples in your variety shows is the the question and answer session with the audienceWhat excites you most about doing that segment each time?

Ellen DeGeneres: I do it occasionally on the talk show and I do it sometimes before or after and sometimes it ends up in [the show]. I always did it when I did standup, if anybody went to see me when I was on tour doing standup, that was what I always ended the show when I came back. It gives us a chance to really talk to one another instead of me talking at them and I get to hear what’s on their minds, and they get to know me a little bit more and hopefully get some answers whether some are honestly answered or some are just funny.

I think it’s important to do, I think it’s important to have that connection which is why I started out in standup in the first place, to have that connection with the audience [because] it’s live and it’s immediate and it’s unpredictable and it’s everything that I loved about standupAnd I think the more famous you get, the more detached and isolated you can become and you’re just pulled further and further away from your fansAnd I don’t like that separation, I really like to havebesides the wall around my estate, of course, that’s important- but I like to have that, that camaraderie with the audience.

ShowBiz Chicago: Can you talk a little bit about what goes into preparing for some of these specials and what your life is like leading up to it?

Ellen DeGeneres: Well, I’ll have a smoothie in the morning and then I’ll do some jumping jacks. It’s kind of the same as doing my show. I have a group of people that scout, like some people went to Chicago to look at the best place for us to shoot our tape piece and we had about five different ideas, we have meetings about what we want to do and we come up with some really good ideasAnd, once they get their returns out, some are as good as others.

So it’s lots of meetings and conversations about what will make it different this time and once we narrow down the acts we start it with looking at just about every act we can find that seems interesting and we just keep whittling it down until we get to the strongest. It’s like doing my show but it’s a lot more time, it’s a lot easier for us because it’s just this one time and we have more days to do itSo this is an easy gig as I have it.

ShowBiz Chicago: You said a couple of times you love it in Chicago, why do you like it so much?

Ellen DeGeneres: Well, what’s not to likeI mean, it’s a great city, I dont know whats different about it, well, I dont knowYou can’t really answer that without alienating other people and other cities, but Chicago really is a very special city and the people are nice, and I have found that every time I’ve done standup there, they’re smart and they’re polite, and for the most part, sober which is important to meAnd it is windier, it’s a Windy City.

I just love, I love the architecture, I love the art, I love everything. Really, and I’ve said it before, it’s just the winters would get to meI couldn’t live there because of the winters, but I do love the city very much.

ShowBiz Chicago: Are there up and coming comics that you’ve been excited about the last couple of years?

Photo courtesy of Ellen DeGeneres and TBS

Ellen DeGeneres: I think this kid that we have on the show, this John Mulaney. John Mulaney is a standup that we have on the show this year who’s also a writer forSaturday Night Liveand he is really, really funny. And I’m always looking for writers too for my show, but I do want to have more standup comedy on my show next season and I said it in the last season but we never somehow got around to itBut I would like to find some really funny, smart, clean comedy out there to showcase because I think that’s getting more and more rare, and people that make you think instead of just hitting you over the head with an easy jokeBut I think you’re going to like this guy, John, a whole lot.

ShowBiz Chicago: What is the possibility that we will see Greyson Michael Chance on the show, and if it’s nothing, why or why not?

Ellen DeGeneres: Hes getting ready for whatever’s going to happen to himThere’s a lot that’s about to happen and we’re trying to do it the right wayAnd the most important thing is what’s best for him, I mean, if it was just what’s best for me, yes, you’d see him on the show.

But I just want him to be readyA lot has happened to him and he’s about to go into the studio and start recording, and there’s some other things that we’re thinking aboutBut yes, that’s all I can say about thatI mean, yes, everybody is expecting that I would just put him on anything that I do, but I want to do what’s best for him and set him up in the in the right way and prepare him.

ShowBiz Chicago: What do you look for in a variety act that is going to mesh well with this particular kind of show?

Ellen DeGeneres: Well, you want something that is really good liveSome things are really impressive but they may not be as good liveWe want exciting and these acrobats are very excitingThe flagman is very exciting, the Kabuki is really cool to watch and very funnyAnd you’re trying to find something that you’re not going to see anywhere else, that’s our hope anywayJust entertaining and fresh, and fresh and clean; so fresh and so clean, clean.

ShowBiz Chicago: We see you doing standup on your TV show everyday. Is it a challenge coming up with longer length, totally new material for this kind of special?

Ellen DeGeneres: It’s actually refreshing for me to do something that I have more time [to focus on]. You know when you’re doing the talk show it really is about showcasing. There’s a reason someone’s on the show, if it’s to promote a movie or to promote their new show or the season finale.

And so, it’s more about them and this is more about hosting and keeping something going, and having fun and being, and because it’s not live we can really play with it and go longer in some parts and respond to the acts without being disrespectful but at the same time, playing more with itSo it’s just a whole different animal and that’s what I like about itI like that I get to play more and it’s a little closer to doing standup for me than doing my show.

ShowBiz Chicago: What are the chances of Chicagos Crystal and Lee appearing on the show, to sing a duet?

Ellen DeGeneres: What a good idea, whywhere were you before that you would suggest that now? I’m making a phone call to see if Mike and Crystal can come and performI bet they’re both very, very busyI bet they already are off doing their own thingsBut I think it’s a really good idea.

ShowBiz Chicago: Last year you briefly talked about an experience you had traveling with your parents to the Warner Brothers Studio to see the set ofGilligan’s Island”. How did that and other early experiences affect your interest in working with live audiences?

Ellen DeGeneres: Well, actually, it made me want to live on an island and call someone Skipper.  I didn’t think that was going to be the direction I’d go in as a talk show. I think that [it’s] everything that we’re all exposed to.  I mean my parents were clearly very impressed with show business and everything about show business was important to them.  So when I saw that, obviously as a kid, I think, well, that’s what I’m going to do, I just didn’t have any talent, so I didn’t know how that was going to happen. I didn’t really want to be an actor and I didn’t know until I became a standup comedian that you could make a living just making someone laugh.

And I didn’t even know I was funny when I was younger.  So that seed was planted early on that I would be in this business and somehow end up doing what I’m doing.  But yes, that was our only vacation, going to the set of “Gilligan’s Island” and then, I guess, whenever they saw anybody that came into New Orleans. I think my dad put me on his shoulders so that Charlton Heston could see me when I was like five.  And that was very impressionable too that my dad wanted Charlton Heston to see me.  He never did call though.

“Ellen’s Somewhat Special Special” plays the Chicago Theatre Wednesday, June 16, at 7:30 p.m. (CT).  It will be taped for a one-hour special that will premiere Sunday, June 27, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) on TBS. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.JustForLaughsChicago.com.

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Things are Looking Up for ‘Fuerza Bruta’s’ Diqui James

Posted on 09 June 2010 by Alissa Norby

Photo courtesy of Broadway in Chicago

The confetti-filled, fist-pumping import “Fuerza Bruta: Look Up” recently stormed into Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre stage. Lauded by audiences as an experience the bridges the gap between the fervor of a night club and the aesthetics of traditional theatre, the production is known for its use of 360 degree spectacle. Diqui James, the co-creator and Artistic Director of the piece, recently caught of with ShowBiz Chicago to discuss the concept of the hands-on “Fuerza Bruta”, and why the art may just be in the discovery.

Interview by Alissa Norby


ShowBiz Chicago: Tell me about the initial development ofFuerza Bruta: Look Up”. How did the idea begin?

Diqui James (DJ): The concept of the show is very difficult to explain. Its a show that does not use seats, but uses a stage. You come out here in th theatre and we play onstage with the audience, sharing the same space. At the beginning we started to create set pieces that were large pieces of machinery that literally bring the action to the performer and to the onlooker. That is how it started, the question of how to create the kind of theatrical action that can be experienced by both. We are not telling a story, it is just an emotional, and physical trip. It is a celebration.

ShowBiz Chicago: Both “Fuerza Bruta” and “De La Guarda” originated in Argentina and have spanned the globe. How do culturally disparate audiences react to the physical pieces?

DJ: The audience reaction is often very similar, in celebration. At the beginning we wanted to play for very different types of people. We like the mixture, we like to make a show that everybody can experience as long as you are willing. You do not need to be into theatre, its a show for everyone. So we tried to reach that language that everyone could understand so that everyone could enjoy the show. So when we step into different places and countries we realize that everyone can understand the show, no matter how different our cultures might be.

ShowBiz Chicago:
What is the significance of bringing “Fuerza Bruta” to Chicago for the first time?

DJ: Chicago is a very important city in the United States and has a tremendously long history with theatre. We are in the Auditorium Theatre, which is over one hundred years old. For us its a huge thing, something that is very important. We wanted to bring this show to the Midwest for the first time and Chicago is very significant because of that connection.

ShowBiz Chicago: Tell me about the main segment of “Fuerza Bruta” that involves a man on a treadmill. What was the initial concept behind this and why does it figure so prominently?

DJ: This man, the running man, is the guy who goes through the whole show, kind of like the main character. He connects all of the components. He goes through very different atmospheres and very different moments. He is running on a treadmill and everything is moving through him. We dont like to say what that means, because everyone brings their own meaning to it. The concept was how to make someone run very fast and move all of the time, but all from the same place, while things pass through.

ShowBiz Chicago: You mention the importance of experimentation in your company. How is improvisatory  experimentation used in the nightly run ofFuerza Bruta”?

DJ: We want all of it to feel like an experiment. We want it to be a language that we are constantly discovering. We are not at the end of the line, we are just moving toward somewhere, but we dont know where. Its all about trying things and see what happens when we do it, how our audiences will respond. When we start each show we really dont know what will happen and where we are going that night. We are not here for intellectual stimulation, we dont want you to think about what this means. We just want to do what we like to do, and we might not understand what we do, maybe the audience wont either. But we want to move through that discovery together.

ShowBiz Chicago: One of the aspects of the production that stood out to me the most was its ability to address all five senses, as opposed to traditional theatres use of sight and sound. What is the role of the physical experience inFuerza Bruta”?

DJ: The idea of is that the audience should be free to do whatever they want to do. If they want to move around, get involved in the action, feel and hear and touch, we want them to do it. We want them to move and feel free to get close to our performers and to the action in front of them. That is how the art is ultimately created.

“Fuerza Bruta” runs through July 25, 2010 at the Auditorium Theatre at 50 E. Congress in Chicago. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

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Queen for a Day: Interview with Kathy Kinney

Posted on 04 June 2010 by Alissa Norby

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Still At Large: Interview with Wanda Sykes

Posted on 01 June 2010 by Alissa Norby

Photo credit: www.WandaSykes.com

Wanda Sykes wants you to know that she still has a mind and a mouthAnd she’s not afraid to use either. The Emmy Award-winning comedienne known for her work on “The Wanda Sykes Show”, “The New Adventures of Old Christine”, and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” as well as several HBO specials is back on the road after a year that has seen much in the way of the funny lady’s personal and professional advances. After coming out publicly following an anti-Proposition 8 rally in California, Sykes has unleashed an even greater acidity to her already irreverent tongue. The comic recently caught up with ShowBiz Chicago to discuss the accomplishment in producing one’s own talk show, her experience as one of television’s foremost female writers, and why comedy just may be paving the path for equality.

Interview by Alissa Norby

ShowBiz Chicago: After a year of new shows, old shows, and films, youre hitting the road for a brief while. What keeps you anchored in the stand-up form?

Wanda Sykes (WS): Thats where I started. It all begins with stand-up for me. I still enjoy it. If I go through a phase without it for a while, focusing on just film or television, I start to feel funny. Its what I know, its my confirmation [laughs].

ShowBiz Chicago: Youve spoken before about the importance of a comedian finding her own voice, versus falling into the impersonation trap that often afflicts early performers. How do you feel your comedy voice has evolved?

WS: Its more genuine, and sometimes more offensive because of it. Its more out there. Coming out was the last, well I dont want to say the absolute last, but one of the last hurdles for me being onstage and being totally open. It has been just liberating and has given me total freedom onstage in that sense. I mean, even when you do stand-up you arent truly who you are, because youre still on that stage, you know? But I do feel as though I am more myself now than ever before.

ShowBiz Chicago: Lets talk about your talk show. A few years ago you commented on your disappointment with the networkswillingness to shift time slots and withdraw support. What made you want to come back into television by yourself, specifically in the talk show format?

WS: Fox came to me with the idea for a talk show. There was so much out there going on at the time, you know we had Obama in the White House and other things happening politically and socially. I thought it would be a good way for me to touch on those issues, but also to be able to do stand-up but without the travel [laughs]. You know, stay at home with my family. There were a lot of things that really appealed to me. Also, you know, Im a whole lot of things. Im African-American, a lesbian, and I thought “Wanda, come on now”- it would be a great platform for me to be out there.

ShowBiz Chicago: Late night comedy shows have been a big part of the news this past year, with the network battle involving Conan OBrien and Jay Leno. You once commented on a similar struggle with “Wanda At Large”. Have your perceptions of the nature of the business changed with your current show?

WS: I dont think anything has changed with the networks, to be honest. The way they see it, you either get the ratings or you dont, you do things the way they want you to or you dont. Thats the nature of the business. I pretty much did the my show the way I wanted to with what I had, with the budget and all of those other issues. There are things though that they just wont let you touch upon or talk about on network TV. But even with those constraints I do feel as though I did the show I wanted to do.

ShowBiz Chicago: Writers are frequently tossed to the back burner on television. How have your early experiences as a writer assisted in how you run things as both a performer and producer?

WS: Writers are absolutely key. Everything is writer-driven. I wanted it that way on my show. I would come up with the pieces and work with them on editing and eventually see it through to production. It was a collaborative effort and it has to be a collaborative effort, but people forget that sometimes. You have to show the respect.

ShowBiz Chicago: You were the only female writer on “The Chris Rock Show” and now your show has a record four women writers. How do you view this kind of inequity in casting and hiring that often persists today?

Photo credit: CBS

WS: People just don’t listen to them sometimes. I dont think its that women arent allowed to be funny. I think that more people need to listen, and then theyll get it. Im always surprised by the women I have on my show, who are incredibly funny, that they are even available. When I was going through submissions I didnt sayI want to have a bunch of women on my staff,” I mean gender didnt come into play. It has to be about talent. But youre right, I dont get it. I dont know if when people see female names on an application or audition they dont bother or read it with a different perception. I just dont get it.

ShowBiz Chicago: Your charity work tends to be second nature to you. You sit on the board of Equality California and you even asked Constance McMillan to present you with your GLAAD award, without asking to be thecelebrity faceof the cause like other performers. Why is this kind of self-effacing approach important to you?

WS: Equality California is so important to me because it is personal. It is affecting my family. The right to marriage affects my family all the time. So it wasnt something where I could just stand by and let other people do what they were doing. So I just got motivated on that personal level, not as a performer but as a person, and said look, I got to fight for myself. I can lend my voice and my name, that was one way to help out. But lend that voice so that the cause can actually move forward, that is what its about.

ShowBiz Chicago: Since you have taken a more sociopolitical platform in the past few years, how do you feel your audiences as a performer have evolved with you?

WS: I have been really lucky in that way, because Ive had plenty of people follow me for quite a while now. They followed me in the clubs, doing stand-up, then onto bigger projects. I have a base fromThe Chris Rock Show”, another fromCurb Your Enthusiasmand just different projects like that. Theyve stayed with me, which has been great. Ive always had an LGBT following and now I think its more about ownership by that community which is cool, because I am a part of that community. I want folks to feel that way, to feel that connection to me. The audience has always been diverse but now I feel like I can identify where I picked them up from.

ShowBiz Chicago: When you didThe Advocateinterview, a spokesperson from Equality Florida commented on your use of comedy as a tool for change. What do you feel about comedys relationship to the move toward equality?

WS: With comedy, you know, youre laughing at yourself or at someone else. It doesnt come across as preachy. I think comedy is a way to get people to think. Youre not telling them what to do or think exactly. I mean you are in a sense, but its in a way where they can laugh about it. Its not the schoolmarm punishing you or telling you to do this or that. It makes issues way more accessible for people, and that’s how we can inform people and hopefully change things.

Wanda Sykes plays The Venue at the Horseshoe Casino on June 12, 2010. To purchase tickets or for more information, please visit www.TheVenue-Chicago.com.

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Morton on Morton: In Conversation with Broadway’s Newest Leading Man

Posted on 28 May 2010 by Alissa Norby

Photo credit: Ben Strothmann

Tony-nominated actor Euan Morton may not have the weighted name held by many of his contemporaries, but that is a small and rapidly shifting hurdle on the Scotsman’s road to Broadway stardom. Following a hyper-publicised performance as Boy George in 2004′s “Taboo”, Morton has tendered a slew of heralded performances from Ligniere in Kevin Kline’s “Cyrano de Bergerac” to the title role in Tony Kushner’s “Brundibar”. The versatile stage actor is now captivating audiences in James Lapine’s “Sondheim on Sondheim”, a celebratory revue of Stephen Sondheim’s life and career now playing at Roundabout Theatre’s Studio 54. Morton recently caught up with ShowBiz Chicago to discuss the process of performing the works of “Broadway’s Shakespeare” and where his multifaceted career may be headed next.

Interview by Alissa Norby

ShowBizChicago: You are currently starring in one of the most acclaimed productions of the Broadway season. Tell our readers aboutSondheim on Sondheim”.

Euan Morton (EM): As you probably know its [composer] Stephen Sondheims 80th birthday this year, March 22nd. There have been a ton of events across the country but of course particularly in New York. The show has been around for about 2-3 years and it started at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta. So now its become this sort of multimedia theatrical spectacular. We have 67 plasma television screens, huge sets, a turntable stage. Its very futuristic and incredibly exciting to have a live theatrical event with this kind of media. There are eight of us who are singing songs, and Sondheim is the 9th character. Hes there talking about his work and his life. So in that way its a bit odd to be onstage with an actor who never changes his performance [laughs].

ShowBiz Chicago: You took a seven year break from the Broadway musical scene following 2004sTaboo”. What was the experience of re-entering the musical stage after so long?

EM: I did Cyrano with Kevin Klein, which was also this weird theatrical event with this huge set. I am not sure how I end up in these things [laughs]. But really its very exciting to be back on Broadway. I am lucky enough to have been accepted quite readily by the New York community even after being away for seven years. I have always felt connected to the Broadway community and feel