And you thought we were done with Edward Albee… How foolish of you.
I just stumbled onto this Downstage Center podcast on the website of the American Theatre Wing. Why does nobody tell me about these things? Anyway, he talks about McCarter so I feel like it’s sorta relevant to the blog. I have to say that it is a really great interview with Albee—he’s got a good zinger for every question. He’s a cagey fellow, that Albee. Anyway, thought you might enjoy it as a blog bonus.
Original air date - February 8, 2008
Running Time - 58:17
Posted by Adam Immerwahr, Producing Associate at McCarter Theatre.
Are you one of the 14,750 people who have seen Me, Myself & I? What did you think? Do you agree with the newspaper reviews, or disagree? Favorite parts of the show? Things that weren’t to your taste? Post a “citizen response” or read what other people are saying by clicking on the “comments” link below. We can’t wait to hear what you think!
If you want to include a picture with your review, email it to me and I’ll make sure it gets attached.
Posted by Adam Immerwahr, Producing Associate at McCarter Theatre.
Michael Esper and Colin Donnell, who play OTTO and otto in McCarter Theatre’s production of Me, Myself & I sat down with the Princeton News Network a few weeks ago for an interview about the show, their experiences, and the process of playing twins. You can watch the interview—along with some clips from the show—in the media player below or by clicking on this link. Enjoy!
If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, there are still a few standing room spots available.Posted by Adam Immerwahr, Producing Associate at McCarter Theatre.
So, one of the projects I have assigned myself over the past several months of Edward Albee’s residence here at McCarter has been to collect the best from among the many gems of wit and wisdom that have been tripping dryly out of his mouth since his “better bring a shovel” comment on the first day of rehearsal. I have been keeping a list, and here, now that the show has opened and Mr. Albee has returned into the mythical mists of Great-American-Playwright-hood from whence he emerged, are my favorites, published on the blog for your reading pleasure.
From the Dialogue on Drama at McCarter Theatre:
“I get so bored of plays where the curtain goes up and we’re supposed to be spies. Having to sit there and pretend you’re not there, and the actors having to pretend they’re not acting to you, just gets in the way.”
“A play is a set of parentheses around the lives of some characters. The secret of playwriting is in properly placing the parentheses.”
“You try to write a play in a way that makes it very difficult to screw it up.”
“Theater should engage you in thinking about social, political, philosophical and moral questions and get you involved with people who are dealing with them responsibly and seriously. Plays can also be funny doing that, I’m not suggesting they should be humorless. You’ve got to entertain but people have to be willing to be entertained in the way you want to entertain them. Entertainment is not escapism.”
Carol Rocamora: How many drafts of the play did you write?
Edward Albee: “What do you mean “drafts”? I don’t write drafts. A draft could give someone a cold. No, I think you should write the entire play down the first time, and then fix it with a few touches here and there. You shouldn’t write it down until you think you have the whole play. Playwrights get in terrible trouble when they write a play too soon, and then hope that it finds its shape. Writing is a far longer process than you know. A play begins as an idea translated from the unconscious to the conscious. You’ve been thinking about it a long time and creating it a long time before you’re even aware of it. The longer you wait, the less likely you’ll discover that you have written a “first draft.” Wait as long as you can.”
And my personal favorite, one more from the Dialogue on Drama:
Michael Cadden: “I know you don’t set out to write didactic plays with a specific message, but after you’ve written a play, when you’re watching it, do you ever look at it and think, that playwright had blank on his mind…?”
Edward Albee: “Blank? I hope I had more than that!”
Posted by Elizabeth Edwards, Literary Intern at McCarter Theatre.
Albee Reviews Posted by Adam Immerwahr on January 30th, 2008
So the reviews are coming in for Me, Myself & I. I guess they liked it! Here are some excerpts (follow the links at the end of each excerpt to read their entire review):
Photo By T. Charles Erickson
“Has Theatre of the Absurd ever been such unadulterated fun? Edward Albee’s “Me, Myself & I,” receiving its world premiere at the Berlind Theatre in Princeton, offers laugh after laugh. They start with a Mother who gave birth to identical twins, and decided they should have identical names, too. On Thomas Lynch’s spare set, which could easily fit into any SUV, Emily Mann offers sprightly, sure-footed direction. Six years ago, she showed a keen ability to interpret a serious Albee play (”All Over.”) She’s just as expert with a capricious one.” - Peter Filichia, The Star-Ledger
Photo By T. Charles Erickson
“Edward Albee’s new play, Me, Myself & I, premiering at McCarter Theatre in Princeton under Emily Mann’s fine direction, is a jeu d’esprit, a frisky glance over the shoulder at the themes that have preoccupied him and the styles that have characterized his work. It is entertaining and thought-provoking, full of bizarre segues and the playful wordplay that is signature Albee.” - Toby Zinman, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Photo By T. Charles Erickson
“Making her debut in an Albee play, [Tyne Daly] roots every line in the visceral uncertainty that is the essence of this dramatist’s work. Even more than Mr. Murray she melds her character’s Pirandellian exasperation at finding herself in an abstract literary universe (summoned with the right mix of blankness and specificity by Thomas Lynch’s set) with the exasperation and doubt that are part and parcel of being alive.” - Ben Brantley, The New York Times
Photo By T. Charles Erickson
“Esper, who was recently seen in Crazy Mary at Playwrights Horizons, is terrific as the more aggressive, meaner and more troubled OTTO who has a solution, through denial, to sever the bond and the relationship he has with his twin. His means to an end is to become Chinese. Don’t ask. That Esper and Donnell are similar in body type and looks, especially their mirror image hair cuts, adds to the fun. Donnell, who is making his McCarter debut, is equally persuasive as the completely endearing but confounded otto who can’t understand why his brother has chosen to ignore his existence. This, however, doesn’t stop his sneaky OTTO from bedding otto’s girlfriend, Maureen (Charlotte Parry). Parry holds her own in a stand-off with the viper-tongued Mother.” - Simon Saltzman, Curtainup.com
Photo By T. Charles Erickson
“While the boys’ plight takes center stage in the second act, the show’s first 50 minutes belong firmly to Daly and Murray, who create a stunning rapport with each other, mostly ensconced in the giant bed that constitutes Thomas Lynch’s entire first-act set. Daly’s many moments of sheer daffiness and profound confusion are proof of what a first-rate comedienne she can be. But in her fiercest moments of protecting herself or her children (especially evident in the second act), she not only brings to mind her towering performance as Mama Rose in Gypsy, but makes one want to immediately stage a new production of Medea just for her.” - Brian Scott Lipton, TheaterMania.com
Posted by Adam Immerwahr, Producing Associate at McCarter Theatre. Photos: Tyne Daly, Brian Murray, Colin Donnell, and Michael Esper.
Look closely at the picture. Is that a man standing in front of a mirror? No. It’s not. It is Michael Esper (on the left) and Colin Donnell, who play identical twins OTTO and otto in McCarter’s production of Edward Albee’s Me, Myself & I.
“But wait!” you exclaim, “their names aren’t the same! They can’t really be twins. Yet they look so similar!” Yes, they do. “How do they do that?” you ask. Well, here’s the 10-step formula (in case you need to make twins of your own):
1. Cast two actors who look extraordinarily similar, both in build, height, and facial structure. Make sure they are both also equally brilliant actors who are perfect fits for the roles in which they are cast.
2. Give them identical haircuts.
3. Have them coordinate their makeup, so they have the same lip color and amount of 5 o’clock shadow.
4. Give them sessions with a personal trainer, to get their bodies as similar as possible.
5. Dye their hair to match.
6. Go to the eye doctor, and get one of them a set of colored contact lenses the exact shade as the other one’s eyes.
7. Hire a prosthetic makeup designer, have him make veneers for their teeth (to match their teeth and the shape of their mouths) and sculpt a prosthetic nose bridge so that their noses have the same shape.
8. Pad their costumes to make their bodies as similar as possible.
9. Hire a vocal coach to help them sound the same.
10. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse so that their mannerisms and physicality are identical.
That’s it. You’re done. You should now have a set of identical twins of your own . That was easy, no?
Posted by Adam Immerwahr, Producing Associate at McCarter Theatre. Photo: (l. to r.) Michael Esper as “OTTO” and Colin Donnell as “otto” in McCarter Theatre’s production of Edward Albee’s Me, Myself & I.
Hi everyone! We here in the McCarter Marketing office heard some very exciting news yesterday, and I wanted to quickly share it with you all. Michael Esper (currently playing one of the Ottos in Me, Myself & I) was just nominated for an Irish Times/ESB Irish Theatre Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work in last fall’s Dublin Theatre Festival production of Long Day’s Journey Into Night. Michael performed opposite James Cromwell in the production, which was directed by Garry Hynes. (Incidentally, you may remember that last year Garry Hynes directed Translations at McCarter, a production which later went on to Broadway. Small world.)
The Irish Times/ESB Irish Theatre Awards recognize the top actors, directors and designers in theater and opera productions across Ireland. Some Google research reveals that past Irish Theatre Award nominees and winners include such fabulous actors as Ian Holm and Christopher Meloni, so Michael is in some very good company.
The winners of the 2007 awards will be announced in Dublin on Sunday, February 24, so stay tuned and root for Michael!
Posted by Erin Breznitsky, Associate Publicist at McCarter Theatre.
Have you seen Me, Myself & I yet? Wanna share your thoughts? Have you always thought you would be a good theater reviewer? Do you have brilliant ideas about what Albee’s newest play is about? Do you harbor a secret desire to write? Well now is your chance!
Post your comments about the play below (by clicking on the “comment” link), and read the posts that others have left. If we get a few “citizen responses,” I’ll lift some of them and make them into a full-blown blog entry.
This is your forum, and we’re eager to hear from you, so let’s have a real discussion here. That’s it. I’m done. Your turn. Go!
Posted by Adam Immerwahr, Producing Associate at McCarter Theatre. Photo: Tyne Daly as “Mother” and Brian Murray as “Dr.” in McCarter Theatre’s production of Edward Albee’s Me, Myself & I.
The article comes on the heels of this one from the Princeton Packet. And this one from the Star-Ledger. And this one from the Trenton Times. The neat thing about reading each of these articles is that you can see how each newsroom has decided to take a totally different approach in their “preview articles.” One talks about Emily and Edward’s collaboration, another talks about Edward-the-teacher, another interviews Tyne Daly, etc.
Either way, they all agree that Me, Myself & I is one of the most thrilling events this season in the New York area. Based on the extraordinary audience response to opening night on Friday (my hands were sore from the clapping), I would have to agree.
Advice: If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, now is the time to do so. Actually, that’s not true; three months ago was the time to do so! But it’s not too late (yet), so snatch up those few remaining tickets while they last. Performances are starting to fill up very quickly, and if you delay too long you may miss your chance.
Update: Read yet another preview article (Variety) here.
Posted by Adam Immerwahr, Producing Associate at McCarter Theatre.
After a week and a half of previews (during which time the actors rehearse during the day and perform at night), opening night for Edward Albee’s Me, Myself & I is finally here. I’ve now seen it many times, and I’m excited to see it again tonight. It is rare to find a piece you can happily sit through over and over again, but because Albee’s language is so brilliant, every time I listen I get a deeper understanding of what the play is trying to do.
For me, this play has become a play about language, and the way that we allow words to define us. If I say we are twins, does that mean we are? What if I say that my brother and I are not brothers anymore? What is brotherhood except for a set of words? And what happens when words fail, when they are misunderstood, or have the wrong meaning? What happens when characters are denied words?
I can’t wait to see the show again tonight and further develop my understanding of Albee’s stance on language. And I can’t wait for the party after opening!!
Posted by Adam Immerwahr, Producing Associate at McCarter Theatre. Photo: Brian Murray as “Dr.” in McCarter Theatre’s production of Edward Albee’s Me, Myself & I.
And you thought we were done with Edward Albee… How foolish of you.
