Up next in 10
Broadway Rewind: Will Chase and Malcom Gets Turn the Page on THE STORY OF MY LIFE!
7K views
Oct 28, 2022
'What I loved the most about this episode', says BroadwayWorld's own Richard Ridge, 'was following the journey of the 2009 musical The Story of My Life. This episode of Broadway Rewind looks at the ill- fated musical, which featured two wonderful performances by Will Chase and Malcolm Gets, but we start off at a rehearsal for Michael Jacobs play 'Impressionism' directed by Jack O'Brien. It welcomed back to Broadway, Tony Award winners Jeremy Irons and Joan Allen along with Marsha Mason, Aaron Lazar and Andre de Shields. Director Jack O'Brien told me why he had to do this play, 'It's about us. We haven't had a really witty, wise, romantic comedy in New York, in a long time and I've got this gorgeous cast.' Joan Allen said,
View Video Transcript
0:00
Broadway, Broadway Beat, Broadway, Broadway Beat
0:30
Listen to the Broadway Beats. Broadway makes you want to move your beats
0:36
Everybody's happening to everything that's happening on Broadway Beats. Broadway Beets, Broadway Beets, Broadway Beat
0:48
Hello, I'm Richard Ridge, and welcome to Broadway Beat, where we bring you the very best of what the New York theater scene has to offer
0:56
This week will have a look at the new Broadway musical, The Story of My Life
0:59
which unfortunately has already opened and closed at the booth theater. It was written by newcomers Neil Bartram and his partner, Brian Hill
1:08
It was directed by Tony Award winner Richard Malpy Jr. And featured two wonderful performances by Will Chase and Malcolm Gets
1:16
We'll bring you that later in the show. But let's start things off by meeting the company of one of this season's most eagerly awaited new plays
1:24
Impressionism by Michael Jacobs. It welcomes back to Broadway after a 20-year absent
1:29
Tony Award winners Jeremy Irons and Joan Allen. It will open at the Gerald Show and Felth Theater on March 12th
1:37
under the direction of Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien. Also included in this stellar cast is Marcia Mason
1:45
Andre DeShills, Michael T. Weiss, and Aaron Lizarre. I was not looking for a play
1:50
I'm so busy right now. I can't even treat my dogs. I mean, it's just impossible
1:55
But Bill sent this script to me, and he said, I want you to have a look at it. And the only one had seen it, other than Bill, was Jeremy, who he had lured out of, you know, whatever, semi-retirement to Broadway with this script
2:09
And I thought, oh, God, I can't do it. I don't have any time. And I read it and thought, I have to do this play
2:16
It's just adorable. And it's wise. And it's about us. It's not about, I mean, as I said, nobody shoots up
2:25
Nobody changes sex. Nobody gets mugged. You know what I mean? It's what a refreshing idea. And we haven't had a really witty, wise, romantic comedy in New York in a long time. And this is it. And I've got this gorgeous cast. And their chemistry is gorgeous. And it's going to be beautiful to look at. And I think it's a sort of very up, night out for a change. And it tells you something. I mean, those of us who are, as the French say, in certain age, may have a little difficulty
2:57
Letting go with the baggage and reaching out to people. It's hard. You don't want to feel stupid any longer
3:02
When you're a kid, it doesn't matter. But when you got as many years on you as I do, you don't want to stumble and fall
3:11
And this is emotionally what it's about. These people who are doing this extraordinary kind of dance before they think, what else we got
3:21
It's just wonderful. This is like a dream come true. This is like the process that you always want
3:27
Juan as an actor to be able to have the time to explore and to work with this cast and to work
3:33
with Jack O'Brien and to work with this crew and this design team. It doesn't get any better than this
3:39
Talk about the role that you're going to play. I play a character named Ben Joplin, who is a schoolteacher, social worker, kind of peace core guy
3:47
in Africa. And then at the end of the play, I play the fiancé of this couple who comes into Jones Gallery
3:56
where Joan owns, her character owns a gallery, and Jeremy's character works with Joan
4:02
And based on our interest in a particular piece of art that she's selling
4:10
it sort of becomes a springboard for right into the end of the play
4:17
and wraps everything up. So it's special, man. It's really great. Well, the character's name is Catherine
4:26
and she owns an art gallery in New York City. It's her own gallery
4:31
And she's a single woman, and she has certain paintings in her gallery
4:35
that she's particularly attached to that she doesn't necessarily want to sell
4:41
And this man comes to her gallery one day, and so they sort of strike up a friendship
4:48
and it's kind of about their relationship. And it's about having a relationship at a certain age of life
4:56
and the play is just very lovely and funny and optimistic. And so it's a beautiful piece
5:04
You're in the middle of rehearsals. I love the rehearsal process. Marcia Mason once told me during Steel Magnolias
5:10
her favorite part is that first read-through that you do around the table the first time
5:14
when you hear all these voices sort of come to life. What has it been like for you, the rehearsal process
5:18
Well, it's been wonderful. I only did theater, you know, for many, many years
5:22
That's all I started doing when I was in high school and with the Steppenwolf Company in Chicago
5:28
So for me, it's kind of like a homecoming, and I'm remembering what the process is like
5:34
And it's sort of like riding a bicycle. You don't forget. Each day brings a new sort of twist
5:43
and it is wonderful to sit around and read the play for the first time. And you feel like you understand all this stuff
5:48
and then the next week of rehearsing, you feel like you don't understand anything because you're figuring it out
5:52
So it's, and I remember all that, process from having done so many plays in my life
5:59
So I'm playing a character by the name of Chim Bwaneh, yeah, who is a Tanzanian fisherman
6:10
who has a very special relationship with sweet potatoes. Now I don't know if I should reveal any more than that, so we can leave something interesting
6:21
for the audience to come find out. But he represents that eternal soul, that eternal joyful soul
6:31
that we have historically associated with Africa. And he is a man who wants not only to save himself
6:45
but his community and his nation, but the entire world. And he knows that by delivering a smile as wide as the rainbow, people will pay attention
7:04
Which reminds me it just occurred to me that Chim Buane must know Arthur Miller because my subtext for this character is attention must be paid The writing I think is very very good
7:21
I read the play and I thought, oh, I have to be a part of this. It was just a wonderful, spontaneous response
7:27
And interestingly enough, everybody, including the producers, felt the same way because it's kind of unusual to bring a play straight to Broadway
7:36
And it's kind of dangerous, but I like living on the edge
7:41
And with Jack O'Brien and this wonderful cast, I just think it's a really, really exciting project
7:48
Talk about the role that you're going to play. I'm playing an art patron who comes into a gallery in Chelsea to purchase an aqua tent for her daughter who's about to have her first child
7:59
And I have very conflicted feelings about becoming a grandmother. So it's rye and funny and touching and all of those things
8:08
And the play is a love story. So I think that's really lovely
8:13
I play three characters in the show. The first one is Nicole Halliday, and I get to play an artist's model
8:19
You know, she's sort of an artist herself. And it's just very, very free, strong, powerful character
8:27
The second character that I play is a volunteer school teacher in Africa. They're all sort of named Nicole right now
8:33
so there's no distinction, but there are distinctions in the characters. And the third character that I play is a young girl living in New York
8:39
who is just very much in love and full of faith and belief
8:45
you know, the positivity of the world, you know? I play an incredibly wealthy gentleman who's more enamored of a piece of artwork
8:53
than I am of Joan Allen's character, which is really complicated for me because I'm a little bit in love with Joan Allen
8:59
She's fantastic. And what the whole process, I know you're sort of finishing up the rehearsal process, getting ready to go into the theater
9:06
What's it all been like? Just working with everybody so professional and so hardworking and just a delightful group of people and really funny
9:13
And Jack O'Brien is probably one of the funniest men I've ever met in my life, our director. So it's been a treat
9:18
And I can't wait to step on that lovely Broadway stage and get it all out to the audience
9:23
It's going to be really exciting. Well, it's great to get in contact again with old friends
9:29
because, of course, I'm in and out of the city most of the time
9:33
but being here and people knowing you're here, old friends come out of the woodwork, and that's a lot of fun
9:41
It's quite changed since I was last here. I think it's probably safe to say it's harder to get an audience into the theatre
9:48
of a straight play, especially in these financially strictered times. But I think we have an interesting season
9:59
coming up, not only our play, but the Elizabeth and Mary play, which is very interesting
10:06
And there's a lot of things I think will be good to have here
10:13
And I hope we will encourage people to spend the odd spare dollar if they have one
10:20
to come to the theatre and see a new play, a new American play
10:24
going straight on to Broadway, very rare. I'm lucky to have Joan Allen
10:30
I'm lucky to have Jack O'Brien directing it. So let us see
10:36
So what was it originally that attracted you to the play? I mean, I haven't read it yet, but everybody who's spoken to me about reading this play said it's like nothing
10:43
you know, it's just an amazing play. It is extraordinary. It's quite difficult to pin down
10:50
I mean, I obviously don't want to oversell it because we oversell so much these days
10:56
and go and see them and think, oh, well, that's it. not as good as I expected
11:00
But it is a unique play, I think, in that it's not really until you get to the end of it
11:06
that you understand it fully or see fully what it's about. It's not quite so sequential as most conventional dramas
11:20
And all I can say is that when I closed, I thought I want to do this tomorrow
11:26
Joan felt the same Jack O'Brien felt the same So it has
11:32
It has It has something about it, a spirit, a heart I don't know what it is
11:37
But I hope the audience Catch what we caught when we read it Talk about the man that you play, the role himself
11:43
Well, he's a He's a National Geographic photographer Sort of retired, he retired himself
11:50
He finally saw enough in Africa Decided he wanted to come and do something
11:56
that didn't require him to be out in the world. He wanted almost to retire from the world
12:08
And he finds this art gallery run by a lady and he starts work there
12:17
and he begins to get to know the lady. But the art gallery in a way is
12:23
an allegory for someone's heart, soul, whatever
12:33
So the play is on many levels. And I think it's a grown-up play
12:37
It's a grown-up love story. It's intellectual. And yet, not over-intellectual. I think it's possibly something which audiences will enjoy
12:47
I hope so. One of the casualties to the second half of this theater season was the new Broadway musical The Story of My Life, which unfortunately has already opened and closed at the booth theater
12:59
It was written by newcomers Neil Bartram, who did the score and his real-life partner, Brian Hill, who wrote the book
13:06
It was directed by Tony Award winner Richard Malpie Jr. and featured two knockout performances by Will Chase and Malcolm Gets
13:14
We had caught up with all of them at their recent opening night. So for all of you who will never have a chance to see this musical
13:21
here's our look at The Story of My Life. Though the years may come and go
13:26
when I need to have them with me, they'll be here. They'll be here
13:32
They'll be here. Sware around and around in a magical Christmas in more
13:42
The way they did they. Black when we were just ten
13:52
all our angels again in the snow
14:07
You know, I first saw it when it was presented at BMI, just four songs
14:14
And they didn't really have the rest of it written. of it written But it was clear in those four songs that they were on to something They were going to tell a story about friendship and no one had ever really done that We told many other kinds of relationship stories but no one really dug into a
14:32
friendship, particularly a friendship between two men. Lots of stories about friendships of women
14:38
But with men, that's always this danger area. You know, there's a gay story and then there are, you know, jock camaraderie, but there's
14:49
a whole lot of stuff in the middle. And it's a love story
14:55
Friendships are love stories, aren't they, really? Talk about the collaboration with these two gentlemen
15:00
Oh, it was brilliant. It was absolutely stunning. I guess because I'm a writer too
15:04
I really understood their process, and I understood the honorableness of their work
15:12
I understood that they were, there's never an earcock to what will work on Broadway
15:19
It was always about honesty. It was always about truth. It was always about honesty. It was about truth
15:23
And then that went wherever it went. And I encourage that. And we did a lot of shaping of the story together
15:31
But they started on such a solid artistic ground that I was just, you know, it was a gift
15:40
Just admit, Tom, you expected more. But isn't this refresh? This is it, Tom
15:53
Sure, it's nothing like the picture on the box. And no secrets exist in some moment you missed
16:04
Just accept that sometimes pieces might not fit. And that's okay. Because all that you needed, Tom, is here
16:16
All around us, this is it. We did a production in Toronto in October of 06 at Cannes Stage and developed it there
16:24
And then it played, the next stop was? The next stop was, we actually went to theater works in Palo Alto for two weeks
16:30
and worked on it there just quietly in a private room. And those rewrites were eventually seen at Good Speed Opera House just this past November
16:40
And talk about adding Richard Malpsey Jr. into the mix. Richard saw a 20-minute presentation
16:45
He was running a master class at the BMI Workshop where Neela's, a member and we presented about 20 minutes of the show then, maybe three songs and a couple of
16:54
scenes and he was the master of the master class and wrote Neil the next day and basically
17:00
sent a long, long, long email about what he thought we were trying to do, what direction
17:04
he thought we should go in, which was exactly what we wanted to do. He was dead on. And then
17:10
when it came time to do a 45-minute presentation at NAMT, the Alliance for Musical Theater
17:15
we thought instantly of Richard because he had already had such a connection
17:19
to the piece. Tell me the first song you wrote for the show originally
17:23
and the last piece you wrote for the show. Ooh, the first song. Well, that would be Neil's department, but I can tell you
17:28
The first song was something called My Father, which is no longer in the show. That was written long, long, long ago
17:33
And the last song was something called Independence Day, which is in the show. In fact, there are two songs
17:39
remaining from that original, original draft, which was 10 years ago. Talk about your collaboration
17:45
Collaborations are so special, and when they work, they work really well, and yours does
17:49
Why do you think that is professionally? I think it's because, A, we like each other, which helps a lot
17:55
And I think it's because I do the book, and he does music and lyrics. We don't overlap, so we can go off to our separate offices, and then meet up and put things together
18:03
It's as simple as that. Well, we wanted to write a show about friendship, but not just a friendship
18:09
but about tracking through that friendship and identifying the most. moments where like the one person influenced the other and in a small way
18:18
You know, like we, we didn't want to do something about like wedding or graduation or the big moments that everybody recognizes, but the small moments that when looking back, you
18:26
realize, wait a second, that's when I decided to go in this direction, or that's when this
18:30
person said something to me that inspired me to do this, but you don't necessarily notice them at the time
18:35
And so we kind of made this, the framework of a eulogy with looking back on the other friend's
18:39
life and possibly having some regrets and some choices that were made along the way that
18:43
that you want to reinvestigate. And that's sort of how the thing evolved into what it is now
18:51
How much of the show changed between Toronto and now New York? It changed a lot, and we had a step in between that where we went to Goodspeed
18:59
We did a huge rewrite after Toronto, and then we did the NAMP presentation
19:03
the National Alliance for Music Theater, when the production got optioned by the commercial producers
19:08
Chase Michigan and her team. And then we went to Goodspeed to do an out-of-town tryout last fall
19:13
And every step along that way, it changed and grew. And also the addition of Will Chase and Malcolm gets changed it as well
19:22
because once you know who you're writing for, it really helps to kind of solidify it
19:29
And they're so amazing. And they just inspired me to write better stuff
19:34
And I think Brian, too, felt the same way. And also we had added Richard Moppy along the way
19:39
And he was so inspirational. and so he's so gifted in storytelling and that kind of thing
19:44
And he was an amazing mentor to us on this project as well as a director
19:49
Talk about the first song you wrote for the show originally and the last song you wrote
19:53
The first song I wrote is still in the show and it's called, oh, you know what, the first song I wrote is not still in the show
20:00
It's a song that one of the characters sang at his father's funeral and it ended up getting cut
20:05
The second song is still in the show and that's called Mrs. Remington about a childhood teacher
20:09
and the influence that that teacher had on their lives. And then the last song was a song called Independence Day
20:17
that Malcolm's character sings at sort of a turning point where he feels like he's going to finally leave his small town
20:22
and get a taste of the wide world out there. Talk about collaboration
20:27
Sometimes collaborations work so well. Yours does. Why do you think that is professionally
20:32
Well, with my relationship with Brian and collaborating with Brian is we're also a life partner, so that doesn't hurt
20:39
I mean, we understand each other. We have a short hand. And I think one of the reasons that works is because I write music and lyrics and he writes books
20:46
So we have our delineated tasks that are separate. I think if we're in the same room all the time, we probably kill each other
20:53
But because we have, like I can go off and write a song and be by myself
20:57
and he can go off and write some scene work. And then what we do is we do show and tell and we present our stuff to each other
21:02
And so we're always the first audience for the other one's work. And there's nothing like that sharing that with somebody that you can
21:09
care so much about. You're a butterfly, my friend, powerful and strong, and I'm grateful for the way you've always
21:20
hurried me along. When you flap your wings to stretch yourself, it might seem small to you, but you change
21:30
the world with everything you do So he stretched his wings and took off from the safety of his tree
21:52
And the butterfly finally saw the sea. It's been the, like, I mean, I think everybody says this one, every project they do
22:15
but this has been like, it's been smart the way Chase Michigan and Richard and everybody did it
22:20
We kind of workshopped it a little bit, and then we took it, took some time off, and then we took it to good speed, and it was nice to do it there
22:27
And it's been like a slow, nice, organic kind of chill process
22:31
And Malcolm and I learned early on that we could only. rehearse for about four hours a day because at first you're like oh an hour and a half show i can
22:38
rehearse that but then you go i'm in every moment of it so um it was it was not and to work with
22:44
malcolm gets too it's just like you know you go to rehearsal you're like this is easy i just show
22:47
up and he makes me look great so talk about the role that you play and what you love about the
22:52
material uh you know neil and brian who wrote the score in the the book uh they're so good at weaving
22:57
music with story it's kind of seamless which is it's been that way since i've been a part of the
23:03
and the storytelling aspect of it, the fact that Malcolm and I have to use our imaginations
23:11
there's one scene where Malcolm stares at a butterfly the whole time, and you swear that he sees a butterfly
23:16
and the audience has to do that, too. It's kind of like we're all on the same page
23:20
And with Thomas, my character is a bit of a stick in the mud, and is a famous writer
23:26
and Alvin, Malcolm's character, kind of steers him through these flashbacks and kind of opens up his heart
23:32
because Alvin is a very open, open vessel and open heart, and eventually gets Thomas to open up his heart
23:39
And that's what the hour and a half journey is. And the audience's reaction
23:43
The booth is so intimate, how that feels for you? It's amazing. It's the, I can't imagine doing it anywhere else because it's the perfect theater
23:51
It's still a Broadway feel. It feels like a play. I spend 80% of the time talking to our friends of the audience
23:58
So it's nice that I can actually see the people in the last row of the balcony. It's got that Broadway feel, but it's a very, you know, it's my favorite theater to go see plays hat, too
24:08
because you still feel like you're on the Broadway, but it's very intimate
24:13
and you feel like you're part of the action and very close. Mrs. Remington, our first grade teacher, made elementary school a better place
24:20
but her single most disturbing feature was the coarse black hair on her face
24:25
Maybe she was menopausal, lack of estrogen will cause a lot of odd conditions, some acute
24:29
The irony would never face her namesake of a famous race. and to be so facially her suit
24:34
But Mrs. Remington smiled, and she would brighten my day. Back then a teacher hugged you to make you feel okay
24:45
though my face sort of stung from Mrs. Remington's beard. When she held me, my problems disappeared
24:55
How lucky am I, how lucky are Will and I to get to appear in a new Broadway piece by
25:02
two new writers, two sensational new writers, Neil Bartram and Brian Hill
25:07
who have come from Canada and I think have really offered Broadway as something that it hasn't seen in a long time
25:13
Talk about the beautiful score and the book. I mean, it's a perfect blending. Yeah, they write together brilliantly
25:19
Neil Bartram writes the music and lyrics. Brian Hill writes the score. You know, Neil's music is very complex, and yet I think absolutely accessible at the same time
25:29
Like, there's enormous complexity to it, but it's kind of, music that I hear in my heart starts racing. His lyrics are brilliant. And then Brian, who wrote
25:38
the book, the script, writes in the same vernacular as the lyrics. So I actually feel like you
25:43
can't tell where one starts and the other stops. To me, it feels like one piece. It feels like
25:47
they are one person that wrote the entire piece. And it's totally original. It's not based
25:52
on a play or a movie or a television show. It came from their imagination. And the proof is in
25:58
the audience's reactions. The entire three weeks we've been here, people are moved
26:02
Talk about the role that you play and working with Will. Your chemistry is really wonderful to watch the two of you
26:08
That's great to hear. I'm glad to hear that. Well, I play Alvin, Will plays Thomas
26:13
Will and I had done a couple of workshops together, and then about three months before I became involved with this piece
26:20
he and I had repeatedly auditioned for a TV show, which came and went, and we were both out in Queens, and I was out for my fourth audition
26:26
and he was out for his third or fourth, and neither of us got the TV show, and we took the train back into Manhattan together
26:31
and we didn't have a bitter actor conversation. We ended up talking about his children
26:36
I talked about my desire to have children. We talked about school. I talked about directing him in a show one day
26:42
We just really connected. And then three months later, it was like, as we say in Yiddish Bashert
26:46
like suddenly, all of a sudden we were playing friends. But what I've learned in the past is that that sort of chemistry connection between actors
26:56
you can go to dinner, you can spend a lot of time together. It could never happen
27:00
It just exists with Will and I. And he's an amazing actor
27:04
He's an amazing singer. He's been so loving and so dear to me. And I can't imagine doing it without him
27:10
And the roles are incredible. I mean, you know, I thought this is why I went to school
27:16
This is why I took singing lessons. It all sort of comes together in this piece because it demands all of everything from both of us
27:23
So I feel very fortunate. Black when we were just ten, all our angels again in the snow
#Acting & Theater
#Broadway & Musical Theater
#Entertainment Industry
#Events & Listings
#Musical Films
#Romance Films
#Vocals & Show Tunes