One final interview on the subject of the comedy Laughter on the 23rd Floor, which wraps up in a few hours at the old Huntington High School!
Let’s hear from my pal Mike Murdock, who directed the final ARTS production for the year - and knocks it out of the park:
Q: What is the play Laughter on the 23rd Floor all about?
Mike: Laughter is a play that Neil Simon wrote in the early ‘90s about his time writing on the Sid Caesar television shows "Your Show Of Shows" and "Caesar's Hour." The whole play takes place in 1953, in the writer's room. During those years, Simon was on the staff with his brother Danny Simon, Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks, Woody Allen, Larry Gelbart, Mel Tolkien, Tony Webster, Sheldon Keller, Lucille Kallen, Aaron Ruben, Gary Belkin and Sid Caesar, just to name more than a few. There were so many brilliantly funny and creative people in that room, vying for attention from Sid and dealing with their own, personal issues, Simon turned it into a play. He changed the names and combined some characters, but this is yet another of Simon's semi-autobiographical shows like Brighton Beach Memoirs, Biloxi Blues and Broadway Bound. I think it's his funniest play, and this ensemble of actors really nails the camaraderie, the foibles, the creativity and the love they all had for each other. This is going to be a tough show to let go of after it ends. Everyone is doing really exceptional character work.
Q: What's your background in theatre?
Mike: I've worked with just about everyone in the Tri-State at one time or another. I ran my own theatre in Los Angeles for a year before giving it up to the Upright Citizens Brigade. I'm currently a Resident Director here at ARTS. I was in the Ohio University theatre program for awhile and then ended up graduating from Marshall. I'm an actor, director and writer. I just won the one-act play contest at the Paramount Arts Center over the summer and I have a novel available on Amazon (The Dragon Ruby). Life's been good to me, so far.
Q: What's the most challenging thing about doing a comedy?
Mike: The timing. Always the timing. And the bits. Everyone loves a good bit. Well, not everyone. I know one guy who hates bits, but nobody's perfect. This cast has gone through some pretty serious rehearsals for this show. They got off-book pretty early on and we got the blocking done in the first two weeks, and we've been running it ever since. We're only human, and we all make mistakes, but these folks have really put every effort they could into getting everything smooth and timed just right. Every now and then we might miss a beat, but we get right back on track. A fast-paced comedy is a beautiful thing to behold when it's done well. I think we're doing this one VERY well.
Q: You're staging this in the Renaissance Ballroom, a more intimate setting than the main stage. Does that make the show easier or is it more challenging?
Mike: From the moment I pitched the show, I knew I wanted it in the Renaissance Ballroom. I wanted to use the practical window. I wanted the drop ceiling to be our ceiling. I wanted the carpet to be our floor. We built the walls of the set around the room, and it's my understanding that we have created the biggest playing space, left to right, of any stage in Huntington, other than the Keith Albee. It's even bigger than our main stage! I love it. I love having the audience right on top of you so they can see facial expressions and little gestures. There's so much going on in this show, people really need to see it more than once to catch everything. From the Easter eggs we've hidden all over the set (not ACTUAL Easter eggs, of course, but rather little things associated with the show, like pictures of certain people, books on desks, Chuck Minsker's actual Emmy awards - thanks! - etc.) to the business people are doing all the time on stage (the actors are on stage through almost the entire show). The only challenge is getting enough seats for the audience. I love the Ballroom. Mark Near, Bil Neal, Stephen Vance and Jerry Morse created magic in that space for me. It's absolutely everything I wanted for this show and more. You've got to see it to believe it. As an audience member, you'll be sitting in the writer's room with these folks. It's something you won't soon forget. After the show, I urge everyone to mill about the set and check things out. It will really enrich your experience.
Q: Tell us about the cast you're working with.
Mike: I've already been singing their praises, but all nine of these folks have really knocked me out. They realized how hard doing comedy like this is, and they took it seriously from day one. Joanna Berner and Jenn Naglee are pitch perfect as the only two ladies in this party of fellas, and they give brilliant performances. The old adage that women aren't funny is blown away here. Not only are they beautiful, but they are savvy, smart actors (even though Jenn plays a dumb one) and they handle the comedy even better than the men. Speaking of which - Simon Woods, Brian Cook, David Vickers and Len Trent are the glue of this show. They're on stage the most and their banter back and forth is fantastic. Every little quip, every little movement, every take, every joke, every gesture is spot on from these guys. Jerry Morse... just wow. I've known Jerry for years and years and he never ceases to amaze me. He's like 200 years old, and I've got him running around the whole stage and being man-handled several times, and cursing like a sailor. People should come to the show just to see that! Michael Naglee as Lucas... the Neil Simon archetype... he's so sweet and innocent and down-to-earth, you'll wonder how he ever played the Emcee in Cabaret at the beginning of the season. It's an incredible yin-yang, bookend of the season for him and he nails it. If we didn't all know him outside of the theatre, we'd say he was the all-American boy. Good thing we DO know him, though. And finally, Dylan Clark. I had worked with Dylan at Marshall when I first moved back to the area from L.A. in his first show there. Gene Anthony directed us in The Merry Wives of Windsor. I knew then that he had a lot of raw talent, but he has matured into a truly fine actor. He plays the Sid Caesar role (Max Prince) and is at the same time manic and furious and tender and sweet. He's absolutely killing it. These folks - these nine people - are some of the most talented in the area. I got my perfect cast and they rose to the challenge. It makes me misty to think that this show will end after this weekend because maybe we'll never have this much fun again in our entire lives.
I would also be remiss if I didn't mention our tech folks. Linda Reynolds and Karen Pruitt did a wonderful job getting together the costumes, and Laura Armstrong and Anne-Marie Neal are keeping everything together backstage while Michael Sullivan calls the shots from the light and sound board. The show wouldn't happen with out them. Well, it might. But it would look and sound really weird. And I mentioned them earlier, but Mark Near, Bil Neal and Stephen Vance really do make dreams come true. It's an honor and privilege to work with such talented, extraordinary people. I'm one really lucky guy. There's no place in the Tri-State that I would rather be than ARTS.
Q: Why would you recommend this show to our readers?
Mike: It's the funniest show in Huntington this weekend. That's a fact. Undeniable (I checked to see if any other comedies were playing). It's the last weekend and it's the last show of the 2013 ARTS season. Also, there's plenty of cussin' for the young kids to enjoy. Bring the whole family!
Q: Where and when will the show be staged?
Mike: Saturday, Dec. 7, at 8 p.m. in the Renaissance Ballroom at Old Huntington High - 900 8th Street - in Huntington. Come early! Seating is limited. You don't want to miss it. Tickets are only $10. That's so cheap, even *I* could go twice!
Thanks, Mike!
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