INTERVIEW: At 59E59, there’s a new take on ‘King Lear’
Photo: From left, Cindy Cheung, Daisuke Tsuji and Jon Norman Schneider star in Primary Stages’ production of Laowang. Photo courtesy of James Leynse / Provided by Print Shop PR with permission.
King Lear by William Shakespeare continues to be produced around the world, and some contemporary playwrights are inspired by the Bard’s work so much that they have created their own interpretations of the classic text. Case in point: Laowang, written by Alex Lin and directed by Joshua Kahan Brody. Performances of this new retelling continue until Sunday, Dec. 14, at 59E59 Theaters in Midtown Manhattan in a production from Primary Stages.
In the show, the character of A-Poh is facing an uncertain future. Her restaurant in Chinatown has been a success, but big developers have come knocking. Now, she must join with her three grandchildren to figure out what the next move might be and how the inheritance might be split up.
One of the members of the cast is Jon Norman Schneider, whose stage credits include plays at Signature Theatre Company and Manhattan Theatre Club, among others. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What first attracted you to this part and this play?
I loved how ferocious and madcap all the characters were. They are deadly serious in terms of their wants and motivations, but the writing manages to remain nimble, funny and irreverent. There’s no shortage of wit and bite, which is a pleasure to inhabit as an actor.
Did you immediately pick up on the parallels to King Lear?
Yes! I was in a production of King Lear a few years ago as The Fool, so it’s been fascinating to explore the story through this other, more contemporary vantage point.
What do you feel the piece says about how we deal with weighty issues, like heritage, history and gentrification?
OK, this is a big question, but I’ll just say, I think the play grapples with how slippery familial legacy can be. We may have the best intentions in the world for our family, but this doesn’t guarantee no harm will be done. Something must always be sacrificed when ambition meets greed.
What’s it like working with this cast of actors?
Truly a lovefest onstage and off. Everyone is so game, hilarious, professional, creative and light on their feet. We make each other laugh constantly.
When did you first realize you wanted to become an actor?
I think the desire really crystalized in high school — I’d become obsessed with the TV show My So-Called Life, particularly with Claire Danes’ characterization of Angela, the show’s protagonist. Her performance elicited so much melancholy, excitement and wonder in me; I kind of couldn’t believe that she was able to do all this when she was just a teenager like me. That summer I enrolled in an acting class for teens in NYC, and without even meaning to, I ended up studying with the same teacher Danes had had as a kid.
What’s the best and worst thing about being an actor on the stage?
Best thing is getting to dig into the work with your fellow castmates and feeling the energy from the audience when the play is clicking along and everything is really landing. Worst thing is probably the financial insecurity, as actors don’t always know what or when our next jobs will be.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Laowang, featuring Jon Norman Schneider, continues through Sunday, Dec. 14, at 59E59 Theaters in Midtown Manhattan. Click here for more information and tickets for the Primary Stages production.
