That Old Black Magic
nytheatre.com q&a preview by Jacquetta Szathmari
October 2, 2012
What is your job on this show?
Writer, Performer.
Do you consider yourself a writer who also performs, an actor who also writes, or something else?
I think of myself as a writer who performs. I have too much respect for performers to say the reverse. Really though I am more of a comedian who writes--I say this out of respect for writers. I like to make people laugh and then hopefully disturb them deeply.
If you are performing in the piece you wrote, do you think another actor could also play this role?
Originally TOBM was written for two performers, but things don't always work out as planned and then I had to learn how to do a burlesque act. If anyone would like to play these roles, I'd like to know about it.
Do you think the audience will talk about your show for 5 minutes, an hour, or way into the wee hours of the night?
I think people will talk about it for hours to come--no one else is doing a Harriet Tubman strip. That's certainly cocktail chat fodder.
Which famous solo performer has been most inspirational to you: Spalding Gray, John Leguizamo, Lily Tomlin, or Whoopi Goldberg?
Spalding Gray once served me a pancake during his show at PS 122. Talk about engaging the audience. I'd like to serve the audience a mental pancake.
If you had ten million dollars that you had to spend on theatrical endeavors, how would you use the money?
I'd spend my 10 million on making sure everyone had the chance to see good live satire. Also, I'd take an finally complete an acting class and learn how to juggle in case the acting is so so.
