Click here for the obituary of the playwright.
TCS’ Interview is the Best in New England: In September 2002, TCS took its production of Interview to Concord, NH to participate in the New England Theatre Conference (NETC) Regional Festival, where we competed against five other groups. Some of the other shows were very good, but the judges thought we were better! In addition to the award for Best Production, Laura Schrader was named the Best Director, and Larry Segel won an award for Technical Achievement (for running the lights).
Interview in America and the World: As the representative of New England, TCS went on to the national level, where we competed against groups from ten regions of the country, at the AACT Fest ’03, on 25 June 2003 at Torrington, CT. Although popular with the audience, the adjudicators inexplicably overlooked us when handing out awards. Click here for more info.
We were also specially invited to perform Interview at the international Estivades Festival in Marche-en-Famenne, Belgium on Thursday 7 August 2003. Click here for more info. The trip was a great success, despite the great European heat wave.
To help us defray the cost of travel, we held a fundraising event on Friday 11 July 2003. Thanks to everyone who helped out and attended our Trivia Mania game and dinner.
Interview at NETC: The New England Theatre Conference (NETC) held its 51st annual convention during November 2002 in Bedford, NH. Amongst a number of performances, exhibits, workshops, master classes, etc., there was a keynote address by actor/innovator/activist Jean Claude van Itallie, the author of Interview. This was followed by a performance of TCS’ award-winning production of Interview. Mr. van Itallie said ours was one of the best productions of Interview he had seen. Click here for more info.
Interview at EMACT: The Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theaters held its annual drama festival, during May-June 2002, on the campus of Brandeis University in Waltham. The Theatre Company of Saugus entered a one-act play, Interview, by Jean-Claude Van Itallie. We were in competition for various awards, up against nineteen other groups.
Saugus’ Interview won every feasible award: 2002 1st Runner-Up. 2002 Festival Finalist. Best Ensemble – Mitchell Cole, Rosemary DeGregorio, Ron Green, Zachary Murphy, Kris Reynolds, Stephen Russo, Lisa Scopa, and Frances Vella. Best Director – Laura Schrader. Best Lighting Design – Monica Bruno, Larry Segel, Laura Schrader. Best Sound Design – Laura Schrader & Lisa Scopa. Best Stage Manager – Monica Bruno. The production also earned three additional nominations: Best Supporting Actor – Zachary Murphy (Gym Instructor). Best Supporting Actress – Kris Reynolds (Maid). Best Costume Design – The Cast. Other staff for Interview include: Assistant Stage Manager – Jaime Stevens, Original Producer – Fran Baron, Set Construction – Steve Orr.
Susan Harrington is the Producer for Interview. For the performance in Belgium there were some cast changes: John Conlon and Rich Italiano substituted for Mitchell Cole and Zachary Murphy, respectively, and the Assistant Stage Manager was Mary Moffett.
For the complete list of participants, nominees, and awards at EMACT, click here.
Interview is a contemporary one-act play, a “fugue for 8 actors,” from the collection American Hurrah. It begins with a dehumanizing job interview, in which 4 interviewers simultaneously grill 4 job applicants in a fast-paced absurdist style. The action then moves out into the street, where the actors portray various characters through monologues and movement, illustrating the struggle and alienation of the individual in society.
Theatre Company of Saugus 