Eugene O’Neill’s play Hughie officially opened last Wednesday at the Theatre Centre, marking the first time the show has been performed as a single bill in Canada. The production is the first offering from the newly formed Alley Theatre Workshop, a Toronto based company led by Michael Kash which is dedicated to presenting world class theatre and developing new work.
Hughie is one of O’Neill’s lesser known works, but it has had an illustrious history and some notable productions and performances over the years. The 45-minute, two character, one-act is a character study of sorts, and tells the story of an alcoholic gambler who goes on a bender after the night clerk of the seedy motel where he has resided for fifteen years passes away.
Directed by Dora Award-winner David Ferry, the production stars Michael Kash as Erie Smith and Laurence Dean Ifill as Hughes. BWW spoke with both Ferry and Kash about the reasoning behind choosing Hughie as the first presentation of the ATW, and about why this particular production will appeal to a younger audience:
Michael Kash:
Congratulations on Hughie and the formation of the Alley Theatre Workshop. What made you choose Hughie for the ATW's first production?
I knew Hughie was a piece that I had to do after I saw Al Pacino workshop it at the Longwarf Theatre. I was living in New York at the time and couldn’t believe I was going to get the chance to see Pacino life. No press was permitted as he worked with Paul Benedict for a month in front of the public as a presentation. When I saw him do it again at Circle in the Square on Broadway a month or so later I knew I wanted to do it. So I tucked it in my back pocket for sixteen years because I was 31 then and the character of Erie Smith is 45!
What has the journey been like so far? Are you being welcomed and well received by the Toronto theatre community?
The journey so far has been in two parts. The first part is the least enjoyable and that is the producing. Raising money is not easy at the best of times and there are a lot of other details that I have to take care of. Having said that, I am blessed with amazing friends and colleagues that ultimately come together when ATW is in swing.
The second part of the journey is the acting. This has been so fantastic on so many levels. First and foremost I get to work with the brilliant David Ferry whose direction and artistry always amazes and challenges me. I’m also on stage with the wonderful Laurence Dean Ifill who is beyond talented. Wrapping my mouth around O’Neill’s words is such a challenge but they are all so good and poetic that emotionally layering the character becomes that much more enjoyable the more I do it.
We have been well received in the past even though we are not in the eye of the storm so to speak. People have started talking about it more and it is one of O’Neill’s lesser known works which is something I actually like about it.
Could you tell us a little bit more about your goal with ATW and what you hope to do next?
My goal with ATW is to forge ahead and grow the company within the city of Toronto and gather more financial support so we can find a home to work out of again. The other main component which is really exciting to me is working with charities that focus on children. Right now we are working with Anaphylaxis Canada. I’m an asthmatic and although Anaphylaxis Canada’s main focus is not asthmatics they do work with a lot of them. We are doing a benefit performance on February 26th and all the proceeds go to Anaphylaxis Canada for their ongoing work.
As independents we may not have deep pockets but we are able to contribute as a result of our work and what we do. Isn’t that what community is all about? My philosophy around it is based on how Joe Papp created Shakespeare in Central Park and the Public Theatre. We are looking at a few options creatively and want to get through Hughie before we announce the next big one, but it involves Leonard Bernstein and another involves coffee!
Finally, what would you say to encourage a younger audience to come out and see this production?
I would say to a younger audience that this is a play quite unlike most in that it is only an hour and the language is from another time. This is something we normally only see in movies or cartoons because it takes place in New York in 1928 and there is also live jazz being played as the show begins. All these elements together give a younger audience a taste of history and what is possible when different creative forces come together. To top it off there is an Installation Art piece in each washroom themed around the time period of the play.
