As the cast of Bad Jews celebrated 100 performances, making it the longest running show in Studio Theatre history, they sat down with Assistant Director Nathan Norcross to discuss their experience sharing this battle of barbs and beliefs with Studio’s audiences over the past several months.
NATHAN NORCROSS: With over one hundred performances of Bad Jews under your belts over the past few months, what will you remember most about being a part of Studio’s longest running production?
ALEX MANDELL (LIAM): I've never had the privilege of living with a character for such an extended period of time and it has definitely presented its share of challenges and gifts. The most exciting aspect of a long run is the opportunity to deepen my understanding and connection with Liam; it got easier and easier to slip into his body night after night. On the flip side, one of the challenges that arose halfway through the run was not taking the basics of the play for granted every night.
IRENE SOFIA LUCIO (DAPHNA): Yes, it was a true test of technique, to be present within those circumstances over and over again. It was a real challenge. But the length of the run allowed us to relax into it more than any show I've had the privilege of performing in.
AM: We did get very comfortable doing the show. I had to make it a point to remind myself of simple things like the given circumstances of the play: Where is Liam coming from? What does he want in this scene? What does he not expect? Keeping the show fresh was never an issue. Perhaps the greatest gift of the process has been the privilege of working with this ensemble of actors. When the people you share the stage with for 100+ performances are alive, listening, and responding, keeping the show from getting stale is no hard task.
ISL: I will always cherish this time in DC with this theatre, these audiences, and this company of actors. I will miss Daphna terribly.
NN: Speaking of the audiences, what has been your experience sharing such a charged, potentially provocative play with a new group of people every night?
ISL: It is very clear when the audience is Team Daphna or Team Liam. They can really start leaning collectively toward supporting one or the other of us. Sometimes they vacillate. Each character has a moment where they state their case in a more grounded way late in the play, and the audiences sometimes take that in and switch allegiances or consider their position in a new way.
JOE PAULIK (JONAH): I think that because the space is so small, the room is so bright (the white walls and the very hot lights), and I spend most of my time eschewing Daphna and Liam’s prodding, it all has become a very social and interactive experience for me with the audience.
AM: My favorite memory of an interactive audience member came one night near the end of the play when Liam tells Daphna, “You’ve never experienced love. And you know what? I’ll bet you never will.” A woman reacted full voice from the audience saying, “Aw, fuck you!”