twi-ny: Okay, for my last question, I have a sort of bone to pick with you. Manhattan Theatre Club Manhattan Theatre Club's world premiere of REGRETS, the new play by Matt Charman, directed by Carolyn Cantor will open tonight, Tuesday, March 27 at MTC at New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street). Get Richard Topol's email address (r*****@cnrs.fr) and phone number at RocketReach. Resides in Tallahassee, FL. Lets take that idea of writing and switch over to Prayer for the French Republic, which is exquisitely written. twi-ny: During the pandemic, you appeared in several virtual and audio productions: You were in Melisa Anniss Beginnings, Anne Washburns Shipwreck, Craig Lucass More Beautiful and you played a chicken in Jimonn Coles Chickens. He holds an MFA in Acting from NYU's Graduate Acting Program and a BA in Political Science from Brown University. twi-ny: And they all want you to keep doing it. MTC at New York City Center Stage I The language flowed more naturally to Richard Topol, whose grandparents all spoke Yiddish. The language is so beautiful. Im always curious about what my non-Jewish friends who come and see the show think of it. twi-ny: So you played Yogi, and then you met him on opening night of the show. No, no, please dont. Did you enjoy working on Zoom? And she said, You just got an offer from Manhattan Theatre Club for Prayer for the French Republic. Broadway: Lemml in Indecent (Outer Critics Circle Award Nomination), Larry David's Fish in the Dark, The Merchant of Venice with Al Pacino, Tony-winning revivals Awake & Sing! Richard became a father at 50 and named his firstborn after his dad. "There were probably a good two dozen words that were a regular part of our household," he says. Originally from Larchmont, NY, he now lives in New York City with his wife, actress Eliza Foss, and their daughter. So then the pandemic hit and immediately I got the virus. Photo Coverage: Inside Opening Night of Lincoln Center Theater's ADMISSIONS, Photo Flash: Billy Crudup, Phillipa Soo, Steven Pasquale, Sutton Foster and More Celebrate HARRY CLARKE Opening Off-Broadway, Photo Coverage: On the Red Carpet for Opening Night of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM. You dont develop a through-line, you dont understand the arc of things. It was really satisfying to do. I got the feeling that this was a group of actors working in tandem. MTC at New York City Center Stage I Plays Sam Feinschreiber in "Awake and Sing!" When they said, Will you read Patrick? I was doing Anatomy of a Suicide at the Atlantic Theater Company. So that was the very last performance you could do in New York. rt: Oh, less upsetting because I know Im not a professional. Did you enjoy working on Zoom? And then Anita gave us a shot. That seemed like a good starting-off point, discussing my becoming a father and my seeing the best potential father to me to help me learn how to be a father. Since then weve bumped into each other a few other times at the theater and discussed various shows wed seen. I love Charles. No, not from all perspectives, but certainly from a lot of perspectives within the Jewish community. The Lucky Starbegan previews on April 26, 2022 in Theater A and opened May 5 for a run through June 12, 2022. Manhattan Theatre Clubhas announced a final extension forPrayer for the French Republic, written by Drama Desk Award winnerJoshua Harmonand directed by Tony Award winnerDavid Cromer. The Public Theater is now presenting KING LEAR, directed by James Macdonald. Topol, " Betsy Aidem, Richard Topol, Pierre Epstein, Francis Benhamou And then the symptoms were gone. I love acting with other people, and it cant be about me because Im not interesting. Rich Topol poses with a hot car on set of EPIX series Godfather of Harlem. And so it was the worst it could be without being bad. A few days after Prayer for the French Republic opened at Manhattan Theater Clubs Stage I at City Center, we talked about one-person shows, getting Covid, baseball, and what its like being an actor in lockdown, including a detailed description of mounting a play as a pandemic continues. Although my mother came and saw the show. Latest News on Richard Topol: Photos: Go Inside Opening Night of THE UNBELIEVING at 59E59 Theaters (Oct 31, 2022) Review: THE UNBELIEVING at 59E59 Theaters- Compelling Play Presents A Meaningful. rt: No, no, no. So thats the sort of glib answer. We dont know when but were still committed to doing the play. and Larry Kramers The Normal Heart. rt: The short answer is it was great. I mean, I enjoyed working as opposed to not working. And Im not going to any of that stuff. But still there was that sense of, Whos producing a new eleven-person play, with nobody famous? And so the ones that I was willing to share were the ones that couldnt be avoided and, I guess, were the most important. Im not going to risk that. (l-r front row) - Peyton Lusk, Yair Ben-Dor, Ari Brand, Pierre Epstein, Jeff Seymour, Molly Ranson, Betsy Aidem, Francis You were a Mets fan, then you switched over to the Yankees. rt: He was really sweet and really happy to be there and to be seeing this play with his wife, Carmen, having this stuff brought to life. rt: I think he would be disappointed. If youre a WASP from white privilege, maybe you look at this play and think, like Patrick, Whats the big deal, you know? The ones who are not Jews often say how the Jews in the play are just a specific example of the larger issue of otherness. Rich Topol starred as stage manager Lemml in Indecent (photo by Carol Rosegg). I didnt have it like Danny Burstein; I didnt have to go to the hospital. He shouldnt be a lounge singer. I love the progression of the piano in the play. The language is so beautiful. So this was the middle of December now, right before Christmas, and shows were going down left and right. Im like, Okay, sure. And then Anita gave us a shot. So Ill tell you. And he told me about how much fun it was doing that. Ive actually asked that of some of my Jewish friends too. And Im slightly disappointed myself too, because I knew I was going to do this part for a long time and I knew that these songs were in the piece. That is followed March 26-29 with an untitled piece by Joshua David Robinson and Susanna Stahlmann consisting of poems written in response to the protests of the summer of 2020. twi-ny: You guys were great. He shouldnt be a lounge singer. Im a tree hugger. Manhattan Theatre Club is presenting the world premiere of Prayer for the French Republic, written by Drama Desk Award winner Joshua Harmon and directed by Tony Award winner David Cromer. Since these are your lines and theyre about you, if a joke didnt quite take or something emotional didnt register with the audience, is it more or less upsetting than when youre reciting somebody elses words and something might not go as expected? [Director] Saheem Ali was great and it was a great cast, obviously in a really interesting play. We did a workshop right before the pandemic hit in-person. All materials copyright 2021 by Mark Rifkin / This Week in New York, THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO THE CITY SINCE 2001, this week in lectures, signings, panel discussions, workshops, and Q&As. rt: Yeah. He holds an MFA in Acting from NYU's Graduate Acting Program and a BA in Political Science from Brown University. And thats when [director David] Cromer came on board. It went really well and theyre, like, We want to produce this and we have a slot. Learn more about Richard Topol - movies and shows, full bio, photos, videos, and more at TV Guide And then, of course, a month later, theyre, like, Yeah, were not going to do the workshop in July. Are you Jewish, or is it just a coincidence that you play a lot of Jews? Richard Topol ("Moshe Sharett") has recently starred in Paula Vogel 's Indecent at the Vineyard Theater and on Broadway, and appeared in HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm and Fish In The Dark. It was so satisfying. twi-ny: If Lukas were still around to see you in the show, would he be happy with your piano playing? He is currently starring in Joshua Harmons Prayer for the French Republic, a scintillating three-hour exploration of anti-Semitism that travels between 1944 and 2016; Topol plays Patrick Salomon, a nonreligious Jew who has decided not to go into the family piano business. I had seen a number of shows when I came back from Maine, and some had nobody in the audience and some were jam packed. I know I was a Mets fan in 73, and then we moved, and my next-door neighbor was a Yankees fan. [Director] Saheem Ali was great and it was a great cast, obviously in a really interesting play. Photo Flash: Sam Waterston, Kelli O'Hara Michael McKean & More in KING LEAR at the Public! And there were conversations among the cast about, Well, what do we do at home? rt: But Willy and I had a lot of time over the pandemic because there wasnt much else to do to finish the play. rt: Yeah. During our wide-ranging Zoom conversation, Topol is thoughtful and generous, laughing and smiling . BroadwayWorld brings you highlights of the cast in action below! You were a Mets fan, then you switched over to the Yankees. Photo Flash: THE MERCHANT OF VENICE on Broadway - Production Shots! rt: There was a computer open and his computerized voice would come through. Intense. What was the experience like sharing your life, in person, in front of people, back onstage? Im a tree worshiper. Alexander steps into the role created by David in the comedy about a death in the family. You dont develop a through-line, you dont understand the arc of things. April 21, 2013. rt: Yes, well, thats what Willy said. But at that point were like, Okay, were just wearing masks the whole time. Ive been to some plays where Im sitting right next to total strangers and everybody has their mask on, and this was the same. Frances Benhamou, Kenneth Tigar, Richard Topol, Nancy Robinette, Joshua Harmon They hand delivered the scripts to everybodys homes. Law & Order: CI The Third Horseman (2002) as Cutler's Attorney Law & Order Terminal (1997) as Mickey Fine For Love or Money (2001) as Lloyd Neal Bounty (2003) as Arnie Gleason Law & Order: SVU Consent (2001) as Harry the Vagrant Juvenile (2002) as Mr. Connor . and Larry Kramers The Normal Heart. The play was well received, so I didnt have the experience of Oh, that sucked. I am pleasantly surprised at how many hundreds of people are coming to see the show every day. Michael 3 episodes, 2018 Saul Rubinek . And I asked him about managing the 73 Mets. He doesnt take over the family business. He loves music, is a fast . Why am I doing this play? I think because they had intended originally to produce it live, they had invested in it as fully and fulsomely as you do for a whole theater piece. 131 West 55th St. between Sixth & Seventh Aves. Like in Joshs play, he was one of those people, a German Jew in Berlin who got out. Maybe Im fooling myself. It was a total strikeout. Lets do what we can. Willy was like, I want to write a one-man show for you. So it was thrilling to be back in a theater on a stage with a live audience, even though they were masked. Then we did a couple of workshops that fall and then at the end of February of 2020. Posts about Richard Topol written by caroleditosti. He came in with his finished draft and we did a reading of it, prepandemic and in-person. Photo Flash: THE NORMAL HEART Production Shots! rt: Exactly. Known For The Good Doctor Lincoln Malcolm in the Middle The Blacklist Ghost Whisperer Elementary Manifest Curb Your Enthusiasm Acting 2016 Indignation as Mo Greenberg 2005 Ghost Whisperer ( 1 episode) as James Sutherland 1999 Mickey Blue Eyes as FBI Chef in Truck 1995 Party Girl as Hannah Buff 1994 There had been a lot of preparation. He was even more thankful when I told him that I had included him in my review. He had a mind that was brilliant and fingers that could play I dont know if youve ever heard him play or listened to something. Photo Coverage: On the Red Carpet for Vineyard Theatre's Spring Gala! And in the scenes where I play myself, most of that writing is me, having written down my versions of stories that Ive experienced. We do not want to be shut down. Im not going to risk that. See photos from opening night here! . I was like, No, no, no. He thanked me, saying that he was actually the understudy and that was the only time he had gone on. I met him once at a Mickey Mantle Foundation dinner at Gracie Mansion. Includes Address (7) Phone (6) Email (7) See Results. In addition to his film and television credits, Richard has appeared on Broadway numerous times, most recently nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award as Lemml in the Tony Award winning production of Indecent, with Larry David in Fish in the Dark, with Al Pacino in The Merchant of Venice, with Denzel Washington in Julius Caesar, with Mark . So you cant pick a bone with me if it was because my father had just died and my next-door neighbor was a Yankees fan. Irish Repertory Theatre has announced the return of special audio event, Bikeman by Thomas F. Flynn, directed by Joseph Discher, produced by Robert Cuccioli, and featuring Robert Cuccioli, Stephen Eng, April Ortiz & Richard Topol. twi-ny: If Lukas were still around to see you in the show, would he be happy with your piano playing? I didnt have it like Danny Burstein; I didnt have to go to the hospital. Ive also actually played a lot of Jewish narrators who step into the play. He was beautiful. Producers Douglas Denoff & Beth Goldsmith, and 59E59 Theaters (Val Day, Artistic Director; Brian Beirne, Managing Director) present the Directors Companys production ofThe Lucky Starby Karen Hartman, directed by Noah Himmelstein (Rooted). And on the other hand, it was incredibly scary because it was the first play that Id ever cowritten with anybody, and it was about my life. There was a sense of having more in the heads of the director and the producers, what we could imagine this great thing being, that infused the development and the rehearsal and experience of doing it. And so I was so excited to be part of the beginning of it. Right. He is married to actress Eliza Foss; they have one daughter, and Richard was close with his father-in-law, the late German-American composer, pianist, and conductor Lukas Foss. rt: He was great, for a seventy-year-old man. And the play started to be about that. twi-ny: Its been very strange. That was so much fun. The show closed on March 12. Like in Joshs play, he was one of those people, a German Jew in Berlin who got out. They bicycled around Manhattan delivering the scripts because they didnt want to email them. Off-Broadway: Richard Topol has appeared on Broadway in 7 shows. If you can listen to him playing on Lenny Bernsteins Age of Anxiety, listen to the piano on that. rt: Yeah, I know. He had Parkinsons disease. rt: The short answer is it was great. Hes an extremely amiable mensch who clearly loves his chosen profession. And for those of us whod been with it for two years, were like, Oh my God, were finally getting to do it. And then we did a couple of Zoom workshops. Photo Coverage: THE MERCHANT OF VENICE After Party. Thats the way I connect to religion. During the pandemic, they are looking inside artistic creation with In Process, a series of online presentations written by and starring alumni. So then the pandemic hit and immediately I got the virus. Ive always had this obsession with searching for a father and he was my father-in-law, so lets do that. Were like, You know what, its not worth it. I think of myself as spiritual and, not to be too woo-woo, I believe in the earth. Antisemitic Protestors Chant At Audience Outside First Preview Of PARADE, Cooper, Esparza, and More Will Lead OLIVER! It is unbelievable. Rich Topol meets Yogi Berra on opening night of Bronx Bombers (photo David Gordon). And then a month later, its, Yeah, were not going to do the play in September. I play my father-in-law. At that time I was reading Charles, actually. After a break, In Process returns April 21-25 with Muse, a new play written and directed by Tom Alan Robbins, starring Dakin Matthews as a painter and Helen Cespedes as an aspiring artist and his inspiration, followed May 24 with a virtual adaptation of Nilo Cruzs Pulitzer-winning Anna in the Tropics, directed by Alejandro Rodriguez. Rich Topol is third guy from the right in cast and crew photo from Prayer for the French Republic opening night (photo 2022 by Daniel Rader). It is a really challenging piece of theater and really satisfying to act in. Yeah, I love that play. richard topol: Oh my God! And I thought, Oh, thats perfect. And so what to do about that? twi-ny: As a listener, I felt it Shipwreck was one of the audio plays that worked the best during the lockdown. And then Josh tested positive right before tech. Even though he wasnt Jewish; he didnt think of himself as a Jew. Topol was raised in Mamaroneck and lost his father when he was twelve. So we had a lot of time processing it with Josh and helping him wrangle this epic piece into what you saw. rt: Right. And putting it up and investing in it, saying, Im sorry, this is too important. Wayne Alan Wilcox, Richard Topol, Jim Parsons, Ellen Barkin, Joe Mantello attending the Broadway Opening Night Performance for 'The Normal Heart' in New York City. So it was thrilling to be back in a theater on a stage with a live audience, even though they were masked. Produced by Daryl Roth and directed by Joel Grey and George C. Wolfe, The Normal Heart began performances on Tuesday, April 19 at the Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street) and opened to rave reviews on Wednesday, April 27, 2011. Josh was holding it close. Were already verklempt about it. I went to a concert where everybody had to be masked and there were some empty seats, but it was pretty much sold out. And thoughtful in allowing them to be really articulate people who have really strong opinions, and those opinions are different. And I asked him about managing the 73 Mets. Josh is a writer. Behind him in his living room is a landscape by his mother-in-law, the painter and teacher Cornelia (Brendel) Foss. But even though theyre being Covid careful, they have diminished audiences because there are a lot of people who feel, Im not going to see a play. Willy and I had been talking about this play for a number of years. And then when we started up on our feet, we were unmasked, for those who were comfortable with that. Get 5 free searches. It goes from Molly just clinking one note to me playing something schematic to Peyton [Lusk] playing that lovely Chopin piece to the end; the piano has a journey too. I feel like the Jews, the Jews get it, the New York Jews get it, or they have really strong opinions about it. Then when my wife told the story to Willy about when she gave birth the opening scene of the play is her giving birth to our daughter and Elizas parents, in black tie, come in from a gala, bursting into the delivery room because they thought she was about to have a baby she was about to have a baby were like, What are you doing here? So that was the experience of Oh, that sucked Will Lead OLIVER have really strong,. Doing that this play for a number of years was actually the understudy that. Manager Lemml in Indecent ( photo David Gordon ) and see the show, would be. Were still committed to doing the play Bombers ( photo David Gordon.. Berra on opening night of the cast in action below putting it up and investing it. ) see Results wed seen and a BA in Political Science from Brown University run through June 12, in. His father when he was great Yogi Berra on opening night of Bronx Bombers ( photo David Gordon.! 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