An Interview With Actor/Director David Christopher:

A Man From All Stages

  By Susan Schnitzer

While preparing for the blockbuster ’03  PIP hit, THE WIZARD OF OZ, assuming the multi character roles of Professor Marvel, the Palace Guard and the wizard, Mr. Christopher spoke to me about his amazing career.

SS: I've just gone over your impressive resume as listed on your website.  Briefly it mentions your theatrical training. Where did you get your start in the entertainment field?

DC: Lake Forest College, drama and music major
HB Studios - New York, William Hickey, Irene Dailey
School of the Actor's Company - New York, Irene Dailey 

SS: What and where was your first experience on or behind the stage?

DC: In first grade, at the last minute I took over the role of the "crazy, Chinese mushroom", in "The Nutcracker Suite" - a star was born.  I acted in lots of plays in high school and college.   At Lake Forest College I won the 'Best Actor Award' for two years in a row; for Uncle Sid in "Ah, Wilderness" and the lead in "Tea and Sympathy"

SS: What was your background – was it theatrical?

DC:  My father and mother did amateur dramatics in their youth, but nothing professional.

SS:  Did your family lend you any support and encouragement?

DC:  They were very supportive of my love of theater and knew I would move to New York City immediately after I graduated from college. 

SS: It looks like you've done it all -- from acting in musicals, dramas and comedies to directing.  Is there anything that you have done that you prefer to do?

DC: In my early days in the theater I much preferred acting, but as I grew older, directing became my passion.  Now they kind of balance out.  The two fields give different kinds of pleasure: Acting is fun because you get to create different characters and perform before the audience.  Directing is so creative during the rehearsal period, but the job is over once the play opens.  However, every theatrical experience is unique, so it's hard to generalize. 

SS: Where and when have you taught acting? 

DC: I taught in the public school system for 17 years (mostly in Roselle Park), teaching music, speech and drama.  Then for 20 years I was Director and Head of Faculty of THE ACTING STUDIO, in Cranford.  I no longer teach. 

SS: Have you taught any known people?

 I can't think of anyone particularly famous that I have taught, but it is unusual for me to go to theater in NJ without seeing someone who took classes in my Studio.  And of course, I taught the great Gary Cohen in high school.

SS: The first time we met was when you both directed and starred as Jake In "Jake's Women," at the Edison Valley Playhouse. I was amazed that you could wear both hats with such ease, tact and comfort. Was this a difficult thing to do?  DC: Directing and acting in a production is very hard and I don't like to do it.  But "Jake's Women" was a project of love, since all the "women" were students in my Studio and we created it in a workshop atmosphere.

SS: Have you donned multi hats since?

 DC: The only other play I've directed and acted in was "The Fantasticks", but by that time I had been involved in 7 other productions of that play, so I knew it very well. 

SS: When did you first come to Plays in the Park?

 DC: The first play I was in at PIP was "Camelot", playing King Pelinore.  It was a non-singing, but very comic, role. 

SS:What was your best PIP experience? 

 This was followed by the lead in "A Little Night Music", which I consider the best, over-all, musical production I've ever been in. 

SS: "West Side Story", which you directed, over filled the Park's 2,000 person capacity each and every night. Audience members had to turned away! What do you attribute it's great success to being?

DC: My favorite directing experience at PIP was "West Side Story", because it was a production where we didn't want to recreate the original.  Therefore, I had free hand to create something new and I was very pleased with the result.  I think the audiences were, too. 

SS: You were in the first Park rendition of "Peter Pan" with Jackie Neill as Peter and you as Captain Hook. How was it playing the villain?

DC: Was Captain Hook a villain?  I thought he was the hero (a tragic one, at that). 

SS:  How challenging or fun was it to play the "pure evil" with a mixture of insanity character of Jonthan in “Arsenic and Old Lace”?

DC: Hook was fun, but Jonathan ("Arsenic and Old Lace) was more fun, because he could be pure evil.  I didn't have to delve into his humanistic soul and rationalize his motives - I could just be Mean! (and funny too).  It was also interesting because I had played that role before, years ago in a very small theater (also directed by G. Cohen).  In order to project this character to the huge stadium at PIP, I had to completely transform him and make a totally different character.  Quite a challenge.

SS: The "Friends", and audience, had a "hoot" when you played the very ancient Erronius in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" especially when you encircled our booth and the Park numerous times around the "hills of Rome." How difficult was it to play a man of this age? How did you prepare yourself both physically and mentally for this?  

DC: Oddly enough, I have played "old men" all my life, starting in college.  I seem to always be putting of white shoe-polish in my hair, so it must have come easily for me.  I have vowed, however, that I will not play another old codger until I don't need the make up.

SS: We met again, on stage, when you cast me in OLIVER. I had such limited experience and didn't fit the traditional mold of a cast member. But I also noticed that you tapped into the wonderful talent pool of other cast members who don't fit the typical mold. As a director, what do you look for in a cast member?

Does age or physical abilities or disabilities play an important role in casting someone? Is there something that you see in us that other directors don't see?  

DC: I think that one of my strengths as a director is that I do have a good eye for casting.  I can often see someone in a role the others find an odd choice, and then they turn out wonderful.  I remember doing that when I directed the high school plays.  I just somehow have a sense of something inside people that is close to the character, even if they don't necessarily fit it externally.  Unfortunately, the externals do play a big part in casting much of the time, but I try to see beyond them when I can. 

SS: You've played the role of John Barrymore in the one-man play "Barrymore" at the Bickford Theater. Will you be doing this again and when?   Will you be taking it on the road? 

DC: I've only played "Barrymore" as a showcase at the Bickford, but on Sept. 26, the play will open the Bickford season and run for 20 performances.  After that I hope to be booked around the country for one night stands. 

SS: How did you get a chance to play the "great profile" and clown prince of the Barrymore family? Was there something about Barrymore's persona that drew you into wanting to portray him? How do you prepare for this and how long does it take?

How do you memorize your lines for something so extensive?

DC: It all started as an exercise for myself to learn all those lines.  Learning about a page a day, it took me several months to do this.  When I finished, I realized that this would be a good role for me to develop, so I got a director (Eric Hafen at The Bickford Theater) and worked on the part.  It was as I did research and character study that I really became fascinated with J.B.  He was really an amazing, humorous and tragic guy. 

SS: How difficult is it being on stage alone for an entire performance? 

DC: Very!  But once the play begins, the momentum of what is happening to J.B. rather takes over and I don't think about it (too much). 

SS: Also at the Bickford Theater from December - January '04, you will be directing "Educating Rita." What inspired you to pick this vehicle? Is it the same version as the Michael Caine movie? Or there any challenges that you have yet to fulfill? 

DC: I didn't really pick the play, Eric Hafen asked me to direct it.  But I do like the material very much.  I saw it in London with the original cast (Julie Walters) and loved it.  It is the same basic story and lines as the movie with Walters and Michael Caine.  The challenge is to make just two people in one small room interesting for 2 hours.  Also, the dynamics between the two characters has to change, gradually throughout the play.  The key here will be to get the right actors, as always.

David Christopher will be starring as BARRYMORE from September 26- October 19, 2003 (Recommended for Mature Audiences) and directing EDUCATING RITA from December 12, 2003 – January 4, 2004 both at the Bickford Theatre’s Main Stage.