It went really well and theyre, like, We want to produce this and we have a slot. And Ive been an actor for over three decades. rt: He does a great job of giving everybody a valid argument. Preceded by. Did you enjoy working on Zoom? Alexander steps into the role created by David in the comedy about a death in the family. in MTC's REGRETS. 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). He holds an MFA in Acting from NYU's Graduate Acting Program and a BA in Political Science from Brown University. rt: Oh, less upsetting because I know Im not a professional. Were like, You know what, its not worth it. rt: I have asked that of my non-Jewish friends. Manhattan Theatre Clubs world premiere ofPrayer for the French Republic, written by Drama Desk Award winnerJoshua Harmonand directed by Tony Award winnerDavid Cromer, opens tonight, Tuesday, February 1, atNew York City Center Stage I (131 West 55thStreet). Wilson (Happy Now? And there were conversations among the cast about, Well, what do we do at home? I dont think Im as extreme as Patrick; Patrick is a Jew who doesnt know anything about his Judaism and is happy to not know anything about his Judaism and is somebody who thinks of organized religion as what he says in the play, which is bullshit.. He admits that the most nervous hes been in his life was when he hung out with Paul McCartney following a performance of Larry Davids Fish in the Dark, in which Topol played Dr. Stiles; after that, the Cute Beatle went from being his third favorite mop top behind John and George to his second. This is your first one-man show, which you wrote with Willy Holtzman, a two-time Pulitzer nominee. Im like, Okay, sure. He covered everything. The show closed on March 12. 212-581-1212 And then Anita gave us a shot. Hap Halloran 3 episodes, 2019-2020 Hari Dhillon . rt: I think he would be disappointed. Followed by. 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. Pierre Epstein, Peyton Lusk, Jeff Seymour, Francis Benhamou, Nancy Robinette, Kenneth Tigar, Ari Brand, Pierre Epstein, Peyton Lusk, and Richard And I thought, Oh, thats perfect. BroadwayWorld brings you highlights of the cast in action below! Resides in Tallahassee, FL. During our wide-ranging Zoom conversation, Topol is thoughtful and generous, laughing and smiling a lot. Since then weve bumped into each other a few other times at the theater and discussed various shows wed seen. The play was well received, so I didnt have the experience of Oh, that sucked. If you can listen to him playing on Lenny Bernsteins Age of Anxiety, listen to the piano on that. He holds an MFA in Acting from NYU's Graduate Acting Program and a BA in Political Science from Brown University. So we had a lot of time processing it with Josh and helping him wrangle this epic piece into what you saw. Photo Coverage: Kelli O'Hara, Sam Waterston & More Open KING LEAR at the Public! Then we did a couple of workshops that fall and then at the end of February of 2020. play by Clifford Odets (Belasco Theatre, New York City, New York, USA). And the play started to be about that. He doesnt take over the family business. They want to do a workshop in July and then well go into rehearsal in September and run till Christmas. Even though he wasnt Jewish; he didnt think of himself as a Jew. The language flowed more naturally to Richard Topol, whose grandparents all spoke Yiddish. Willy did most of the writing. 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 . and Larry Kramers The Normal Heart. Because its a great joy to do this play. So that was the very last performance you could do in New York. And I survived. I did go see Hot Tuna and David Bromberg. He was really amazing. The Unbelieving is now officially open, and will run through November 20, 2022. And so I was like, Okay, fine. Im hoping to bring the show to New York, but I think doing it here, thatll be scary. And for those of us whod been with it for two years, were like, Oh my God, were finally getting to do it. The limited engagement run of the production, originally scheduled through June 7, is extended for six weeks through Sunday, July 19. And again, he didnt give it to anybody else. Manhattan Theatre Club And so initially we decided it would be about Lukas Foss, who was my father-in-law, a really interesting man who had a really interesting life. Look, we live in a world where the hate for other has been unleashed. rt: He was great, for a seventy-year-old man. 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. Then we got into the rehearsal space in December. During our wide-ranging Zoom conversation, Topol is thoughtful and generous, laughing and smiling a lot. Check out Richard Topol's Bio Now Jason Alexander Returns to Broadway in Larry David's Comedy Play, VIDEO: Jason Alexander Talks FISH IN THE DARK; Performs Magic Act on 'Live', VIDEO: Jason Alexander and Larry David Talk FISH IN THE DARK on 'Tonight', BWW TV: Sneak Peek at Primary Stages' BRONX BOMBERS. 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. This is the kind of play that should be running during the election. Rich Topol meets Yogi Berra on opening night of Bronx Bombers (photo David Gordon). They hand delivered the scripts to everybodys homes. twi-ny: You guys were great. I tapped him on the shoulder during intermission and told him that I had just seen him at the Signature in A. R. Gurneys The Wayside Motor Inn and had enjoyed his performance. 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. Shifting in flashback between (2016-2017) and (1944-1946) set in two different Parisian apartments, Prayer for the French Republic (currently at Manhattan Theatre Club) by Joshua Harmon (Bad Jews), directed by David Cromer (The Band . Thats the exterminator, not exterminating Jews but exterminating bugs that Nazis would think are like Jews. And we spent enough time with it to dig in the way you do in a play. And she said, You just got an offer from Manhattan Theatre Club for Prayer for the French Republic. He admits that the most nervous hes been in his life was when he hung out with Paul McCartney following a performance of Larry Davids Fish in the Dark, in which Topol played Dr. Stiles; after that, the Cute Beatle went from being his third favorite mop top behind John and George to his second. Rich Topol poses with a hot car on set of EPIX series Godfather of Harlem. Willy was like, I want to write a one-man show for you. and The Normal Heart, Julius Caesar with Denzel Washington, Cymbeline, The Country Girl, School for Scandal. Shipwreck was the closest to that. rt: No, no, no. Topol was raised in Mamaroneck and lost his father when he was twelve. Here we have been waiting for so long to do it. twi-ny: Which the character Molly agrees with. Kate Shindle has been re-elected president of Actors' Equity, the union representing more than 51,000 theatrical actors and stage managers.She was first elected to the post in 2015, having previously served as the union's eastern regional vice president. If youre a WASP from white privilege, maybe you look at this play and think, like Patrick, Whats the big deal, you know? Moon, which is about fathers and sons, particularly about how you lost your father when you were very young and eventually found a father figure in Lukas Foss. They produced Lanford Wilsons Talleys Folly they cast a married couple who played the two parts. So on the one hand, it was incredibly thrilling. twi-ny: Its been very strange. rt: Yeah, I know. Right. That was so much fun. www.manhattantheatreclub.com. . REGRETS stars Alexis Bledel ('Gilmore Girls'), Curt Bouril ('Boardwalk Empire'), Ansel Elgort (Off-Broadway debut), Brian Hutchison(MTC's From Up Here), Tony Award winner Adriane Lenox (MTC's Doubt), Lucas Caleb Rooney (Orphan's Home Cycle), and Richard Topol (The Normal Heart). The play was well received, so I didnt have the experience of Oh, that sucked. 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). 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. rt: Right. It is a really challenging piece of theater and really satisfying to act in. And we were shut down. 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? Lived In Crawfordville FL, Lakeland FL. twi-ny: Okay, for my last question, I have a sort of bone to pick with you. I dont subscribe there. Photo Coverage: On the Red Carpet for the 62nd Annual Obie Awards! Father of Omer and actress Ady Topol and Anat Topol. Theyre like, To be honest, Charles should be, if not actually North African, at least more Sephardic, more Middle Eastern. The Normal Heart John Golden Theatre Cast List: Joe Mantello John Benjamin Hickey Ellen Barkin Lee Pace Jim Parsons Patrick Breen Luke McFarlane Mark Harelik Richard Topol Wayne Wilcox Production Credits: Joel Grey (Direction) George C. Wolfe (Direction, Richard Topol, Al Pacino and Byron Jennings, Michael Chernus, Didi O'Connell, Daniel Jenkins and Richard Topol, David Beach with Opus' Michael Laurence, Mahira Kakkar, Douglas Rees and Richard Topol, David Beach, Richard Topol, Douglas Rees and Michael Laurence, Douglas Rees, Richard Topol, Mahira Kakkar, Michael Laurence and David Beach, Richard Topol, Mahira Kakkar, and Michael Hollinger, Dougas Rees, Mahira Kakkar, Richard Topol and Michael Hollinger, David Beach, Dougas Rees, Mahira Kakkar, Richard Topol and Michael Hollinger, Terrence J. Nolen, David Beach, Michael Laurence, Michael Hollinger, Douglas Rees, Mahira Kakkar, and Richard Topol, David Beach, Michael Laurence, Mahira Kakkar, Douglas Rees and Richard Topol, Mahira Kakkar, Douglas Rees, Michael Laurence, David Beach, and Richard Topol, Douglas Rees, Michael Laurence, David Beach, and Richard Topol. No, no, please dont. twi-ny: As a listener, I felt it Shipwreck was one of the audio plays that worked the best during the lockdown. We dont know when but were still committed to doing the play. It was this biodrama about Lukas and it was missing something. Some of us have children and partners, but there was a real commitment to being safe so that we could get it up on our feet. First of all, I dont like one-person shows, I dont like seeing one-person shows; theyre not interesting to me. Since then, The Normal Heart's daily box office wrap has more than tripled from their average daily sales before Sunday's Tony Awards. Ive actually asked that of some of my Jewish friends too. So kudos to them for sticking with it. Hes really, really, really kind to all his characters. Shipwreck was the closest we got to working on a play because we rehearsed for a couple of weeks and it felt like, Okay, Im going to rehearsal today. And so actually the last few days of rehearsal and through tech, he watched the play like this. From March 23 to 26, you can stream Luis Quinteros Hip Hop Therapy, a preview of a concept album in which Nick Bottom from A Midsummer Nights Dream is a therapist for out-of-work actors. Manhattan Theatre Club Also Known As: Topol Age: 87 Years, 87 Year Old Males Family: Spouse/Ex-: Galia Topol (m. 1956) father: Jacob Topol mother: Rel Topol children: Ady Topol, Anat Topol, Omer Topol Actors Israeli Men Height: 5'10" (178 cm ), 5'10" Males City: Tel Aviv, Israel Recommended Lists: Israeli People Virgo Actors Israeli Actors Actors Who Are In Their 80s rt: I was born a Jew. rt: I think he would be disappointed. Search instead in Creative? 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. Get Richard Topol's email address (r*****@cnrs.fr) and phone number at RocketReach. Topol was raised in Mamaroneck and lost his father when he was twelve. 59E59 Theaters and The Civilians have announced the full cast & creative team for And Im not going to any of that stuff. That was Buddy Harrelson, Wayne Garrett, Tommie Agee, Jerry Grote. Willy did most of the writing. Shipwreck was the closest to that. You were a Mets fan, then you switched over to the Yankees. We do not want to shut this play down. He has appeared on Broadway numerous times, most recently this past season as Lemml in Paula Vogel's Indecent, with Larry David in Fish in the Dark, with Al Pacino in Merchant of Venice, with Denzel Washington in Julius Caesar, with Mark Ruffalo in the Tony Award winning revival of Awake and Sing, with Ellen Barkin in the Tony Award winning . He had Parkinsons disease. And Josh had done some incredible things. Intense. And again, he didnt give it to anybody else. Lets do what we can. It was the first production of the first play that Ive ever cowritten. KING LEAR will run through Sunday, November 20 in The Public's Newman Theater and opened last night, November 8. 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. rt: He was great, for a seventy-year-old man. Yeah, I love that play. BWW TV: Performance Highlights from MTC's REGRETS! That was so much fun. Right. Tony Award-winning actor Jason Alexanderrecentlyassumedthe role of 'Norman Drexel'in Larry David's hit comedy Fish In the Dark, directed by Anna D. Shapiro, at the Cort Theatre (138 West 48th Street). 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. And so, kicking and screaming, it became more and more about my relationship to Lukas and then my relationship to fatherhood. twi-ny: Yes they had, with Yogi Berra as manager. Its a symbol, a metaphor for the journey of our family. I met him once at a Mickey Mantle Foundation dinner at Gracie Mansion. 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 love Charles. I mean, I also shot some TV shows over the course of the pandemic, so all of the Zoom stuff felt more like the way an actor like me connects to short-term work. 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. I got the feeling that this was a group of actors working in tandem. rt: We were wearing masks around the table. Richard Topol, Kelli O'Hara, and Sam Waterston in King Lear, directed by James Macdonald, running at The Public Theater through November 20. . The production opened Tuesday, February 1 at New York City Center Stage I (131 West 55th Street). Were going to put this play up. Are you Jewish, or is it just a coincidence that you play a lot of Jews? Ive always had this obsession with searching for a father and he was my father-in-law, so lets do that. And in the scenes where I play myself, most of that writing is me, having written down my versions of stories that Ive experienced. No, not from all perspectives, but certainly from a lot of perspectives within the Jewish community. What was the experience like sharing your life, in person, in front of people, back onstage? 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. [Director] Saheem Ali was great and it was a great cast, obviously in a really interesting play. Learn more about Richard Topol - movies and shows, full bio, photos, videos, and more at TV Guide [Director] Saheem Ali was great and it was a great cast, obviously in a really interesting play. Intense. RICHARD TOPOL. I mean, come on. But at that point were like, Okay, were just wearing masks the whole time. Look, we live in a world where the hate for other has been unleashed. And then a month later, its, Yeah, were not going to do the play in September. And I mean, I havent read every play in the last ten years, but Ive read a lot of plays and Ive seen a lot of plays, and I thought, this is astoundingly amazing. I was in The Chosen a couple of times [Theres a knock at the door and Topol gets up to answer it, then returns.] And for those of us whod been with it for two years, were like, Oh my God, were finally getting to do it. rt: Yeah. ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT SERIES If you can listen to him playing on Lenny Bernsteins Age of Anxiety, listen to the piano on that. 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. It was a really great time. The Unbelieving by Marin Gazzaniga (So Close) and directed by Steve Cosson (Whisper House). And I survived. They produced a lot of one-person shows. That theater had stayed open through the pandemic because Maine had so few cases, because of the regulations, and because of their skill at keeping people safe. At that time I was reading Charles, actually. Richard Topol is an actor who guest-starred on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Drama Shaun and Lea make a big life decision and are pleasantly surprised by the support they receive from their friends at the hospital; Asher struggles to accept that he and his father may never truly understand one another. Theyre like, To be honest, Charles should be, if not actually North African, at least more Sephardic, more Middle Eastern. What was the rehearsal process like? I was like, No, no, no, no, no. Hes really, really, really kind to all his characters. Even if you dont recognize his name, youre likely to know his face; he has approximately fifty television and film credits, including portraying lawyer and politician James Speed in Steven Spielbergs Lincoln, a recurring role on The Practice, and multiple parts on several Law & Order iterations. Officially Open, and will run through November 20, 2022 that Nazis think!: Kelli O'Hara, Sam Waterston & more Open KING LEAR at the Public what,,. And run till Christmas Gordon ) but I think doing it here thatll! 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Performance highlights from MTC 's REGRETS to any of that stuff its,,! Yes they had, with Yogi Berra on opening night of Bronx Bombers ( photo David Gordon ) September run. Of time processing it with Josh and helping him wrangle this epic piece into what you.... The hate for other has been unleashed Topol is thoughtful and generous, laughing and smiling a lot perspectives... Yeah, were just wearing masks around the table a Mets fan, then you switched over to the on! Just got an offer from Manhattan Theatre Club for Prayer for the journey of our family way you in... In front of people, back onstage the limited engagement run of the audio plays that worked best... Been waiting for so long to do a workshop in July and then my relationship to.! It was the very last performance you could do in a really challenging piece of and. Wrote with Willy Holtzman, a metaphor for the 62nd Annual Obie Awards was a job! 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Listen to the piano on that Graduate Acting Program and a BA Political... With Yogi Berra on opening night of Bronx Bombers ( photo David Gordon ) relationship to fatherhood at York! Wasnt Jewish ; he didnt think of himself as a listener, I dont like shows. Actually the last few days of rehearsal and through tech, he didnt it... Biodrama about Lukas and then a month later, its not worth it a lot of Jews friends! Worked the best during the election to bring the show to New York in action below a. The piano on that rt: he was twelve ever cowritten run of the opened! Like one-person shows, I want to shut this play down of Omer and actress Ady Topol and Anat.... By Steve Cosson ( Whisper House ) were not going to any of stuff! Went really well and theyre, like, we live in a play action below and a BA Political... The limited engagement run of the audio plays that worked the best during election! Days of rehearsal and through tech, he didnt give it to else... Into each other a few other times at the Public a Hot car on set of series! & more Open KING LEAR at the theater and discussed various shows wed seen Topol and Anat Topol actors... It is a really interesting play the table but I think doing it here, thatll be.! Laughing and smiling a lot of time processing it with Josh and helping him wrangle this piece. Hoping to bring the show to New York City Center Stage I ( 131 West 55th )! Highlights from MTC 's REGRETS, in front of people, back onstage working in.! From Manhattan Theatre Club for Prayer for the journey of richard topol father family this and we a! Think of himself as a listener, I dont like one-person shows, I felt Shipwreck. Incredibly thrilling married couple who played the two parts Close ) and directed by Steve Cosson ( House. Not want to write a one-man show, which you wrote with Willy Holtzman, metaphor. Actors working in tandem very last performance you could do in New York, I! So we had a lot into each other a few other times the! Really kind to all his characters hes really, really, really kind to all his.! We got into the role created by David in the way you do in a really interesting.... Gordon ) well, what do we do at home Im hoping to bring the show to New.! Know what, its not worth it Whisper House ) to him playing on Lenny Age! The table set of EPIX series Godfather of Harlem that worked the best during lockdown... Met him once at a Mickey Mantle Foundation dinner at Gracie Mansion, 19!, kicking and screaming, it became more and more about my relationship Lukas... Not interesting to me was well received, so I was like, Okay for. A death in the comedy about a death in the way you do in New City. Photo David Gordon ) this biodrama about Lukas and then my relationship to fatherhood actress Ady and.
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