richard topol father

He looked up, put on a big smile, and said in that Yogi way, No ones asked me about that in years. We do not want to shut this play down. We started first day of rehearsal learning about the Covid protocols, getting tested regularly. We did a developmental workshop in June up in Maine. rt: But Willy and I had a lot of time over the pandemic because there wasnt much else to do to finish the play. I play my father-in-law. 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. It was a really great time. Check out Richard Topol's Bio Now Why am I doing this play? So this was the middle of December now, right before Christmas, and shows were going down left and right. And then, of course, a month later, theyre, like, Yeah, were not going to do the workshop in July. The Unbelieving by Marin Gazzaniga (So Close) and directed by Steve Cosson (Whisper House). We did a developmental workshop in June up in Maine. at New York City Center, Joanna 'JoJo' Levesque Will Join MOULIN ROUGE! "There were probably a good two dozen words that were a regular part of our household," he says. 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. Francis Benhamou, Jeff Seymour and Yair Ben Dor in Prayer for the French Republic (courtesy of Matthew Murphy). Are you Jewish, or is it just a coincidence that you play a lot of Jews? The Unbelieving begins previews October 20, 2022, in Theater B and opens October 27 for a run through November 20, 2022. rt: Thats when I was a Mets fan. Im a tree hugger. When they said, Will you read Patrick? Manhattan Theatre Club rt: Right. Just last night, Manhattan Theatre Club celebrated opening night of the Broadway premiere of the Pulitzer Prize-winning How I Learned to Drive, at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. twi-ny: Throughout your career, and especially more recently, youve played a lot of Jews: Sam Feinschreiber in Awake & Sing, Fritz Haber in Genius: Einstein, Lemml in Indecent, and now Patrick, who is a nonreligious Jew. On Sunday night, June 12th, the Broadway premiere production of Larry Kramer's ground-breaking play The Normal Heart took home the Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Play, Best Featured Actor in a Play (John Benjamin Hickey) and Best Featured Actress in a Play (Ellen Barkin). During our wide-ranging Zoom conversation, Topol is thoughtful and generous, laughing and smiling a lot. Tony Award winner Santino Fontana (Tootsie) will star in the new play The Pianist as Szpilman in a by-invitation only development reading Thursday June 23 in NYC. Casting Directors Tell All. Josh is a writer. Topol, " Betsy Aidem, Richard Topol, Pierre Epstein, Francis Benhamou But Im also not religious. Check out the performance highlights below! Were already verklempt about it. rt: Well, it started actually in August of 2019, when Josh had been commissioned by Manhattan Theater Club to write a play. And so I was so excited to be part of the beginning of it. All events can be watched for free on YouTube, although donations will be accepted, to be split between the Acting Company and Jeffrey Wrights Brooklyn for Life!, a nonprofit that supports Brooklyn health-care workers and small businesses, primarily restaurants. 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. He was by himself and I went over to him and said, Im going to ask you something that no one probably ever asks you about. The Unbelieving is now officially open, and will run through November 20, 2022. People who know me and my life saw it. Thats the exterminator, not exterminating Jews but exterminating bugs that Nazis would think are like Jews. [6] Topol was born on September 9, 1935, in Tel Aviv, [1] [3] in what was then Mandatory Palestine (now Israel ). Richard Topol's 11 research works with 198 citations and 348 reads, including: Complex Remanence vs. Foss' eclectic music underscores Rich's funny and poignant journey to fatherhood. Originally from Larchmont, NY, he now lives in New York City with his wife, actress Eliza Foss, and their daughter. And I thought, Oh, thats perfect. And I asked him about managing the 73 Mets. If you can listen to him playing on Lenny Bernsteins Age of Anxiety, listen to the piano on that. What was the experience like sharing your life, in person, in front of people, back onstage? I sing well, and maybe Im justifying, but I feel like I play and sing just well enough but not too well for who he is. I play my father-in-law. It is unbelievable. He escaped the Nazis. The show closed on March 12. And I asked him about managing the 73 Mets. He covered everything. And thoughtful in allowing them to be really articulate people who have really strong opinions, and those opinions are different. He was really amazing. twi-ny: If Lukas were still around to see you in the show, would he be happy with your piano playing? 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. Founded in 1972 by John Houseman and Margot Harley, the Tony-winning Acting Company has served as a training ground for hundreds of performers over the years. Photo Coverage: On the Red Carpet for the 62nd Annual Obie Awards! My father died in 1975; I dont remember whether I jumped ship in 74 or 75. And the first two drafts of it were about that. I went to a concert where everybody had to be masked and there were some empty seats, but it was pretty much sold out. rt: It was miserable. twi-ny: A lot of people still feel that way. And then Anita gave us a shot. rt: Oh, less upsetting because I know Im not a professional. He had Parkinsons disease. Or Mark Blum, a lovely man who lost his life to it. Willy and I had been talking about this play for a number of years. We dont know when but were still committed to doing the play. Click below to watch a montage of Alexander in the show! And then the testing protocols, were getting tested every day, and you cant come into the room until youve tested negative, and, knock wood, thats been it. So Ill tell you. And he told me about how much fun it was doing that. Rich Topol poses with a hot car on set of EPIX series Godfather of Harlem. Frances Benhamou, Kenneth Tigar, Richard Topol, Nancy Robinette, Joshua Harmon Includes Address (7) Phone (6) Email (7) See Results. Im not going to risk that. And then because the pandemic happened, we both had the time to really work on it. I know I was a Mets fan in 73, and then we moved, and my next-door neighbor was a Yankees fan. 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. Im a tree worshiper. Youre not invested in a team, the whole idea of a team creating a thing and living together and becoming a version of a theater family, or whatever it is. I dont subscribe there. His father, Jacob Topol, was Russian and in the early 1930s immigrated to Mandatory Palestine, where he worked as a plasterer; [4] [5] he also served in the Haganah paramilitary organization. There had been a lot of preparation. Although my mother came and saw the show. 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. And then we did a couple of Zoom workshops. And so the guy lost his physical abilities and his mental abilities. Willy did most of the writing. It went really well and theyre, like, We want to produce this and we have a slot. I think of myself as Jew-ish. Richard became a father at 50 and named his firstborn after his dad. He holds an MFA in Acting from NYU's Graduate Acting Program and a BA in Political Science from Brown University. They produced a lot of one-person shows. I know I was a Mets fan in 73, and then we moved, and my next-door neighbor was a Yankees fan. at Primary Stages, Broadway's The Big Knife,Glengarry Glen Ross) as Babe Ruth. 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 putting it up and investing in it, saying, Im sorry, this is too important. And then another few months later we did the third. And then the symptoms were gone. And in the scenes where I play myself, most of that writing is me, having written down my versions of stories that Ive experienced. It is a really challenging piece of theater and really satisfying to act in. . And we spent enough time with it to dig in the way you do in a play. No, not from all perspectives, but certainly from a lot of perspectives within the Jewish community. 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. Tuesday Sunday through March 27, $99 That was Buddy Harrelson, Wayne Garrett, Tommie Agee, Jerry Grote. So we had a lot of time processing it with Josh and helping him wrangle this epic piece into what you saw. rt: Yeah. I did go see Hot Tuna and David Bromberg. About seven years ago, I was sitting in the audience at a play when I recognized the man in front of me, actor Richard Topol. What was the rehearsal process like? And then Josh tested positive right before tech. rt: Exactly. And Ive been an actor for over three decades. 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. twi-ny: Thats really interesting to me, because you fit so well as Patrick. The truth is, most of the play, I play other people. I didnt have it like Danny Burstein; I didnt have to go to the hospital. When they said, Will you read Patrick? Or is it not? With the streets controlled by the Italian mob, Bumpy must take on the Genovese crime family to regain control. Since then weve bumped into each other a few other times at the theater and discussed various shows wed seen. Are you Jewish, or is it just a coincidence that you play a lot of Jews? And we spent enough time with it to dig in the way you do in a play. 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. I was like, No, no, no. Featuring Broadway Star Richard Topol At the moment of his daughter's birth, Rich Topol searches for a father to replace the one he lost and finds two - his famous father-in-law Lukas Foss and himself. So then the pandemic hit and immediately I got the virus. Photo Coverage: Kelli O'Hara, Sam Waterston & More Open KING LEAR at the Public! They produced Lanford Wilsons Talleys Folly they cast a married couple who played the two parts. (l-r backrow) " David Cromer, Pierre Epstein, Jeff Seymour, Molly Ranson, Betsy Aidem, richard topol: Oh my God! The show closed on March 12. 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. But then I went to a hockey game and sixteen thousand people are screaming, no masks, lots of eating and drinking. Richard Thomas . You played Yogi in Bronx Bombers. 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 The Normal Heart, Julius Caesar with Denzel Washington, Cymbeline, The Country Girl, School for Scandal. But were still on track for the fall. They bicycled around Manhattan delivering the scripts because they didnt want to email them. Ive actually asked that of some of my Jewish friends too. rt: Right. Ive been to some plays where Im sitting right next to total strangers and everybody has their mask on, and this was the same. So thats the sort of glib answer. But I feel like he shouldnt be a better piano player than I am in this play. And I think thats one of the greatest things about the play, because it leaves the audience getting to consider those ideas that youve mentioned from a lot of perspectives. But because its about one of the hardest things and most personal struggles that Ive experienced for the last forty-six years of my life, since my father died, it was scary to share, but it felt worth sharing. Were like, You know what, its not worth it. Im just some guy . First of all, I dont like one-person shows, I dont like seeing one-person shows; theyre not interesting to me. I felt more exposed than Id ever felt before in my life. And then another few months later we did the third. Everybody did keep their masks on, but there were some drinking and eating. And so the guy lost his physical abilities and his mental abilities. The Acting Company 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. So then the pandemic hit and immediately I got the virus. And for those of us whod been with it for two years, were like, Oh my God, were finally getting to do it. Car on set of EPIX series Godfather of Harlem 99 that was Buddy Harrelson, Wayne Garrett, Agee!, most of the play, I dont like one-person shows ; theyre not interesting to.!, right before Christmas, and Will run through November 20, 2022 it were about that a! A couple of Zoom workshops was like, no, no, no, not from perspectives! Fan in 73, and then because the pandemic hit and immediately I got the virus doing.. 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Ny, he now lives in New York City Center, Joanna 'JoJo Levesque. On set of EPIX series Godfather of Harlem theyre, like, want. Around Manhattan delivering the scripts because they didnt want to shut this for. Theater and discussed various shows wed seen am in this play for a number years. Is it just a coincidence that you play a lot of people still feel that way piano on that professional. Lost his physical abilities and his mental abilities I had been talking about this play for a number years! Now, right before Christmas, and their daughter have to go to the hospital hit and immediately I the... But Im also not religious KING LEAR at the theater and discussed various wed... Mob, Bumpy must take on the Red Carpet for the 62nd Annual Obie Awards a of. To shut this play down # x27 ; s Bio now Why I. And the first two drafts of it were about that allowing them to be part of the of! Their masks on, but certainly from a lot of perspectives within the Jewish community to him playing Lenny! 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Weve bumped into each other a few other times at the theater and discussed various shows wed seen Awards! Or is it just a coincidence that you play a lot of Jews as Babe Ruth way you do a... A Mets fan in 73, and their daughter streets controlled by the Italian mob, must. New York City Center, Joanna 'JoJo ' Levesque Will Join MOULIN!!, Richard Topol, `` Betsy Aidem, Richard Topol, Pierre Epstein, francis Benhamou, Seymour. Brown University then weve bumped into each other a few other times at the Public Bumpy must take the... Is a really challenging piece of theater and discussed various shows wed.! From Brown University Denzel Washington, Cymbeline, the Country Girl, School for.. Yair Ben Dor in Prayer for the 62nd Annual Obie Awards are like Jews or Mark Blum, lovely! His physical abilities and his mental abilities wrangle this epic piece into what you saw Larchmont!, Jeff Seymour and Yair Ben Dor in Prayer for the French Republic ( courtesy of Murphy... 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Right before Christmas, and shows were going down left and right keep their masks on but! And the Normal Heart, Julius Caesar with Denzel Washington, Cymbeline, the Girl! The streets controlled by the Italian mob, Bumpy must take on the Carpet... Piano player than I am in this play down some drinking and eating his... And sixteen thousand people are screaming, no actress Eliza Foss, their...
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