ROUNDABOUT BLOG

A conversation with Roundabout Artistic Director Todd Haimes about Everyday Rapture.

Q. Because of the unforeseen circumstances that forced the postponement of Lips Together, Teeth Apart, why did you pick Everyday Rapture to conclude the season?

A. What happened with Lips Together, Teeth Apart is obviously a situation that I never anticipated, not to mention one that I’ve never encountered before in my career. So, I’ve had to trust my own instincts and the recommendations of the great team we have here at Roundabout to find the right fit for this particular circumstance. My priority is to produce a show that our subscription audience will enjoy and that can be done at the highest level of quality. Fortunately, Everyday Rapture is an example of the right show being available for the right place at the right time. I’m a great admirer of Sherie Rene Scott, and this piece is just so strong and so joyful – it’s a wonderfully personal journey, and it certainly leaves me staggered by Sherie’s incredible talent. I’ve always seen Roundabout as an artistic home for writers, directors, designers, and performers, and it’s important to me that we maintain long-term artistic relationships. In this case, it’s a pleasure to be working with Michael Mayer again, a long time friend of Roundabout who has directed some incredible shows here, including Side Man and A View from the Bridge. I also believe that a not-for-profit should give talented artists the chance to work in new ways, so while our audience may be more familiar with Sherie as a performer speaking in the voice of other artists, I think it will be exciting to see her, on Broadway, telling her own stories in such a theatrical and surprising way. I think it will fit beautifully in the American Airlines Theatre, and I’m confident that Everyday Rapture will provide the kind of first-rate theatrical experience that our audience deserves.

Q. What kind of challenges are there in mounting a Broadway production with so little time?

A. Typically, our productions take anywhere from months to years to plan and execute; for example, we started planning for Lips Together, Teeth Apart three years ago, however, this unique situation has obviously condensed our preparation time drastically. Clearly we would not have committed to Everyday Rapture without making certain that it could be done on a schedule that was realistic for the entire creative team. I have immense respect for and gratitude to the creative team involved because this truly is a huge undertaking, and I think this will be a demonstration of the resilience of theatre artists in the face of extraordinary circumstances.

Q. Is there an advantage to opening this production before the Tony Award cut-off on April 29th?

A. In terms of our audience, one of my primary concerns is to be able to move forward with the season as seamlessly as possible. Our subscribers have been ticketed for the originally announced production dates, and I want to honor their commitment to us by holding true to our schedule to whatever extent we can at this point. And while awards certainly aren’t everything, I believe it’s important to give the artists involved in this production the opportunity for the kind of recognition and exposure that the Tonys can generate.