theatre RAIN
FORECASTING A HIT by lisa lipsey
Old Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein
makes his musical theatre directorial debut with the new musicalRain, with music and lyrics by Michael John LaChiusa, book by Sybille Pearson and based on the short story by Somerset Maugham. Maugham’s classic tale went on to be adapted
as a movie three times, with his iconic character Sadie Thompson played by Gloria Swanson, Joan Crawford and Rita Hayworth. Now Broadway’s Michael John LaChiusa, a five-time Tony Award- nominated composer, lyricist and librettist, breathes new life into this story, creating a gorgeous and powerful, world premiere musical. Rain is set in a boarding hotel on the island of
Western Samoa in 1934. A missionary, a doctor and their wives are scandalized by the arrival of a woman named Sadie, particularly when they learn what she does for a living. When the missionary tries to save her soul, his past demons come to light and things get hotter than the South Pacific sun. Leading man Jared Zirilli has been hard at work,
“Rain is the most incredible and unique story and the show is so well written. My character, Alfred Davidson, is a Pentecostal missionary with a dark past...He had been a male prostitute and spent some time in a jail in Indiana. He then became a preacher. Aside from learning my lines, I have been digging in and doing research. Our dramaturg, Danielle Mages Amato, has been wonderful. She helped me find a book on male prostitution and believe it or not, she also found a journal of a Pentecostal missionary. I asked about jail in the late 1800s and Danielle set me up to talk with a lady who maintains the archives of an Indiana state prison, which was the only jail in the state when my character was serving time. She described what the living conditions were like.” Zirilli is a proud graduate of Ithaca College’s musical theatre program, but he got his start in musi- cal theatre in elementary school, “I was this hyper, hyper boy with an ADHD diagnosis and Ritalin. Then, my teacher cast me as Snoopy inYou’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. I put all my attention and focus into the role and that was it...I was bitten by the theatre bug. I stayed on stage through junior high, then I was accepted to a theatre high school and then Ithaca.”
and unique story and
the show is so well
the most incredible
Rain is written.”
Zirilli was last seen in New York leading the world premiere of Joe Godfrey’s newest play,Romance Language (Ars Nova). His New York, Broadway and touring credits include Nick Harding in the world premiere ofPretty Filthy with The Civilians, the original Broadway cast ofLysistrata Jones, Brent in Fat Camp, Brit in Queen’sWe Will Rock You and Fiyero inWicked. In describing the music ofRain, Zirilli says, “The
first time I heard the score, I was flooded with awe. Michael John LaChiusa is a top, top, top musical theatre lyricist. I have been in a lot of shows where the music was catchy, you can hum along like a pop song, but not much is below the surface.Rain has unique character driven songs, in perfect musical theatre form. I love the song ‘It Takes Some People Longer,’ you can sink your teeth into it.” Zirilli feels lucky to portray Alfred, “Often I look for what common thread I have with a character,
this is different. I don’t have much in common with him, so I’ve had to figure it out. ‘How do I behave this way?’ I did find a spiritual connection with my character, that he found God. For me, I was only baptized three years ago in a Baptist church in Harlem and finding God was revelatory, so I know how to portray that part of this beautiful, heartbreak- ing piece.”
Rain runsnow through Sunday, May 1 at the Old Globe Theatre. For tickets and more information, call 619.234.5623 or visit them online
attheoldglobe.org
JoinThe Rage Monthly forOut at the Globe onThursday, April 21 at 6:30 p.m., along with Artistic Director Barry Edelstein as the special guest. Held in the Craig Noel Garden, tickets for this event includes drinks from the hosted wine and martini bar, delicious appetizers, door prizes and a pre-show mixer.
APRIL 2016 | RAGE monthly
51
jared zirilli appears as alfred davidson and eden espinosa as sadie thompson in the world premiere musical rain.
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