| The Wearing of the Green |
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| Written by Michael Portantiere | |
 Brian d'Arcy James; photo by Doug Hamilton ******************** TIMESSQUARE.COM: Port Authority has nothing to do with the bus terminal at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue. Can you describe the play for those who haven't seen it? BRIAN D'ARCY JAMES: I think the title is intentionally unclear. The play is set in an undefined place where people are traversing. All of the characters are trying to get to somewhere else. The basic premise, as Conor describes it, is that these three men have been called by God to come and tell the truth. It's basically an hour and a half of the men telling stories about their lives, coming to terms with what they have and what they lack. TS: How do you view the situation of your character, Dermot? BDJ: He's a middle-aged man who talks about having been offered an incredible job, with all the riches and opportunities that come with it, only to have it taken away from him when it turns out that there was a clerical mistake: He got the job because he has the same name as the man who was actually recommended for it. On top of that, his relationship with his wife isn't very strong. He has to reconsider what she has done for him in terms of her unconditional love for him. TS: A few years back, you gave a terrific performance in Conor McPherson's The Good Thief, an uninterrupted monologue. Did you find that easier or more difficult to do than Port Authority, in which the monologues of the three men are broken up and interwoven? BDJ: I think it's a little easier to get on a wave in a single monologue; there's a fluidity to it that's different than having one character's monologue intertwined with two others. That was a bit of a curve-ball to me -- to speak, then wait 10 minutes and speak again. You have to keep the emotional life of the character running throughout, and you have to keep bringing the audience back into your particular story. TS: Just two months ago, it was announced that you're going to be starring in Shrek the Musical. Do you know much about the makeup and costuming? Will you be wearing anything like a fat suit? BDJ: They're still in the throes of figuring it out, and there are all kinds of options on the table. So I don't know exactly what it will be, but I'm definitely going to look like Shrek. I can't imagine it will be anything that doesn't live up to that iconic character, though I will say there's a very wise effort among those involved to think about this project theatrically. They're very much aware of having to re-mold the story and the characters for the stage. TS: Did you see any or all of the Shrek films when they came out, and did it ever enter your mind that maybe someday you'd be playing the title role on Broadway? BDJ: Yes, I saw all three of the films, and loved them. And no, never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd be playing this part. That's what makes it such a thrill – that and the great dollop of fear that goes along with it. Fear is a great motivator. TS: You have a great cast, including Sutton Foster as Princess Fiona, Chester Gregory II as Donkey, and John Tartaglia as Pinocchio. BDJ: Yes. We did a reading of it about a month ago. All of the actors are so good, and David Lindsay-Abaire's book is just hilarious. I'm very proud to be working with people like this on such a fantastic vehicle. It's gonna be fun! |
