Interview: THE COTTAGE's Dana Steingold Talks Her Character 'Dierdre', Working With Jason Alexander & More

Sandy Rustin's new Broadway comedy The Cottage is currently playing at the Hayes Theater for a strictly limited engagement through October 29.

Directed by Jason Alexander in his Broadway directorial debut, The Cottage stars Emmy Award winner Eric McCormack, Tony Award nominee Laura Bell Bundy, Tony Award nominee Lilli Cooper, Alex Moffat, Nehal Joshi, and Dana Steingold.

BroadwayWorld spoke with Dana Steingold - who prior to The Cottage originated the role of  Girl Scout in Beetlejuice - about her character, working with this incredible cast, and more. 

Can you tell me about who you play in The Cottage?

Yes! I play Dierdre, who is the innocent of the bunch, but she’s also, I would say, the scrappiest, because her background is a bit surprising. She’s a hopeless romantic, perhaps not the wisest of the bunch, but she is sort of accidentally very smart.

What has it been like working with your director Jason Alexander, and this incredible cast to build the dynamic between you all and find your characters? 

With a show like this, how intricate it is, we kind of got started on day one, rather than doing the traditional table work and all of that, which was different from any other process I had been a part of. But with Jason, it’s a privilege to work with somebody who has had such an amazing pedigree in both theatre and television. And to work with somebody who really thinks from an actor’s point of view. Obviously, comedically, he always has great ideas to throw at you. The show is so highly choreographed, in a way it is a bit like a musical. We worked in a very calculated way at first, and then we started to release some of that. But the only way to build it is to be hyper-specific.

Just to be able to share the stage with these amazing people I’ve looked up to for so long like Eric and Laura Bell is so incredible. And truly, I think we should have sold tickets to the rehearsal process, because a lot of the things that didn’t make it into the show are pretty hilarious and pretty incredible.

How does it feel for you being in a comedy play like The Cottage as opposed to a musical like Beetlejuice?

I think the biggest difference in this show is really just that in a musical, even when you’re at the center of it, there is always a point built in where you leave the stage for a second, and somebody else has their number. And this is not really built that way. This is an ensemble piece, and once you’re on you’re on for the entirety of the act pretty much, unless you’re grabbing a prop super quickly. I would say that it takes a certain mental focus that is different. You can’t drop out for one second because it moves so quickly, and if you do drop out you will not know where you are [laughs]. It takes a certain mental stamina that’s different.

Do you have an onstage moment that you most look forward to playing every night?

You know, I actually really like the drunk section, because it’s fun to try different things. And also, Laura Bell is - and she will openly tell you this- the easiest to break of anyone on stage. And we all break, but she’s really easy, and if I look right at her during that section, she kind of just looks away and loses it [laughs].

What has been your favorite part about the process of bringing The Cottage to Broadway?

I think just the collaboration with all six of us. It’s been a real team effort to try to crack the code on it. It sort of exists in so many different worlds, it’s a comedy of manners, and it also has the farce aspect to it, but Jason had this vision that was super elevated that brought it to almost like a parody of itself in a way. I think for all of us it was finding the balance between living within a crazy world, but being a real human. So, the calibration of all that has been really fun. We’re all nightly finding new laughs and different laughs, which is really fun. I think it’s been the continuous discovery that’s been the most exciting.

What would you like to say to people who are going to come see the The Cottage on Broadway?

You should definitely come! It’s a hilarious night at the theatre, but it also explores very real themes of marriage, and fidelity, and how you define a happy marriage, how that might look different to everybody. It’s really fun, and I truly think it’s just six really great actors, and we are having a good time, and I think the audience can see that, and you are going to have a good time because of that.