Roundtable Discussion with the cast of Red Light Winter

Red Light Winter, written and directed by Adam Rapp, played a sold-out extended run at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, and is now being presented in New York. It features the original Steppenwolf actors, Christopher Denham, Lisa Joyce, and Gary Wilmes. The play is about college friends, Davis (Gary Wilmes) and Matt (Christopher Denham), who spend a wild, unforgettable evening in Amsterdam's Red Light District with a beautiful prostitute, Christina (Lisa Joyce).

This show seems to be a favorite among celebrities. Colin Farrell, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Dustin Hoffman, and William Dafoe have all been spotted in the audience recently. Red Light Winter has received 2 OBIE awards, and Rapp was honored with a special citation for the play. Wilmes was also honored for his performance as Davis, while Denham picked up a Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actor.

The talented cast sat down with me for a roundtable discussion before one of their performances.

Nick Orlando: Lisa, Gary, Chris, thanks for joining me.  Describe your characters.

Gary Wilmes: Davis is a literary brain child of the highest order. He is the charming, charismatic, cheeky devil and is infatuated with his friend, Matt, because of his talent and good looks.

Lisa Joyce: Christina is a bit of an enigma. She has the power to change herself and the way people view her. She is a little bit lost, but is really driven and goes after what she wants, no matter how irrational or strange it may seem.

Chris Denham: He is a playwright. He has been hurt most of his life, so he lives this monastic lifestyle. He has a beard, which is cool, because I like beards! They both went to BrownUniversity together.

Nick Orlando: How believable are your characters? Do you feel that any of them took anything too far?

Chris Denham: They are all desperate people. That's what desperate people do.

Nick Orlando: What was your initial reaction to the sex scenes and the resulting uproar in the reviews, although some are now saying that it was exaggerated?

Lisa Joyce: The sex scenes are absolutely pivotal to the play and are a part of the story. It's a play about relationships and it's a play about sex, and a lot of other things. I think the reviews that came out after people saw it and after we opened spoke to that.

Nick Orlando: How challenging do you find the roller coaster ride of emotions as the love triangle first forms then disintegrates?

Lisa Joyce: It's not a fun journey to go on; it's all part of the play.

Gary Wilmes: It's no different than life. You take whatever punches are thrown at you. It's done in two hours, so it's more heightened.

Chris Denham: We have seen enough of plays about people sitting around and drinking tea!

Nick Orlando: This show seems to be a favorite among celebrities. Do you find yourself acting differently when you see them in the audience?

Gary Wilmes: We don't know who is here, night after night. It's only after the show when they invite us to dinner or for a drink. I have never seen a face.

Chris Denham: Sometimes both, dinner and a drink!

Lisa Joyce: I don't act differently. I try to keep everything the same!

Nick Orlando: Time Out New York called this cast "magnificent and fearless."  Who is the "fearless" one?

Chris Denham: That's Gary!

Gary Wilmes: I can speak for myself; I am fearless! I am not afraid to make an ass out of myself, which I do often. Most people are afraid to do that.

Lisa Joyce: He doesn't shy away from it!

Nick Orlando: How was your experience playing Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre vs. the New York crowd?

Chris Denham: The setting at Steppenwolf is a lot more intimate. 

Gary Wilmes: It's a small house; only 85 seats. We were all crowded in a small room. They were equally affected, based on their reactions after the show. They were equally haunted and mesmerized by the "magnificent and fearless" acting.

Nick Orlando: Adam Rapp develops and writes most of his work with specific actors in mind, including this production. Why do you think you were chosen?

Lisa Joyce: I auditioned.

Gary Wilmes: I knew he needed somebody capable for the job and he chose me. I was ready and I challenged him as well. I think he knew that and that was one of the reasons he chose us.

Chris Denham: It was cool not to have auditioned. I never had that opportunity in my life before, so I enjoyed that.

Nick Orlando: What's next for the three of you?

Lisa Joyce: I will be doing this play forever. I don't care if you guys are there, nor the theatre!

Chris Denham: Appearing at the Rattlestick Theatre, a play by Christopher Denham called Cage Love, directed by Adam Rapp. [The first performance was May 10^th and the play opened on May 15^th.]

Gary Wilmes: I am going to see it [Cage Love]!

Red Light Winter is currently playing at The Barrow Street Theatre (27 Barrow Street) in New York City through June 25^th. Tickets are available through Telecharge at 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com. For more information, visit www.redlightwinter.com.

Note: this play does contain nudity and explicit sexual situations.