Interview: Playwright JAMES MARZO's SOMETHING WICKED at ART of WNY

Playwright James Marzo has a new Play set for the stage. James may look "Hollywood" but he's all Buffalo, New York.

He is quiet, soft spoken and without any heavy ego. And he's in theater? He sure is!

James is an all-around good dude. Yes! I said "dude". I'm not Hemingway. I'm just being "LLoyd".

I had a few questions for James and he was there for me.

I'll call it "Four with Marzo". Now Isn't that creative?

MCL: When did theatre playwriting start for you?

JM:I took some creative writing classes in college several years ago, but got away from writing when I had to get a real job after graduation. When my wife and I moved down to Westchester County in 2005, I got interested in theater again. We went into the city almost every weekend and became avid theatergoers. I got the bug and started writing and developing new material. When we moved back to Buffalo I got involved with a new play workshop sponsored by a local theatre in Buffalo. Playwriting is a fun process that can be discouraging because almost everything you write never sees a production. You write, rewrite, and write it again, and most times your vision ends up on your computer with other ambitious projects that never see the light of day. However, the process has been very rewarding since I've met some wonderful theatre people in Buffalo and networked with some talented actors, directors, and other writers eager to lend a hand in launching new ideas.

MCL: What's coming up for you?

JM: I have a ten minute play opening at ART of WNY in March of 2022, inspired by music from The Pogues. The play is entitled, Rainy Night in SOHO. It's about a runaway bride, consumed with anxiety about entering into matrimony. She escapes the church at the last minute and mistakenly hops in an Uber ride ordered and occupied by another person. This play is also about decisions we make in life, and reflecting back on past history, thus avoiding a larger mistake of entangling one's self into a doomed relationship. It's a fun play where two people have a chance meeting and find out they're more alike than different.

MCL: Just before The Pogues production you have major production. It's "Something Wicked" performed at ART of WNY. It sounds intriguing. I need to know more.

JM: Something Wicked is about the decisions we make in life. Some are what we might call life decisions with consequences that can't be unraveled or rectified through amends or better actions. Each character in my play faces those choices he or she must make when coming to that crossroad between good and evil. The choice between right or wrong and the conflict and challenges they face within their dilemma. Hopefully, I have captured that emotion. Each of us is faced with decisions every day when contemplating which road we must take. Some are not nearly as consequential as those decisions my characters face in Something Wicked. But when solving a problem or being faced with adversity, it gives us reason to pause, and evaluate the predicament. Thus, accessing the situation and moving forward hopefully with a favorable outcome.

MCL: You want to know more about "Something Wicked"?

Check out artofwny@msn.com. website. ART of WNY nails it:

"The year 1825 was a momentous one for Buffalo, New York. The Erie Canal opened, connecting Lake Erie to the Hudson River, a celebration honoring the Marquis de Lafayette, hero of the American Revolution was held in Buffalo, and the city held its first and only public hanging. At least 20,000 witnesses gathered in Niagara Square to watch three brothers-Nelson, Israel, and Isaac Thayer-hang from the same gallows. This is the basis of James Marzo's work. Through his weaving of tight dialogue and dark humor, Marzo crafts a loose history of this macabre story how the Thayer brothers hatched a nefarious plan to murder money lender John Love in a desperate move to eliminate debt and avoid prison."

"Something Wicked"

Show dates and Times:

Oct 28th-29th, 8 pm; Oct 30th, 5 pm

Nov 4th-5th, 8 pm; Nov 6th, 5 pm

Nov 11th-12th, 8 pm, Nov 13th, 5 pm

Nov 18th-19th, 8 pm, Nov 20th, 5 pm

Contact: artofwny@msn.com

Suzanne Hibbard portrays the narrator 'Sadie' as Justin Pope, Charles McGregor join Joshua Leary as the Thayer brothers. Additional cast members feature John F Kennedy, as 'Sheriff Torrey' and David Wysocki (portraying 'Deputy Willard') with Michael Breen as the unfortunate character of 'John Love'. Directed by Matthew LaChiusa. Music Direction by Len Mendez.

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