Interview: Playwright Jack Rushen Effortlessly TAMING THE LION & COVID

Theatre 40 resumes their pandemic-interrupted production of Jack Rushen's lauded TAMING THE LION, re-opening live, back onstage July 9, 2021. Melanie MacQueen directs the cast which includes Landon Beatty, Marie Broderick, Kevin Dulude, Jean Mackie, Sean Rose and Jeffrey Winner.

Through the electromagnetic waves of the internet, Jack was most gracious to answer a few of my queries from the comfort of his home in Connecticut.

Thank you for taking the time for this interview, Jack!

At what point of TAMING THE LION's production was it interrupted last March?

TAMING THE LION opened in early March, played for a week, then was closed due to COVID. We were lucky enough to get in some reviews. Positive ones, mostly. But there's always one, you know?

How has it been starting up rehearsals again? Rewarding? Invigorating? Like it was just yesterday?

I recently found out about it, so I'm adjusting to the surprise of it all. I have to say it is invigorating because I'll get to meet the cast and crew... something I've been waiting to do for quite some time.

Are you making any tweaks to the re-mounting of this show this time around?

I have been doing some revisions, but due to time constraints, we won't be able to work them in this time.

Will the entire cast reprise their respective roles?

As I understand it, one person will be replaced, but the others remain intact.

Where have you been spending your pandemic months? At your Bridgeport, Connecticut home?

Yes. I've been practically barricaded due to a bout with COVID, but that only inspired me to work hard, so I have completed two new plays.

What have you been doing to keep creative and sane?

Who says I'm creative and sane? It's just a rumor going around - Honestly, just writing, watching good drama, learning, and hoping something will rub off.

With most of the California COVID restrictions just lifted, will you be traveling to Los Angeles for TAMING THE LION's re-opening?

Yes, I will. Looking forward to seeing the show, some old friends, and some new ones.

What initially drew you to write about William Haines for your first full-length stage production?

I was doing some research on silent films, and a documentary came up about William Haines. It was called Out Of The Closet And Onto The Screen. My first thought was, "Why has no one ever written about William Haines?" His story deserves to be told. It is about courage, resilience, and hope. This is a common theme in my work, so I started writing.

Would you say that William Haines was the very first, or one of the firsts, to take a stand for his gay rights in Hollywood?

His story came out quite slowly, actually. He never thought his sexuality was a big deal, so he never talked about it. Then people started to notice his affection for his partner, Jimmy Shields, and people started to talk. The worst was Louis B. Mayer. At a time where Haines was the number one star in the world, Mayer was getting nervous about fans finding out, which would mean a loss of revenue for him and his studio. He did everything he could to have Haines attend premiers with a woman on his arm, but Haines refused. He stood his ground, and eventually, Mayer offered him an ultimatum. Haines turned his back on Hollywood and their prejudicial ways and became one of the most famous interior decorators with a career of fifty years. He was always quiet about his personal life. He didn't believe in parades or public showings. In a strange way, he made a statement by being quiet.

You won the 2019 Julie Harris Award and the 2018 Arch and Bruce Johnson Grant for TAMING THE LION. What was the gestation period of this script?

I worked on the script for two years before I won the Julie Harris award. I have a group of friends who are actors, and when I begin working on a play, I ask certain talented people to have a table reading. Lately, it's been a ZOOM reading to hear the play and have them offer suggestions. I was lucky enough to be included in the Berkshire Theatre Festival last summer where I learned so much from professional actors in the advanced stage of development. So I feel this is where the word "Ensemble" comes in. You can't go at it alone. Theatre is wonderfully supportive.

I went through several readings and development periods, which helped incredibly. Then I submitted it, and was wonderfully surprised when they chose my play as the first place winner. It was also a surprise because I had won before with a play called IMAGE. They have been very good to me.

What did you originally want to be when you grew up - a writer or an actor?

I wanted to be an actor. I still do. Just the fact that you can get up there and move people to tears, laughter, or both - is an incredible feeling. It's just lately that I can put words on paper, give them to actors, and have a sense of accomplishment when they breathe life into them.

What motivated you to pursue an acting career?

I got into theatre when my middle brother passed away at the age of 14. His teacher approached me after the funeral and said he was directing at a local Community Theater. He suggested that I come down and help him, and when I stepped into that theater, it was like coming home. The next play was OUR TOWN, and they needed EVERYONE they could find, so I ended up playing one of the deceased farmers in the graveyard on the hill. When the lights went up and the audience was there - that's when the magic happened that kept me involved for over 40 years.

Do you get great satisfaction when you see actors inhabit your lines?

For me, it's not so much about the lines. It's about conflict and human dynamics. There are many plays that I have seen where an actor didn't have to speak a word. A moment of silence and a certain look can say so much more. I like to watch actors inhabit the characters. Not just speak lines.

What's in the near future for Jack Rushen?

I have two plays that I'm working on now. I'm continuing with development and readings, then start sending them out to competitions and theaters. I also want to start auditioning and see what awaits in the acting world.

Thank you again, Jack! I look forward to seeing your LION live.

You're welcome! Please let me know what you think.

For in-person tickets for live TAMING THE LION performances through August 1, 2021; log onto www.theatre40.org

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