Interview: A Most Amiable Joint Effort of James G. Hirsch & Robert A. Papazian to Create LOVE AMONG THE RUINS

James G. Hirsch & Robert A. Papazian’s Love Among the Ruins begins its limited engagement at the El Portal Theatre October 8, 2023 (with previews starting October 6th). Michael Arabian directs the stellar cast of JoBeth Williams and Peter Strauss. After decades in successful careers in television, Love Among the Ruins marks James and Robert’s initial foray into theatre.

Thank you Both for taking the time for this interview!

For those unfamiliar with the1975 ABC production, what would your elevator pitch of Love Among the Ruins be?

Robert: Love Among the Ruins is about the extraordinary power of love.

James: Love Among the Ruins – an entertainment about the enduring power of love and commitment.

Your stage production is based on the 1975 ABC Theatre Presentation of Love Among the Ruins starring Katharine Hepburn and Laurence Olivier. Your gestation period is not realistically 48 years -- is it?  When did you start seriously working on this stage production.

Robert: We saw the movie when it first aired in 1975 and independently – as audience members -- we both realized what is an interesting, romantic and thoughtful story. Over the years it just stayed with us – and it has been a frequent topic of conversation from the time when we first became partners in 1987. What a great cast -- and directed by George Cukor!

James: We always remembered it. Wow, 48 years ago, we were young – people think the ideal audience is older, but we were young and so were the millions of viewers then.

James: We were looking for a property to adapt to the stage it was our first thought. That was only seven or eight years ago and then it took us 18 months to get the rights, followed by some time to write the adaptation for the stage. 

Robert: We then had a reading with some Tony winning Broadway actors that went really well. We thought we were on our way -- when a few weeks later COVID hit. A tremendous amount of time was lost… and we realized we had to dig our heels in and work on the script. We put energy in it – including finding a theatre that would produce it. We ended up at Laguna Playhouse, engaged director Michael Arabian and added our wonderful stars JoBeth and Peter. And it all just got better and better and better.

What factors convinced you to produce a stage production of Love Among the Ruins as opposed to your usual stomping grounds of television?

Robert: The landscape for us and television had drastically changed. We knew we were no longer a part of that community – but we still found we have fire and energy.

James: So we are now together on this new road – it is fascinating and we are thrilled by the challenge.

When we started together Bob was a producer and I was a writer. We teamed up in 1987 and we built to a successful business making films for first three (ABC, NBC, CBS), then four (plus FOX) networks. However, inevitably, it began to change -- and we began to change too. We bought a studio and became studio operators.

Robert: In 1997, in response to the changes in the TV business, we changed course as well and co-founded RAY-ART Studios, the first full-service, state-of-the-art production facility to open in Southern California.

James:  That began the business of independent studios and Ray-Art housed many of Hollywood’s leading independent producers, studios and networks. We later ended up with Sunset Gower Studios. Bob served there as CEO until it was sold.    Now, we are still in real estate – just not real estate about entertainment. Love Among The Ruins is our next new direction into the world of live theater. And we like it here.

Has your script been tweaked since your production last November at the Laguna Playhouse?

Robert: We have made some significant changes, but the basic show is the same. 

Have you worked with JoBeth Williams before?

Robert: I worked with JoBeth on The Day After – by the way, The Day After is of course, a precursor to Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.  The Day After is a non-political account of what would happen if there was actually was nuclear exchange. Our show was a fiction, based on fact.

What we wanted to do was to allow the subject matter to be the star. Jason Robards was our lead along with a cast of  superb actors like John Lithgow, Steve Guttenberg, John Cullum -- and JoBeth. 

The Day After was a landmark movie of its time and it was watched by 100 million people. Love Among the Ruins was also a major landmark production for television. 

And how about Peter Strauss?

James: I know Peter through mutual friends at The Neighborhood Playhouse in New York where I sit on the board. They let me know he was interested and we all thought that a fabulous idea.

What serendipity brought Michael Arabian to direct this production?

Robert: Simple – we interviewed several directors; he had the track record and we decided to go with Michael. After reading the script he said, “I can’t believe how well you’ve adapted this movie into a play!”

What initially brought your two together to collaborate? Papazian Hirsch Entertainment you both founded in 1988?

James: Bob was then an independent producer looking for a writer and I had a different writing partner and was looking for a producer. We met over lunch and, from day one, we became best friends. We had three movies together with that other writer. 

And then that writing partnership came to an end and then we had lunch again – I now wanted an entrepreneurial side of my work life. 

Robert: I know what Jim can do as a writer and he knows what I can do as a producer. Our skills complement each other. That works. 

After decades working together, we have learned how to not let people get between us. That is the success of our partnership. And our families have become close!

How would you describe your writing process? Always in the same room throwing ideas to each other? Or coming up with lines alone before getting together?

James:  With this show, Bob has put something on his name as a writer for the first time in his life. We’ve waited far too long. Our process is that I sit at the typewriter and do the writing and Bob would give me notes -- but over time you can’t tell what is mine and what is Bob’s. Now we do this on Zoom and I am still doing the typing!

Robert: And Jim is just superb with words and thoughts – I can have an idea and he puts it in words. 

James: When I was in television, Bob always took the lead on producing. I always know when he has a big idea – he rubs his nose!

What is your partnership like?  What creative pairings do you see yourselves comparable to? Lewis and Martin? Laurel and Hardy? Penn and Teller? Key and Peele? Cheech and Chong?

Robert:  Our partnership is best described as ebb and flow. We adapt with times and we cover each other’s bases.  

Thank you both again! I look forward to experiencing your Love Among the Ruins.

For tickets to the live performances of Love Among the Ruins through October 29,2023; click on the button below:

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