Interview: Mason McCulley's Homage to Mom & Carole in CAROLE COOK DIED FOR MY SINS

Mason McCulley world premieres his Carole Cook Died For My Sins October 24, 2024 at the Skylight Theatre (with previews beginning October 20th). Cameron Watson directs the three-week engagement of this one-man show.

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

When did you first meet Carole Cook? 

I first met Carole in 2001 in my hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. Carole, who was the second actress to play Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!, reprised the role for the first and only time since 1965. I attended the show with my mother and was enraptured by her performance. I waited at the stage door after the show, introduced myself and saw the show four more times.

This show is a love letter to both your mother Sheard McCulley and Ms. Carole Cook who both passed away in 2023. What similarities did you find between both of them?

Grace. Both Carole and my mother had profound grace that they extended on to everyone they encountered. My mother's grace was quiet and understated and founded in kindness. She rooted for "the other" in any situation, my mother was the first to cheer them on. Carole's grace, though seemingly "louder" than my mother's, was quite present in her interactions with everyone she met. Be it a stranger on the street or a fan after a show, she looked everyone in the eye and made an effort to see them. I think both Carole and my mother knew that life was an ensemble. We have to carry each other and thus be willing to be carried.

What inspired you to write Carole Cook Died For My Sins? An outlet for your grief?

Grief is a funny word, which I touch upon in the play... we often associate it with despair, but it comes in many forms at different times. The impetus for writing this piece came in the wake of both my mother and Carole's passing but it was more of a call to share a message or "gospel," than to process their loss. I was discovering and experiencing great truths and revelations that a fire was lit in me to get it out and into the ether. Life had been so dark for so long, but I had finally crawled out of that darkness and wanted to encourage others to do the same.

What would your three-line pitch for this show be? 

A gay man's love letter to both his late mother and to an unlikely soulmate, Mason McCulley's autobiographical solo show celebrates sex, sobriety and salvation with humility and humor. He escorts the audience into the depths of his darkness where magic and mystery transform grief into grace.

What cosmic forces brought you together with your director Cameron Watson? Break a Hip? 

Cameron and I have many parallel connections and were introduced over 15 years ago through a mutual friend and he quickly became a mentor AND is the reason Carole came back into my life. Cameron asked me to narrate a reading of his screenplay "Lonely on the Moon" (which eventually became "Break a Hip"). Carole and I sat next to each other at the reading and the rest is history! Cam would coach me on auditions, and I would often assist him as a reader when he was casting his shows, so this is all very full circle!

What was it like to play Durwood opposite Ms. Cook in Break a Hip’s Episode 7 “The Visit”? 

A dream! To be on set with Carole and Tom and to have that footage from that episode is such a gift. Tom's moment with Christina Pickles in that episode was epic and might have stolen the entire series!

Is that portrait of Ms. Cook behind her in “The Visit” one of your pieces?

It is indeed! That was a piece I did in 2012 entitled "Glitter & Tits!" That portrait has followed me from home to home and has always been a guiding light for me. I always seem to catch Carole's eyes whenever I am going through a life moment and I can hear her say "You got this!" OR "Get it together, kid!"

What’s your favorite memory of Ms. Cook?

Every memory is a favorite BUT dinners with Carole and Tom when my parents would visit L.A. were some of the best. The first dinner was at The Hamburger Hamlet at Carole and Tom's regular table. That dinner lasted hours and my dad described it as "watching an old vaudeville routine." The love around that table was palpable.

What are you most proud of in your curation of the Master Class Series for the acting majors at Pepperdine University?

I am most proud of those students! I had the great pleasure of working with 14 classes of seniors at Pepperdine and the most fun has been to watch them succeed in all their various creative ventures.

I love seeing what special skills an actor includes in their resumé. Have you had an opportunity to use your puppetry and cooking skills?

I haven't YET but I would LOVE to. Especially puppetry. Puppetry was one of my first loves as a child and actually, during COVID, I created a marionette in the likeness of Carole which I was quite proud of! I still get excited when I drive past the Henson Studios on La Brea.

Is there a theatrical role you would love to sink your acting chops into? 

I'm too old now, but a dream once upon a time was to do The Waverly Gallery opposite Carole. That would have been incredible! As for the future, an eccentric southern gay would be fun... I mean, that's what I am doing in this show I've just lost the accent.

What’s in the near future for Mason McCulley after Carole Cook Died For My Sins?

I would LOVE to take this production to New York in some capacity since Carole started there in the 50s. My favorite stories were when she spoke of her time in the West Village with the likes of Andy Warhol and Lotte Lenya. I'd also love to do a little gay tour with this piece... Palm Springs, Provincetown, Fire Island, San Francisco! Carole was such an ally and advocate in the gay community that it would be incredible to perform this piece for the audiences that knew and loved her.

Thank you again, Mason! I look forward to seeing your show.

For Carole Cook Died for my Sins tickets through November 10, 2024; click on the button below:

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