Interview: Varín Ayala in ROPES at Two River Theater

Ropes will be performed Two River Theater (TRT) in Red Bank from February 20th to March 20th. It is written by Bárbara Colio, directed by Lisa Rothe and translated by Maria Alexandria Beech. The play had a reading at Crossing Borders at TRT in 2013.

In Ropes, Paul, Prince and Presley's dad is an international superstar: the greatest tight rope walker of all time. But his fame has kept him a mystery to his family, leaving each son searching for his own way to soar to new heights. Written by one of Latin America's leading contemporary playwrights, this moving new play reunites three brothers who try their best to walk the "ropes" of life one step at a time. Broadwayworld.com spoke with Varín Ayala who stars as Paul in the show.

Varín Ayala appeared in Pinkolandia two seasons ago at Two River Theater and he is thrilled to be working on Ropes, a play that is near and dear to his heart. His other performing credits include productions, workshops and readings with such companies as Theater for a New Audience, The Public Theater, New York Theater Workshop, Clubbed Thumb, INTAR, Pregones, and Soho Rep, among others. On TV he's appeared in Lie to Me and Hustling. He has also done numerous commercials and voiceovers.

Varín Ayala has had an interesting path to acting. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, he came to the United States at age 17 to study Chemical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin at Madison where he earned both his undergraduate and masters degrees in the discipline. After taking a position at a chemical company in Allentown, Pennsylvania, he began taking acting classes at a LORT theater there. It was in Allentown that he met Marlene Johnson who he said was one of his "early mentors." For years he wrestled with whether to leave his comfortable corporate life to pursue acting full time.

When the tragedy of 9/11 struck Ayala said he finally realized that "The world can end overnight" and he took the plunge. Shortly after, he moved to New York City where he attended the Actors Center Conservatory and the Public Theater's Shakespeare Lab. Following that he became an ensemble member of Pregones Theatre, a performance troupe that develops and produces original plays with music rooted in Puerto Rican/Latino cultures. He commented, "I learned a great deal while at Pregones."

We asked Ayala about some of his most memorable roles. "There have been many. A few that stand out are cousin Julio in The Motherf**er with the Hat, Dad in Pinkolandia and Belize in Angels in America.

Ayala told us a little about his role as Paul in Ropes. "Paul is the middle brother - always wanting to be noticed. One challenge in playing him in a full production is that, despite the time I've been with the script (I was involved in a few early readings), there's still so much to learn about him. Luckily, working with our amazing director Lisa Rothe, and Luis Moreno and Gabriel Gutiérrez - the fantastic actors playing my brothers - that task has been an enormous pleasure."

We asked Ayala why he believes the show will appeal to metro area audiences. "It is a relatable show because it's about family relationships. It's about three brothers trying to make sense of their lives after growing up with an absent father. Although specific circumstances in our lives might be different, we can all relate to the challenges of navigating tricky family dynamics. It's really a beautiful story." Although the show is completely in English, Ayala also told us that there will be two performances in Spanish, one student matinee performance and one public performance, where Two River will offer pre and post show talks conducted in Spanish and free childcare in the theater lobby where children can enjoy stories, theater games, face painting, and snacks under the supervision of bilingual teaching artists and babysitters.

Ayala is pleased to be back working at TRT. "I love it here." You can follow Varín Ayala on social media on Twitter @varinistheman and on Instagram.

Ropes will be on the Two River Theater stage from February 20th to March 20th. The theater is located at 21 Bridge Street, Red Bank, New Jersey 07701. For ticketing and more information, visit their web site at http://tworivertheater.org/ or call 732.345.1400.

Photo Credit: Meredith Zinner

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