BWW Interviews: MIDTOWN DIRECT Presents New Works Reading Series

BWW: Thanks for taking the time away from your busy life as actress, author and mother to talk to us, Sandy.

Sandy Rustin: The kids are in bed so it's a perfect time to speak now.

BWW: I really love the concept behind your company where actors, directors, and writers can wear multiple hats and show different creative sides. Can you talk a little about the initial mission of Midtown Direct Rep?

SR: The Company started as a way to give a space for the Broadway community living in the Maplewood/South Orange area to come together and 'do something'. Jeremy, my co-Artistic Director, was directing a gala at SOPAC and noticed there were so many Broadway people involved that lived here and we wanted a place we could all produce work. An exciting part of our group is that our content is driven by our company - based on what we may be working on elsewhere or can bring to the table.

BWW: How did you become such a proponent for new works and start the reader's series?

SR: We sort of became a hub for new works due to the fact so many people in our company were already working on works elsewhere. It felt like an exciting aspect of theatre to offer to our audiences. We spent this year focusing on plays and this summer we will have a musical festival that we will be announcing titles in May.

BWW: As a writer of plays and musicals, I can't thank you enough on behalf of us all for stressing the importance of this process. What can audiences expect from one of your readings?

SR: Each show has a different director, cast, playwright and all abide by Equity reading rules and guidelines about rehearsal time. Some readings are more staged than others, but audiences have grown to expect quality performances right here in their own backyard in South Orange/Maplewood.

BWW: It can be amazing what people can accomplish in a few hours of rehearsal. What do you believe is Midtown Direct's best strength in presenting new works?

SR: I think there are several pluses that we offer. One is our Company. Playwrights get an opportunity to work with an amazing group of actors who are dedicated to presenting the piece in the best possible way. Another plus is the proximity to New York. The train stops right by SOPAC so it is easy for New Yorkers to come out and see the work we are presenting without having to go to a regional theater across the country to witness a new work. Also a huge strength is our audience. They are so sophisticated and wonderful in the talkbacks we have after each reading. They give such valuable feedback which is a true part of the process for the creative team to receive.

BWW: I know the series started a few years ago with your own show "Rated P...for Parenthood" and then coming up in April you are presenting a new piece of yours "The Cottage". Can you tell me how and why humor plays such an important part in your life and writing?

SR: That's a really great question. I studied acting at Northwestern and then was an actress before I decided to pull back from that when my children were born. But as an actress I always felt laughter from an audience was the most important to me - such a gift! When I became a writer it just felt natural for me to be in that place.

"Rated P" chronicles every stage of modern-day parenting, from conception to college, full of heart and humor. With "The Cottage", I get to tip my hat to Noel Coward as I've always wanted to write a farce and this one is full of love, sex, and betrayal.

BWW: That really shows your diversity in writing from modern to an English-type farce. That's wonderful! How does the Company choose the types of shows you present?

SR: We do both comedy and drama and always keep our audience in mind when choosing shows. We also want to showcase our incredible Company which is comprised of actors in their 30s/40s/50s, so we tend to choose shows for those performers. We've had amazing shows submitted to us that had more college age or '20-somethings', but those are not right for our Company. We do have an entire submission committee that reads through our submissions to choose our works.

BWW: I must mention the fact that the first show Midtown worked on (which was your show "Rated P") moved off-Broadway. This must have been incredible for both you and the Company.

SR: Amazing! Totally unexpected and wonderful! We didn't even imagine that could happen, but it was exciting for everyone involved. We went from doing a reading, to a workshop and then received funding to do a full one weekend run of the show. By that Saturday morning, a glowing review by Peter Filichia came out and the next thing we knew New York producers were attending that evening. It took exactly 9 months until it was running off-Broadway at the Westside Theater (where I had done "I Love you, You're Perfect, Now Change" and thought of that space while writing it) and we could not have been more thrilled. Now there are regional productions being planned and Midtown Direct is happy that we were part of that early conception of the show.

BWW: What is something people wouldn't know about a reading series?

SR: People are often surprised by the level of enjoyment a reading can bring. I know that may sound strange to say, but we've found that our audiences LOVE it - from the performers to the playwright to the process; they do not act like 'but it's not a full staged show'. They seem to love the Loft space at SOPAC with its club-like atmosphere with a bar and relaxed feel to it. Audiences realize this part of the process is not to be missed: viewing something new at its early stage is definitely worthwhile and something everyone should experience.

BWW: That is a great way to end our conversation, Sandy. Thanks for talking to me. Audiences should experience works early in the process and can do so each month at Midtown Direct Rep with their Sunday evening reading series at 7pm. Upcoming productions are March 17, April 21, and May 19. Please visit http://www.midtowndirectrep.org for complete details.