Interview: Director Peter Curley and IS HE DEAD? at Summit Playhouse

The Summit Playhouse welcomes the community to 19th Century Paris in this previously lost play from the iconic Mark Twain, Is He Dead?  It will be performed April 26 at 8pm; April 27 at 8pm; April 28 at 2pm; May 3 at 8pm; May 4 at 8pm; May 5 at 2pm; May 10 at 8pm; and May 11 at 8pm.

Set in 1846 Paris, a young painter of genius is in love but very much in debt. To achieve fame and fortune in the Art World, he must fake his own death while passing himself off as his twin sister. Now rich, he and his friends must find a way to get him out of his dress and return to his old life and marry the love of his life in this hilarious comedy.  The play mashes the sardonic, wry humor of Mark Twain with the farcical cross-dressing classic comedies like “Some Like It Hot”, “Tootsie”, and “Mrs. Doubtfire”.

Broadwayworld had the pleasure of interviewing the show’s director, Peter Curley about his career and Is He Dead? at The Summit Playhouse. 

Curley is the President of The Summit Playhouse as well as a Director, Producer, and Stage Manager. Directing credits include One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, 12 Angry Jurors, The Play That Goes Wrong, Moon Over Buffalo, Rumors, Leading Ladies, Play On, A Murder Is Announced, and Treasure Island as well as numerous Children’s Theater productions and One Act Pieces. He has been an Executive Board member at The Summit Playhouse since 2017 serving as the Treasurer for four years, and Benefit Night Coordinator and Youth Scholarship outreach facilitator for two years.  Peter Curley has been the Stage Manager of Summit Playhouse Productions that include Bright Star, She Loves Me, Glass Menagerie, Doll’s House 2, See How They Run, Tally’s Follies and Death by Design. He has also acted in the Playhouse’s productions of Superior Donuts, All My Sons, Miracle Worker, and The Late Christopher Bean.

  

What initially inspired your interest in the performing arts and theatre?

I started ushering at The Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ as a teenager and just fell in love with the magic of theater. I didn't initially pursue theater until several years later, but the interest and passion were formed there. I'm eternally grateful I chose that path!

Summit Playhouse is a gem of a community theatre.  Tell us a little about your role as president of the Playhouse.

The role of President involves overseeing a variety of Departments from Theater Operations, Theater Productions, Facility Operations, Box Office, Finances, Technical Department, Community Outreach, Youth Theater, Publicity and Marketing, Volunteer Recruitment, and much much more. Thankfully, we have a tremendous Board of Directors at SPH who work very hard, and very dedicated volunteers. I am so honored to be associated with SPH, our wonderful Board, Volunteers, and amazing patrons!

We'd love to know a little more about Summit Playhouse's Youth Scholarship program.

The Playhouse awards theater awards every year to two High School Seniors that will be pursuing Theater or Music majors in College. Frequently, our award members are involved with our In-House Youth Theater program called Kaleidiscope which stages three shows a year for High School and Middle School Students. These student actors/musicians are truly amazing and we are so pleased to assist them in some way with College expenses!

Why do you think community theatre is so important in the arts?

As much as I enjoy professional theater, I appreciate the opportunity that Community Theater provides for amateurs to remain in something they enjoy post-college or post-high school. We have so many folks that have made theater such a big part of their lives. They are able to form tremendous bonds with many different types of people and establish long lasting friendships through their collaboration in community theater which then brings members of different towns and cities together to support the arts.

 How has being a stage manager and a producer, and actor complemented your role as a director?

Having an insight in another facet of theater helps you to relate and identify with what that job entails, which then allows you to effectively communicate and connect with that individual. My background as an actor allows me to draw on my experiences to speak to an actor about what might be needed in playing a part, how to navigate a scene, or how to articulate thoughtful constructive criticism. Stage Managing allows you to observe other Directors at work that then allow you to incorporate successful best practices into your Directing, as well as getting valuable experience running a show from backstage.   Producing teaches you the nitty gritty of staging a show including logistics, budgets, partnering, and networking which makes a Director very well rounded in their knowledge of how a show actually gets up and running.  

Why do you think "Is He Dead" will appeal to area audiences?

It's a mix of a prestige piece- being a long-lost play from Mark Twain that took 100 years for it to make it to Broadway and a gender bending farcical comedy in the same vein as Some Like It Hot, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Tootsie. The play maintains the classic Twain acerbic wit and satire against the Art world while infusing a farce meets melodrama meets slapstick meets burlesque humor storyline. The play can be wry, sarcastic, and downright hilarious in its silliness!

 

What are some of the challenges of directing the show?

A Farce is always difficult because it entails a lot of moving parts. Actors need to know their lines super well, timing is absolutely essential, a commitment to a certain style of physicality, and a fearless attitude amongst the actors is absolutely necessary to pull off a comedy of this magnitude. Everyone is well aware of the humor of Mark Twain, and we all want to make sure we do right by his words.

Can you tell us a little about the cast and crew for "Is He Dead?"

I have a cast of 11 actors that are extremely funny, energetic, and motivated to make our audiences laugh and have a great time seeing the show! They have been working on this show since late January and their hard work and commitment to the production are really paying off.

The Production staff has been dogged in building an amazing set, chasing down props that includes phenomenal artwork, building light and sound cues, fabulous costumes, hair and makeup, publicity, and wonderful Producers, and Stage Management.      

 Can you share with us any of your future plans?

We are working very hard on our Play selection for the 2024-2025 season which always generates a lot of buzz amongst our Board, Actors, Volunteers, and Production staff, as we really want to present something for everyone. We conduct a lot of surveys with everyone that attends our shows or works on our shows to solicit information that assists us in selecting shows that the Community wants to see.

The Summit Playhouse is located at 10 New England Avenue, Summit, NJ 07901.  Please visit https://thesummitplayhouse.org/ and call 908.273.2192.

Photo Credit:  The Summit Playhouse

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