Interview: Broadway's George Merrick on Memorable Career Moments and the New Play RING TWICE FOR MIRANDA

Screen and stage actor, George Merrick, has starred in some of the most unforgettable and entertaining productions, such as the revival of South Pacific and Honeymoon in Vegas, and measures his success by how much he is enjoying his work. He has learned from legends like Danny Burstein, and has discovered opportunities to create new work and walk into experiences with fresh eyes and an open heart. These projects have allowed his passion for performing to grow, and his current role in Ring Twice for Miranda explores the notion of being governed by emotions and longing in a tumultuous world where humans fight each day for survival.

BroadwayWorld had the chance to speak with Merrick before the show's opening about his most memorable career moments, his new role and the story line's impact on audiences, and his passion for being involved with original work.

How have previews been going?

It's going really great - the audiences have been right there with us. We're getting to know the rhythm of the piece now, and it's so exciting to have eyes on it.

You've been part of some very entertaining and classic productions. Tell me about these previous experiences and their impact on your career?

Those were really life-altering events, particularly South Pacific. It came at a time for me where I hadn't worked in a while and it was this huge endeavor. I remember I having 4-5 callbacks for it, and when I got it, I thought it would only be a 16-week kind of thing, and didn't know the two-and-a-half-year adventure that it was. It was top-shelf from the get-go and brought together so many wonderful people and during that time, I got to understudy Danny Burstein -- he's the greatest character actor around. Watching him work and seeing how his process was taught me more than I learned in college. He has been a mentor to me and someone that I always look forward to seeing, because he is so inventive.

Honeymoon in Vegas was an amazing experience to create a show from scratch. Jason Robert Brown's score was fantastic and the cast was so great to work with! It was two hours of fun and I had some memorable comic bits. Even now, people still come up to me and remember my role in the show.

What is your personal definition of success?

It depends on what day you ask me (laughs!) Sometimes, success is staying employed, but I measure it by how passionate I am about the projects I am working on. You have to have that spark and know what calls to you, and then success seems to fall into place. I've had the honor of crossing over from musicals to straight plays in New York Theater and creating roles and also doing some television and film. It's been extremely rewarding and success to me is doing what you love!

Describe your current role in Ring Twice for Miranda.

My character, Elliot, is seen as the heart of the piece. There's a lot of power plays and struggles for survival in the play, and my character is the emotional anchor. My character doesn't want power or the big things - he wants a girl, he wants love, companionship, and closeness. He's almost like a babe in the woods - - there's a lot of innocence to the character and he's swimming in a pool of sharks.

Why do you think this production is so memorable?

This play is actually very timely, especially in our current world. In order to survive, you need to acquire power or lay it down. It's very controversial and I think audiences put themselves in that circumstance and question what they would do. The show is very thought-provoking and funny and the language is very beautiful. I think people are really going to be contemplating the piece long after they leave.

Is there a certain type of work you'd love to be involved with in the future?

I'd love to continue to work with a playwright on a new piece that's never been done before and not having the preconceived idea of what will happen. Alan Alda has a great quote and he said, "Originality is unexplored territory. You get there by carrying a canoe - you can't take a taxi." I love that and being able to view a new experience with fresh eyes. I remember on the first day of rehearsal, Bartlett Sher, who directed the revival of South Pacific, approached the show like that and said, "I don't know what this show is going to be" and I remember thinking that I'd follow this guy anywhere. He wants to do it like it's new, and that's the real joy of creating something. The opportunity to create is all that I ever wanted to do.

Photo Credit: Russ Rowland

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