If you had to spend 20 years in an empty swimming pool with any historical figure— living or dead—who would it be and why?
Scott Jaeck (Dunne):
A) Ursula Andress or Raquel Welch, circa Dr. No/One Million Years B.C. No explanation necessary.
B) Homer. To see what kind of kick-ass epic poem we could come up with.
C) My wife, she’d be pissed if I went on a 20 year vacation to the Mediterranean without her. Actually, she’d be pissed about Ursula and Raquel, too, so maybe I’d just send postcards.
Yasen Peyankov (Quinn): Charlie Chaplin. I grew up watching his movies, so I have about 20 years of questions in me.
Logan Vaughn (Penelope): Frida Kahlo [with the blessed sounds of the great forces known as Nina, Etta and Miles keeping us company]. In addition to being a revolutionary artist, she fearlessly claimed her voice and unapologetically defined her sexuality, at a time when all odds were against her. It would be an honor just to be in her presence.
Tracy Letts (Fitz): Hedy Lamarr
Ian Barford (Burns): ‘Historical figure’ hmmm...one is challenged to think of who best to help maintain sanity...Brigitte Bardot? That’d be swell for awhile, but 20 years? I would have to say my father, Robert Barford: my friend, professor of philosophy, lover of history, literature, music, art, life... and a great sense of HUMOR!
What excites you most about working on Penelope?
Scott Jaeck (Dunne): Wearing a Speedo® and having a spray-on tan. OR, having the opportunity to work with Amy, Yasen, Ian and Tracy, the designers and everyone at Steppenwolf, to bring this insanity to life.
Yasen Peyankov (Quinn): Just about everything—the part, the script, the actors, the director and the fact I am wearing a Speedo®. Last time that happened it was the 80s of the last century.
Logan Vaughn (Penelope): What excites me the most about working on Penelope is the challenge of understanding the imposing humanity of the play’s characters and allowing them to transcend beyond the space and time in which we’re attempting to portray them.
Tracy Letts (Fitz): Aside from continuing to avoid getting a real job? I think the play is funny.
Ian Barford (Burns): Enda’s juxtaposition of wild physical humor with language full of poetry and elegance is very exciting. It’s also my first time working with Amy as a director—also very exciting.
Any worries about the show? What do you think the biggest challenge will be?
Scott Jaeck (Dunne): Wearing a Speedo® and having a spray-on tan. OR, the biggest challenge to me in any play is filling in what the text doesn’t give you; the wants, whys and wherefores. I always hope I can answer (for at least myself) all the questions the play raises.
Yasen Peyankov (Quinn): I am definitely challenged by the physical demands of the show and the biggest one of course would be the show I put on for Penelope.
Logan Vaughn (Penelope): I think one of my biggest challenges when approaching the piece and the character of Penelope is going to be creating a complex being that despite absence of words is constantly present in spirit.
Tracy Letts (Fitz): I don’t know any of the lines.
Ian Barford (Burns): How will I look in a Speedo®?