This Is Something That People Do
Posted by Paul D'Addario on 4/29/2009
The summer I spent doing The School at Steppenwolf in 2001 was my first time in Chicago. For the first two weeks of it I was waking up early every morning with great excitement and anticipation but would have to force myself back to sleep because it wasn’t time to go yet. I hadn’t felt that for anything since I was playing little league baseball.
Soon after I would move to Chicago to work with The Gift, whose members included some of the folks who I had gone through the school with. So, it seems only fitting to be led through the Of Mice and Men experience by Michael (Thornton) because it was at The School at Steppenwolf that we first met.
This is the seventh time that Mike and I have worked together as actor and director. I would be lying to say that I didn’t get a huge kick out of watching Mike lead us all through tech in this gorgeous cathedral of a theatre with the same insight, confidence and precision that he has at our 34 seat home theatre in Jefferson Park. Yes, that was a #@%&-eating grin on my face.
Stepping on the main stage for the first time last week felt like what I imagine it feels to step on the field at Yankee Stadium for the first time. (Well, the old Yankee stadium not that new billion dollar debacle.) The best I could hope for is to be surrounded by people who are always there and whose commitment challenges me to focus more-work harder. From the first rehearsal on, this hope has been realized. It’s a great group of people to work with. And I’ve learned to use an old-timey can opener which makes me feel quite manly.
Finally, I have to say how much I love getting up in front of the always enthusiastic students who make up our audience. When I was a high school student in Queens, New York, the Public Theatre used to have us in to see their shows. It meant a lot to us to see these actors working right in front of us-somehow making that type of life attainable. It had great influence on me making me realize, “this is something that people do.” In the students’ laughs, nervous chatter, vocal commentary-screams, I hear me and my friends. It’s a wonderful circle.