He holds an MFA in Acting from NYU's Graduate Acting Program and a BA in Political Science from Brown University. BroadwayWorld brings you performance highlights below! And then the symptoms were gone. He is currently starring in Joshua Harmons Prayer for the French Republic, a scintillating three-hour exploration of anti-Semitism that travels between 1944 and 2016; Topol plays Patrick Salomon, a nonreligious Jew who has decided not to go into the family piano business. But because its about one of the hardest things and most personal struggles that Ive experienced for the last forty-six years of my life, since my father died, it was scary to share, but it felt worth sharing. It is a really challenging piece of theater and really satisfying to act in. Topol was raised in Mamaroneck and lost his father when he was twelve. All materials copyright 2021 by Mark Rifkin / This Week in New York, THE INSIDER'S GUIDE TO THE CITY SINCE 2001, this week in lectures, signings, panel discussions, workshops, and Q&As. I dont subscribe there. Lets take that idea of writing and switch over to Prayer for the French Republic, which is exquisitely written. Shipwreck was the closest we got to working on a play because we rehearsed for a couple of weeks and it felt like, Okay, Im going to rehearsal today. Photo Flash: MERCHANT Of VENICE in Rehearsal! First of all, I dont like one-person shows, I dont like seeing one-person shows; theyre not interesting to me. Is it just Jewy enough? Photo Coverage: On the Red Carpet for the 62nd Annual Obie Awards! twi-ny: You finally returned to the stage in November in Portland with Searching for Mr. About seven years ago, I was sitting in the audience at a play when I recognized the man in front of me, actor Richard Topol. (l-r backrow) " David Cromer, Pierre Epstein, Jeff Seymour, Molly Ranson, Betsy Aidem, My wife came and saw the show. I think of myself as spiritual and, not to be too woo-woo, I believe in the earth. Because its a great joy to do this play. Shipwreck was the closest we got to working on a play because we rehearsed for a couple of weeks and it felt like, Okay, Im going to rehearsal today. I met him once at a Mickey Mantle Foundation dinner at Gracie Mansion. Although my mother came and saw the show. rt: Well, it started actually in August of 2019, when Josh had been commissioned by Manhattan Theater Club to write a play. He looked up, put on a big smile, and said in that Yogi way, No ones asked me about that in years. Originally from Larchmont, NY, he now lives in New York City with his wife, actress Eliza Foss, and their daughter. So on the one hand, it was incredibly thrilling. Its unbelievable. Topol was raised in Mamaroneck and lost his father when he was twelve. at Primary Stages, Broadway's The Big Knife,Glengarry Glen Ross) as Babe Ruth. I play my father-in-law. twi-ny: You guys were great. Lived In Crawfordville FL, Lakeland FL. It was this biodrama about Lukas and it was missing something. Check out Richard Topol's Bio Now I was like, No, no, no, no, no. During the pandemic, they are looking inside artistic creation with In Process, a series of online presentations written by and starring alumni. He is married to actress Eliza Foss; they have one daughter, and Richard was close with his father-in-law, the late German-American composer, pianist, and conductor Lukas Foss. Right. Manhattan Theatre Club's world premiere of REGRETS, the new play by Matt Charman, directed by Carolyn Cantor will open tonight, Tuesday, March 27 at MTC at New York City Center - Stage I (131 West 55th Street). Richard Topol ("Moshe Sharett") has recently starred in Paula Vogel 's Indecent at the Vineyard Theater and on Broadway, and appeared in HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm and Fish In The Dark. Godfather of Harlem tells the "true story of infamous crime boss Bumpy Johnson, who in the early 1960s returned from ten years in prison to find the neighborhood he once ruled a shambles. rt: Exactly, the third guy from the left. So then the pandemic hit and immediately I got the virus. We started first day of rehearsal learning about the Covid protocols, getting tested regularly. Its a symbol, a metaphor for the journey of our family. You were a Mets fan, then you switched over to the Yankees. Photo Coverage: INDECENT Company Celebrates Opening Night on Broadway! Antisemitic Protestors Chant At Audience Outside First Preview Of PARADE, Cooper, Esparza, and More Will Lead OLIVER! Ive always had this obsession with searching for a father and he was my father-in-law, so lets do that. 59E59 Theaters and The Civilians have announced the full cast . twi-ny: Okay, for my last question, I have a sort of bone to pick with you. And then the testing protocols, were getting tested every day, and you cant come into the room until youve tested negative, and, knock wood, thats been it. It was so satisfying. Where I feel most soulful and spiritual is when Ive climbed a mountain and I feel small in relation to a large, amazing thing. Its a short question, right? And we spent enough time with it to dig in the way you do in a play. Moon, which is about fathers and sons, particularly about how you lost your father when you were very young and eventually found a father figure in Lukas Foss. He thanked me, saying that he was actually the understudy and that was the only time he had gone on. Richard Thomas . Get the fuck out of here. rt: Yeah. And she said, You just got an offer from Manhattan Theatre Club for Prayer for the French Republic. Latest News on Richard Topol: Photos: Go Inside Opening Night of THE UNBELIEVING at 59E59 Theaters (Oct 31, 2022) Review: THE UNBELIEVING at 59E59 Theaters- Compelling Play Presents A Meaningful. Ive always had this obsession with searching for a father and he was my father-in-law, so lets do that. People who know me and my life saw it. The ones who are not Jews often say how the Jews in the play are just a specific example of the larger issue of otherness. rt: Right. rt: Exactly. I mean, I enjoyed working as opposed to not working. Rich Topol poses with a hot car on set of EPIX series Godfather of Harlem. And so I was so excited to be part of the beginning of it. The ones who are not Jews often say how the Jews in the play are just a specific example of the larger issue of otherness. And I survived. I got bar mitzvahed. I dont subscribe there. On Sunday night, June 12th, the Broadway premiere production of Larry Kramer's ground-breaking play The Normal Heart took home the Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Play, Best Featured Actor in a Play (John Benjamin Hickey) and Best Featured Actress in a Play (Ellen Barkin). From March 23 to 26, you can stream Luis Quinteros Hip Hop Therapy, a preview of a concept album in which Nick Bottom from A Midsummer Nights Dream is a therapist for out-of-work actors. I think that most of the major religions are about feeling good to be small under the umbrella of something thats bigger than our oneness, that connects us all. He had Parkinsons disease. Photo Flash: Sam Waterston, Kelli O'Hara Michael McKean & More in KING LEAR at the Public! Im a tree hugger. You dont develop a through-line, you dont understand the arc of things. And then the testing protocols, were getting tested every day, and you cant come into the room until youve tested negative, and, knock wood, thats been it. Some of us have children and partners, but there was a real commitment to being safe so that we could get it up on our feet. But I feel like he shouldnt be a better piano player than I am in this play. twi-ny: Jon Stewart would ask, is it too Jewy? Willy and I had been talking about this play for a number of years. twi-ny: During the pandemic, you appeared in several virtual and audio productions: You were in Melisa Anniss Beginnings, Anne Washburns Shipwreck, Craig Lucass More Beautiful and you played a chicken in Jimonn Coles Chickens. Produced by Daryl Roth and directed by Joel Grey and George C. Wolfe, The Normal Heart began performances on Tuesday, April 19 at the Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street) and opened to rave reviews on Wednesday, April 27, 2011. They produced a lot of one-person shows. It is unbelievable. I feel like the Jews, the Jews get it, the New York Jews get it, or they have really strong opinions about it. Each short play will also include a Q&A with Tatiana Wechsler. [Director] Saheem Ali was great and it was a great cast, obviously in a really interesting play. twi-ny: Yes they had, with Yogi Berra as manager. We have a place upstate that we escaped too, and I got a call two days later from my agents. And then another few months later we did the third. I met him once at a Mickey Mantle Foundation dinner at Gracie Mansion. We did the kind of work that you do in a play before you get up on your feet. But Im also not religious. The Public took a lot of care in making it. Law & Order: CI The Third Horseman (2002) as Cutler's Attorney Law & Order Terminal (1997) as Mickey Fine For Love or Money (2001) as Lloyd Neal Bounty (2003) as Arnie Gleason Law & Order: SVU Consent (2001) as Harry the Vagrant Juvenile (2002) as Mr. Connor . Photo Coverage: THE MERCHANT OF VENICE After Party. I think of myself as Jew-ish. rt: Right. What was the experience like sharing your life, in person, in front of people, back onstage? And then a month later, its, Yeah, were not going to do the play in September. RICHARD TOPOL. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus. Josh is a writer. Then when my wife told the story to Willy about when she gave birth the opening scene of the play is her giving birth to our daughter and Elizas parents, in black tie, come in from a gala, bursting into the delivery room because they thought she was about to have a baby she was about to have a baby were like, What are you doing here? What was that like? And without, I think, insulting anyone and without becoming didactic and preachy. Sanford Bensinger 3 episodes, 2017-2019 Michael Aronov . And in the scenes where I play myself, most of that writing is me, having written down my versions of stories that Ive experienced. He had a mind that was brilliant and fingers that could play I dont know if youve ever heard him play or listened to something. rt: I was born a Jew. Moon, which is about fathers and sons, particularly about how you lost your father when you were very young and eventually found a father figure in Lukas Foss. We did a workshop right before the pandemic hit in-person. Ive been to some plays where Im sitting right next to total strangers and everybody has their mask on, and this was the same. And we were shut down. It was really satisfying to do. twi-ny: A lot of people still feel that way. And so it was the worst it could be without being bad. But the larger questions that Josh asks in the play relate to almost everyone. The Broadway premiere of Larry Kramer's ground-breaking play The Normal Heart will play the final performance of its limited, 12-week engagement this Sunday, July 10 at 7:00 p.m., as scheduled. That seemed like a good starting-off point, discussing my becoming a father and my seeing the best potential father to me to help me learn how to be a father. He admits that the most nervous hes been in his life was when he hung out with Paul McCartney following a performance of Larry Davids Fish in the Dark, in which Topol played Dr. Stiles; after that, the Cute Beatle went from being his third favorite mop top behind John and George to his second. I tapped him on the shoulder during intermission and told him that I had just seen him at the Signature in A. R. Gurneys The Wayside Motor Inn and had enjoyed his performance. richard topol: Oh my God! And then, of course, a month later, theyre, like, Yeah, were not going to do the workshop in July. When they said, Will you read Patrick? And so actually the last few days of rehearsal and through tech, he watched the play like this. Tony Award-winning actor Jason Alexanderrecentlyassumedthe role of 'Norman Drexel'in Larry David's hit comedy Fish In the Dark, directed by Anna D. Shapiro, at the Cort Theatre (138 West 48th Street). You dont develop a through-line, you dont understand the arc of things. What was the experience like sharing your life, in person, in front of people, back onstage? (l-r front row) - Peyton Lusk, Yair Ben-Dor, Ari Brand, Molly Ranson, Jeff Seymour, Betsy Aidem, Francis Benhamou, Yair Ben-Dor, Richard Topol, Molly Ranson, Kenneth Topol, Nancy Robinette, Betsy Aidem, Richard Topol, Ari Brand, rt: Exactly. And then we did a couple of Zoom workshops. But still there was that sense of, Whos producing a new eleven-person play, with nobody famous? So you cant pick a bone with me if it was because my father had just died and my next-door neighbor was a Yankees fan. I am pleasantly surprised at how many hundreds of people are coming to see the show every day. Now, of course, Im totally madly in love with Patrick and I wouldnt have it any other way. Like in Joshs play, he was one of those people, a German Jew in Berlin who got out. He admits that the most nervous hes been in his life was when he hung out with Paul McCartney following a performance of Larry Davids Fish in the Dark, in which Topol played Dr. Stiles; after that, the Cute Beatle went from being his third favorite mop top behind John and George to his second. And Im slightly disappointed myself too, because I knew I was going to do this part for a long time and I knew that these songs were in the piece. Im like, Okay, sure. And then Josh tested positive right before tech. And then because the pandemic happened, we both had the time to really work on it. Its unbelievable. I remember at the time talking with people and saying, Oh my God, this is the longest period of time between . We have a full Biography, Photos, Theatre Credits, and more! Richard Topol is the author of Naked City (3.75 avg rating, 5387 ratings, 446 reviews, published 2011), The Maze at Windermere (3.50 avg rating, 2855 rat. If youre a WASP from white privilege, maybe you look at this play and think, like Patrick, Whats the big deal, you know? And on the other hand, it was incredibly scary because it was the first play that Id ever cowritten with anybody, and it was about my life. He holds an MFA in Acting from NYU's Graduate Acting Program and a BA in Political Science from Brown University. rt: Right. Even if you dont recognize his name, youre likely to know his face; he has approximately fifty television and film credits, including portraying lawyer and politician James Speed in Steven Spielbergs Lincoln, a recurring role on The Practice, and multiple parts on several Law & Order iterations. So thats the sort of glib answer. Rich Topol starred as stage manager Lemml in Indecent (photo by Carol Rosegg). We do not want to shut this play down. Hes really, really, really kind to all his characters. ( 2013-04-21) (USA) Chronology. He was by himself and I went over to him and said, Im going to ask you something that no one probably ever asks you about. The Mets had been to the World Series, right? rt: I think he would be disappointed. This is your first one-man show, which you wrote with Willy Holtzman, a two-time Pulitzer nominee. Photo Coverage: On the Red Carpet for Vineyard Theatre's Spring Gala! He came in with his finished draft and we did a reading of it, prepandemic and in-person. I had seen a number of shows when I came back from Maine, and some had nobody in the audience and some were jam packed. rt: Exactly. April 21, 2013. I love Charles. And thoughtful in allowing them to be really articulate people who have really strong opinions, and those opinions are different. Willy and I had been talking about this play for a number of years. The play was well received, so I didnt have the experience of Oh, that sucked. . Intense. And then we did a couple of Zoom workshops. That theater had stayed open through the pandemic because Maine had so few cases, because of the regulations, and because of their skill at keeping people safe. Its interesting because it connects to the father thing. Rich Topol is third guy from the right in cast and crew photo from Prayer for the French Republic opening night (photo 2022 by Daniel Rader). Ive also actually played a lot of Jewish narrators who step into the play. So this was the middle of December now, right before Christmas, and shows were going down left and right. (seated/facing away), and Jeff Seymour (seated/facing away), Jason Babinsky, Miriam Silverman, Richard Topol, Celeste Arias and Gabby Beans, Michael Ritchie, Richard Topol and Joby Earle, Richard Topol, Rebecca Taichman and Joby Earle, Richard Topol, Paula Vogel and Joby Earle, Richard Topol, Mimi Lieber, Adina Verson, Harry Groener, Elizabeth A. Davis, Steven Rattazzi and Joby Earle, Richard Topol, Cassie Beck, Victoria Clark, Christopher Innvar, Richard Topol, Cassie Beck, Christopher Innvar, Richard Topol, Paula Vogel and Katrina Lenk, Richard Topol, Adina Verson, Katrina Lenk, Tom Neils, Steven Rattazzi and Mimi Lieber, Irungu Mutu, Robert Cuccioli, Richard Topol, Angela Pierce, Robert Cuccioli, Irungu Mutu, Richard Topol, Angela Pierce, Irungu Mutu, Robert Cuccioli, Richard Topol and Elizabeth Ramos, Francois Battiste, Christopher Jackson, Bill Dawes, Keith Nobbs, Wendy Makkena, Chris Henry Coffey, Richard Topol, CJ Wilson, John Wernke, Richard Topol, Jeff Cutler, Ben Rosenbach, Mark H. Dold, Ben Cole, Christopher Innvar, Adam Heller, Richard Topol, John Cariani, Adam Heller, Richard Topol, Richard Schiff. We did a workshop right before the pandemic hit in-person. I tapped him on the shoulder during intermission and told him that I had just seen him at the Signature in A. R. 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