Parts played, lessons learned.

Bernard in Arcadia

An instance of character and actor finding a sum greater than the parts. What a joy! Forever grateful for Patrick Dooley’s direction, Jessma Evans, my frequent scene partner, and the rest of that amazing cast, crew, and audience.

A rehearsal shot from Arcadia

Leontes in A Winter’s Tale

A dream role, in a beautiful setting, great cast.

Hughie

Three roles, three actors. We traded parts, and then took it to Ireland for the inaugural James O’Neill Festival, celebrating Eugene O’Neill’s father.

Playing General Smedley Butler in War is a Racket

A 20 minute fracture monologue. During tech there were so many sound and light cues, they ran out of board space. Finally the AD said, “What if it was just a guy talking?” And that’s what we did.

A Sure, Cure, Lure by Aaron Loeb

Playing a not-very-good guy

Eve and Steven by Carl Lumbly

Another not-very-good guy.

Seascape

George Maguire’s excellent direction led to a TBA recommendation, and nominations for awards.

John in Oleanna

An amazing and tricky play. Getting the balance took a lot of work. (We snapped this at a rehearsal and it was the runner up for the poster.)

Tupolski in The Pillowman

Simply one of the great plays of the last 20 years. And maybe the next 20.

Hickey in The Iceman Cometh

I was lucky enough to see the Spacy production 10 years before this. And while, I didn’t remember everything, that served as a way into what was an intimidating play that turned out the be such a gift. Because once you’ve done a 15 minute monologue during which the other character say, “Shut up already!” nothing is that scary anymore.

Ellard in The Foreigner

When Ken Sonkin called to cast me, I said, “Sorry…which part? Uhhh, can I think about it?” And the lessons from Mr. Cunningham in Mockingbird and Bobby in Buffalo, had prepared me to pull things together. One of the best experiences on stage – play, part, people, place.

And that led to….

Theatre Bay Area – Best Featured Actor Award for Ellard in The Foreigner

Lesson: I’m not, by nature, an awards person and I seriously thought about not going. It’s art, right? There is no first places. But, if they nominate you, be gracious enough to show up. You might get a prize. And that might feel good.

Jerusalem at San Francisco Playhouse

A delight to be the first American cast production of this epic. And Brian Dykstra killed it.

George in It’s a Wonderful Life

Amazing how this story continues to move us.

Father Flynn in Doubt: A Parable

A role that changed how I thought about acting because there of those sermons.

Seven Days at San Francisco Playhouse

The look says it all.

Nicola in Arms and the Man

The costumes were fantastic!

Krogstad in A Doll’s House

A delight. The last play the Willows Theater put on.

Mr. Cunningham in To Kill a Mockingbird

Fantastic production directed by Michael Butler. At the audition he said, “This guy is grounded. Slow. Take your time.” I did, and that plus that beautiful dialect was a lesson in putting on a whole different rhythm.

Here by Michael Frayn

Terrific script for three people. This time we did write and keep a budget.

Rehearsals for Private Eyes

Great play, but we hadn’t yet learned to write and keep a budget.

Andre in Afterplay

A beautiful adaptation of Chekhov characters by Brian Friel. Sonya from Uncle Vanya meets Andre from Three Sisters 20 years after those plays end. Sad boy meets sad girl story.

Devlin in Ashes to Ashes

An amazing Pinter one act play as the first production of our company Spare Stage. Here with Mary Samson.

Tesman in Hedda Gabler

One of the first times on stage for me when character and actor became something more.

Bobby in American Buffalo

The director said, “Aaron, try pitching you voice up an octave.” I did, and suddenly the character was 10 years younger and seemed like a golden retriever waiting for someone to throw a stick.

A close friend came to the show and said, “When you first spoke I checked the program to make sure it was you.”