All Entries in the "Matthew Risch" Category

Delightful NY Times Interview With Stockard Channing

I hope you enjoy reading this interview as much as I did. It shows a softer, more personal side to Stockard.

Bewitched, Bothered and Back
By ERIK PIEPENBURG
Published: December 3, 2008

HOW you know the name Stockard Channing may depend on how you’re entertained. She was the naughty bun-in-the-oven Rizzo, with Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, in the 1978 movie adaptation of “Grease.” Theater fans remember her as Ouisa Kittredge in John Guare’s play “Six Degrees of Separation” in 1990 (she reprised the role in the 1993 film adaptation, which also starred Will Smith and Donald Sutherland). And for several seasons she was Abbey Bartlet, the wife of the president on the NBC series “The West Wing.”

“It’s interesting to be known as an errant teenager or the first lady of the United States, depending who you’re talking to,” Ms. Channing said.

Last seen on Broadway in the 1999 revival of “The Lion in Winter” opposite Laurence Fishburne, Ms. Channing, 64, is returning as Vera Simpson in the Roundabout Theater Company’s production of the Rodgers and Hart musical “Pal Joey” at Studio 54. The show, with a new book by the playwright Richard Greenberg, is directed by Joe Mantello, with musical direction by Paul Gemignani.

The title of Vera’s big number, “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,” is an apt description of the backstage dramatics that unfolded shortly after previews started. Christian Hoff, 40, who was to play Joey Evans, withdrew from the show after a foot injury and was replaced permanently by his understudy, Matthew Risch, 27. The show’s opening was pushed back a week, to Dec. 18.

Before a recent preview performance Erik Piepenburg sat down with Ms. Channing to discuss the challenges of a sudden cast change, her light-bulb moment with Brecht and Weill, and letting go of “Grease.” Excerpts from the interview follow.

Losing a Co-Star
It’s been hard on the company, any time you lose a member of the company so suddenly who’s been such an organic part of the creative process. … You can see how demanding the show is physically. I obviously wasn’t present for these conversations, but everybody had to make a quick decision. I think from his part, to bow out — he could injure himself permanently if he came back too soon. The temptation in any kind of athletic situation, I think, is “I don’t want to let the team down,” which is very much Christian’s way. … It was terribly dramatic because we had to cancel the Saturday matinee. …We’re blessed, and we also have a great loss at the same time, which is really stressful. I’m sure it was a very painful decision for him to make.

Old Joey, New Joey
I think we’re telling a slightly different story. There’s a much larger gap in age, which concerns me sometimes, that Vera Simpson is not going to be arrested for robbing the cradle. On the other hand there’s a great tradition that goes back to Colette, of an older woman and a younger man. It’s been going on for a long time.

Matthew Risch, The Luckiest Ex-Understudy In New York City

Max Abelson of The New York Observer visited with Matthew Risch in his new dressing room at Roundabout Theatre’s Studio 54. The first sentence of his subsequent article, which appeared on December 2, began like this..”Never having a real speaking role before…” Wow! Talk about pressure! Risch admits that he almost threw up when he heard that he would be taking over permanently for Chrisitan Hoff, who had injured his foot two days prior. But apparently not from nerves or joy, but because “I felt so completely horrible for him, because he had been nothing but the most generous person I’ve ever had the chance to work with…”

Risch has been receiving much appreciated support from his co-stars Stockard Channing and Martha Plimpton. “They’re like….We’re here for you. Whatever you need, just let us know.” And some welcome advice on playing Joey from legendary actress Elaine Stritch (who was in the 1952 revival). She told him “He’s (Joey) just spewing out all this vomit of charm…Vomiting up charm left and right to everybody, it’s nothing to him. That’s all he knows how to do.”

The full article covers many subjects, from what Risch keeps in his dressing room, to his childhood and through his career to present day - going from hoping to go on at least once as Hoff’s understudy, to becoming leading man in a Broadway musical. A dream come true for a man who had “never had a speaking role before”.

Click here to open the Observer site and read the complete article.

Christian Hoff bows out of ‘Pal Joey’ with injury: STAGE WHISPERS

by Lisa Ann Williamson/ Staten Island AWE
Tuesday November 25, 2008, 3:20 PM

Sometimes the show just can’t go on.

Case in point, the Saturday matinee of “Pal Joey” when one Dongan Hills family loaded up the car and hightailed it into Manhattan to see the Roundabout Theatre’s revival of “Pal Joey” during it’s preview run.

While having soup at a deli near the theater, they overhear on a cell phone conversation that the matinee performance at Studio 54 is cancelled.

Yes, cancelled. No lights. Nothing bewitching.

According to first rumors, Christian Hoff, playing the title role, was injured. Those reports proved to be true as he was sidelined by a foot injury. Broadway.com’s story Monday reported that the understudy, Matthew Risch (most recently seen in the ensemble of “Legally Blonde”) went on Saturday night and the Sunday matinee and will now step permanently into the role as Hoff officially withdrew. The heavily hoofy role requires healthy limbs.

Now to prepare Risch for his new responsibility, producers are delaying the official open one week to Dec. 18 rather than the previously announced Dec. 11.

Stockard Channing heads the cast of the Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers musical as socialite Vera Simpson who is smitten by Joey Evans, a dancer and emcee who has his sights set on opening a club of his own. He must now get someone to front the money and that will be Vera, who also knows Joey is a heel.

“Pal Joey” preview buzz had Hoff solidly in Tony contention for this role.

We wish him a speedy recovery and look ahead to Risch’s interpretation of Joey Evans.

Share Your Pal Joey Experience

One of our blog readers made a second visit to see Pal Joey, and here are her observations:
** The choreography may have been tweeked a bit…although I cannot say all the dancing was spectacular, it was quite enjoyable - especially dancing on the stairs. (Although I feel Christian Hoff was better on the stairs!)
** Costume glitches were all taken care of.
** The major improvement I was keenly seeking was the chemistry between ‘Vera’ and ‘Joey’…I felt that Stockard Channing did not feel comfortable with Christian…if Vera is supposed to be infatuated with this young song and dance man, I want to see that exhibited throughout the show…now seeing Matthew Risch & Stockard was a completely different FEEL..Stockard seemed to sincerely enjoy touching, embracing and kissing ‘Joey’…my personal thought was that Stockard feels much more in control with a very young protege, sort of a boy-toy!
** Matt’s dancing in the beginning was right on, but he does sweat profusely. The singing was much the same for ‘Vera’ and ‘Joey’.
** Martha Plimpton’s performance throughout the show is still very enticing…and Jenny Fellner still mezmerizing. They are both key characters to the success of this run of Pal Joey.
** Daniel Marcus’s (Ludlow) solo in the second act was a shining star.
** Matthew has clearly captured the “JERK” attitude that ‘Joey” is supposed to exhibit.
** I must say that the whole cast was more than gracious to pose for photos and sign autographs after the show.

The Pal Joey Blog invites you to share your Pal Joey experience! Leave a comment and let us know how you enjoyed the show. If you have pictures you want to share, send them to  admin at paljoeyblog.com, and include captions if you like.

A big thank you to Charly O’Clarit. She combined her pictures with those of Lucy Rochetti and Lori Leone to create this great slide show. Thank you, ladies!

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Shawna, a self-proclaimed Stockard enthusiast, shared this photo from her fabulous evening at Pal Joey. See comments below to read about Shawna’s experience.

Introducing - The Pal Joey Cast

All photos by Aubrey Reuben
Placing your cursor over a picture pauses the picture and reveals the names of the subjects.