INTERVIEW: Justin Ahdoot sings happy birthday! (over and over again)
Photo: birthday birthday birthday continues through April 19 at The Tank in New York City. Photo courtesy of The Tank / Provided by Print Shop PR with permission.
Johnny G. Lloyd’s new show has quite the memorable name: birthday birthday birthday. This three-peat, all in lowercase, is meant to describe the relationship between Marissa and Clark, two characters who share a birthday and spend time with each other each time the big day comes around. But they don’t stop there. The two continue on and on and on, for decades and decades, with no end in sight — even when their bodies are no more.
“It’s a pretty heady type show, I guess,” said Justin Ahdoot, who portrays Clark in birthday birthday birthday, which continues through April 19 at The Tank in New York City. “What they can expect is just a group of friends kind of growing and changing over time. … While you’re watching the cast go through time, there’s also a question of figuring out who you are in the future and reliving those old memories to learn from them or feel different or understand what you were like during that time period, so there’s a lot going on.”
Along the way, the Will Steinberger-directed play also offers commentary on some serious topics, including race, class and the power of time, according to press notes. Clark, as a character, finds himself within the middle of these topics; he’s constantly paranoid and worried what the world will think of him. Ahdoot said the person he’s portraying is trying his best to be himself, but he’s perpetually catering to those around him.
“And as the play goes on, you kind of learn all these crazy moments that have had happened to him,” the actor said. “So he’s kind of like a pinball. Life is hitting him around, and he’s trying to please everyone and keep everyone happy. You kind of see as time goes on it affects him in a way that makes him closed off, and then that’s why there’s this other world of the meta universe — I’m using that because that’s the best way I can describe it, even though it’s not that. He kind of says that that’s his second chance.”
Ahdoot called the playwright a brilliant writer, and a lot of time was spent during rehearsals trying to figure out the meaning of the story. The cast, under the direction fo Steinberger, needed to ensure that they were on the same page of comprehension. And then after they coalesced around certain ideas, they decided to respect the audiences by not spoon-feeding them every little detail. This one is a puzzle that needs to be solved.
“There are things that are obscure, and he leaves room for interpretation, which I think is what makes the writing so beautiful,” said Ahdoot, an actor known for Sleep No More, ABCD and The Mysteries. He’s worked for Punchdrunk, The Flea Theater and Barrington Stage, among others.
And just in case anyone was wondering, birthday birthday birthday is also quite comedic. The heady plot doesn’t get in the way of a few good laughs.
“We had a lot of laughter,” Ahdoot said about a recent performance. “It was good. We’re still working on a few tech elements and adding a few more lights and sound just to make that digital world and the discrepancy between what’s imagined and what isn’t a little more clear, but overall it was good. I got some good feedback afterward. People were definitely moved by it. It’s funny I was talking to one of my friends after, and she’s like, ‘It was so sad.’ And then I was like, ‘Oh that’s funny because you guys were laughing the whole time.’ So I think it really takes you for a ride in many different directions.”
For Ahdoot, to sign on the dotted line and join a theatrical project, he needs to believe in the playwright and the words on the page. If the story and characters don’t win him over, he’s not ready to commit. But that stated, birthday birthday birthday was an easy “yes.”
“I think it comes down to the writing,” he said. “The first thing for me as an Iranian American actor is: Is the character three-dimensional? Are they fully realized in how they are portrayed not as a stereotype? That’s usually a big thing for me, but then also that’s just the first step. And then the second step is: Do I feel moved by the piece? Do I feel like there’s something that is exciting about playing the role that would be fun, that would be challenging? This is probably, definitely a challenging role for myself. I’ve read a lot of interviews myself, and usually when the actors say they’re scared, that means you should go for it because you know it’ll stretch you and make you better in the future.”
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
birthday birthday birthday, starring Justin Ahdoot, continues at The Tank in New York City through April 19. Click here for more information and tickets.
