INTERVIEW: Keith Randolph Smith on the words of Tennessee Williams
Photo: From left, Tim Daly, Lea DeLaria and Keith Randolph Smith star in The Night of the Iguana. Photo courtesy of Joan Marcus / Provided by JT PR with permission.
Tennessee Williams is a favored playwright to produce, both on and off-Broadway. The scribe’s intricate character work, fascinating dialogue and brilliant storytelling make for engaging nights at the theater, and some of Williams’ most iconic roles are favorites for an actor to sink their teeth into.
Currently New York City audiences are being treated to a revival of The Night of the Iguana, a somewhat rarer work by the playwright. This production, directed by Emily Mann and produced by La Femme Theatre Productions, continues through Feb. 25 at the Irene Diamond Stage at the Pershing Signature Center on 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, according to press notes. The cast includes a who’s who of theatrical and TV talent: Tim Daly, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Lea DeLaria, Austin Pendleton and Jean Lichty, among others.
At the center of the narrative is Keith Randolph Smith, who plays the pivotal part of Jake. His character finds himself in the middle of the emotional maelstrom at the Costa Verde Hotel in Acapulco, Mexico, where the play is set in the days leading up to World War II. Smith is an accomplished actor, known for Broadway’s Jitney; Fences; Come Back, Little Sheba; and American Psycho, among other productions.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Smith to dive deeper into a variety of topics, including Williams’ writing, the work of August Wilson and how The Night of the Iguana is still resonant in the 21st century. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What do you like about the character of Jake?
I find that Jake gets things done. I have found that he has a sense of humor, even in moments of seriousness, and enjoys his life because he gets to move around and travel and meet lots of interesting people.
What do you appreciate about the words of Tennessee Williams?
I appreciate Williams’ love of language and the musical quality inherent in the rhythm of his dialogue. His word choices offer surprises in that they seem to help define characters in a number of ways, like showing how they think or what’s important to them both in the moment and in life. The words are like stepping stones across the body of water that is his story.
Do you feel that Tennessee Williams’ stories are still resonant in 2023?
I feel that Williams’ stories echo just as much now as when they were first published. The investigations into what compels human beings to behave with intention, in ways that are both admirable and ways that are less admirable, make him, in my perspective, a committed humanist. He does not seem to judge his characters but offer them up as complex people who [are] driven by passion and engagement with others. The world could use and still needs for understanding, compassion and empathy.
How’s Emily Mann as a director?
I have found Emily to be a collaborative creator with vision and always looking for the authentic in each situation. The deep listening skills that she possesses makes for a vital exchange when we are navigating scene work. Emily has incredible patience and creates an environment that encourages investment in what you are doing. Emily is a giant in the field, and the breadth of experience and knowledge she brings into the room is worth more than anything. And I soak up her wisdom like our whole room.
Throughout your career, you have worked on many August Wilson plays. What do you find important about keeping his work alive and produced in the 21st century?
I love the work of Wilson, and he left everyone a body of work that engages the mind and heart. It is a chronicle of the 20th century and how some folks lived, thought and loved in the face of challenges in just being. I see my family, friends, community and myself reflected in the humans that populate his writing, and that has made a lasting impression on my life … that my life was and is filled with poetry everyday, in word and action. I pray that people will be able to read his work in 400 years and get a sense of how some of us were and what some of us believed in.
Does a project like this one totally immerse you, so much so that you don’t plot out the next career steps? Or do you like thinking about the next journey you’ll be on?
Iguana has grabbed my attention, and right now it is all-Iguana, all the time. There is much to uncover and discover in his text, and that inquiry will accompany the length of the run of the play, and probably after! Auditions will come, but this work is the priority right now. All things have to mold around what our show schedule is.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Night of the Iguana, featuring Keith Randolph Smith, continues through Feb. 25 at the Irene Diamond Stage at the Pershing Signature Center on 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan. Click here for more information and tickets.
