INTERVIEW: Theater luminaries take part in ‘Tuesday Nights’ web series
Photo: Daphne Rubin-Vega, a two-time Tony nominee, is one of the stars of Tuesday Nights, a new web series. Photo courtesy of Tuesday Nights / Provided by Matt Ross PR with permission.
Shiva Kalaiselvan’s new web series, Tuesday Nights, follows one woman after she makes the decision to sign divorce papers. Each of the six episodes tracks her progress throughout the day after this big decision, and five actors portray the central character over the course of the web series.
Joe Bandelli directs Tuesday Nights, which is now available online, and a quintet of playwrights helped bring the journey to life: Celine Song, Leah Nanako-Winkler, Jeremy Tiang, Harrison David Rivers and Laura Zlatos. Amongst the cast members are two-time Tony nominee Daphne Rubin-Vega, Tony nominee Michelle Wilson, Stephen Payne and a host of other theater and film actors.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Kalaiselvan about her new project. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What inspired this unique web series?
This life. This world. Endings and beginnings. It all should be told, even the versions you don’t want to see.
Why was it important to have multiple actors and writers for the entire series?
I wanted to make sure we represented as many women as we could. Everyone represents her own story, and it was so important to have multiple writers because I wanted to ensure that each writer could write for that specific woman and make it an individual story in and of itself.
What do you feel Tuesday Nights says about relationships, divorce, womanhood in 2019?
That sometimes it’s OK to do what you need to do to get through the hard times, the good times and everything in between.
What was it like working with Joe Bandelli?
He was amazing, and I enjoyed working with him. He listened to the story I wanted to tell and did his best to translate that story to the screen.
Are you happy with the results of this expansive project?
As a creator and producer there is always more that I want. But yes, I’m very happy with the way this project came together and with the enthusiasm and talent that every person on the team brought to each episode. I’m proud we made this happen.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Tuesday Nights, consisting of six episodes, is now available online. Click here for more information.
