INTERVIEW: Wheelhouse Theater Company presents topical Ibsen classic

The Wheelhouse Theater Company in New York is currently staging Henrik Ibsen’s classic cautionary tale An Enemy of the People. The play deals with political and social issues that are still present in today’s society.

In the drama, Dr. Thomas Stockman learns that the town’s water supply is poisoned with dangerous bacteria, but by revealing the facts, he may jeopardize the local area’s lucrative business in healing spa baths. Does he keep the secret to himself and harm the public’s health? Or does he become a whistleblower and hurt the local economy?

Parallels to the water issues in Flint, Michigan, are obvious, and that’s why Wheelhouse has decided to donate proceeds from the production to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Flint, Michigan.

Performances run through June 24 at the Gene Frankel Theatre at 24 Bond St. in New York City. The production, directed by Jeff Wise, stars Michael Schantz, Ben Graney, David Kenner, Stacey Linnartz, Joshua David Robinson and Christina Toth.

Recently, Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Wise about An Enemy of the People. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.

Do you think the themes of An Enemy of the People still resonate in 2017?

I would venture to say they are even more relevant today! It’s actually quite unnerving to think that 140 years has gone by, and we are still using phrases like “drain the swamp,” the phrase that naturally appears in the public domain translation that we are using. We are not driving direct parallels, but if you look at Flint, Michigan, water crisis, you are also looking at Ibsen’s play, An Enemy of the People. Left-leaning authors like Chris Hedges and Noam Chomsky are very similar to Dr. Thomas Stockman, stepping outside of the collective mindset and critiquing the world around them. This is what Ibsen was doing when he wrote An Enemy of the People.

Have you changed a lot of the Henrik Ibsen classic? Cut any parts or characters?

We have made some significant cuts. As a company we always tread lightly when doing so, but we also value streamlined productions. We cut out the physical presence of “the boys,” and we trimmed significant portion of act four and five. We cut out Captain Horster, a friend and confidant to the Stockman family, as well as the character of Billing, [an] outspoken radical and member of the People’s Messenger Paper. We felt these characters’ qualities were represented in the characters we chose to keep.

The character of Dr. Thomas Stockman is pivotal. What does Michael Schantz bring to the role?

Micheal brings a lot of passion, a deep emotional intelligence as well as intellectual understanding of what Dr. Stockman is up against. Michael is wonderful to work with. He is always focused on the work, selfless, and most importantly always open to new discoveries. I don’t think Michael will ever stop searching as long as he speaks Dr. Stockman’s words. That is ultimately what you look for in an actor — a deep hunger and curiosity that is never satiated.

Does your love of theater go back to when you were growing up?

Absolutely!

What was your initial goal when co-founding Wheelhouse Theater Company? Have you achieved that goal?

There were a few things that we were reacting to when we decided to start Wheelhouse. Like many other companies, it was born out of the passion for theater, but also a bit of disappointment at the theater that we were seeing all to regularly.

I was beginning to feel like companies were not valuing process over product. The reasons for this are understandable. It’s tough out there! I mean, the Pearl Theatre Company just closed its doors after 30 years! It doesn’t seem right.

But I think the system is rigged. The system doesn’t value process. It just wants to make money. And yes, money is very important, but when it starts to be the bottom line of any endeavor, that endeavor gets compromised. One only need to look as far as our own democracy to see the truth in that. When process is not valued, you are likely to get the theatrical equivalent of summer blockbusters. The overwhelming majority of which are a bust.

As all this is occurring, I’m watching my friends turn down acting jobs because they can’t afford to take them because they get paid a fraction of what they make waiting tables, for example. I view this as undervaluing the actor.

So, to answer your question, we wanted to value process and the actor. We are only a year old, so no, we have not accomplished our goal and wouldn’t expect [to] in such a short amount of time. We do value process; that doesn’t cost any money. But I’m not yet able to pay actors what I think they are worth, and I fight with each production for the ability to do that.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

Wheelhouse Theater Company presents Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People through June 24 at the Gene Frankel Theatre, 24 Bond St. in New York City. Click here for more information and tickets.