The latest revival of Eugene O’Neill’s The Iceman Cometh isn’t for rookies. Starring Denzel Washington and directed by George C. Wolfe, the classic of American theatre digs into the ideas of regret, spirituality, and what it is to dream over the course of four hours of titan lifting by its actors.
In addition to a nomination for Best Revival, Wolfe was nominated for a Tony for his direction, Washington and featured actor David Morse were nominated for their performances, and all four designers earned Tony nods to total eight nominations.
Of course, Wolfe wasn’t always the directing success he is known as today, but with the help of mentors, he learned he had a place in the theatre. “When I first came to New York and Peter Stone, the book writer, said he wouldn't teach the class unless I was allowed in,” he recalls. “Every single wave when I was overwhelmed and poor and struggling in New York, there were these extraordinary people in New York who said, ‘Come this way.’”
As Morse reflects on his career, what makes him proudest in this moment are the people he works with eight shows a week. ”Some of the best people who could possibly be on a stage are on our stage and I couldn’t be happier than to be up there with them.
“There is a real affection for these human beings on these stage that O'Neill really had,” he says of what sets apart this revival from others before it. “Out of that affection comes a lot of humor, which is unexpected when you think of The Iceman Cometh.”
Watch the full video interview above.
