Unscripted

Three actors making their PlayMakers debuts in “Assassins”

We are pleased to welcome three actors making their PlayMakers debuts in Assassins.  Danny Binstock takes on the role of the John Wilkes Booth, the matinee idol who became famous for the role he cast himself. Joseph Medeiros as Giuseppe Zangara is both off-putting and mesmerizing as he tries to fix his stomach pains with a bullet… directed at someone else.  And, Spencer Moses is the Balladeer, singing about our assassins with charm and sly commentary.
Spencer Moses, on right, with Jeff Meanza
Danny Binstock

Joseph Medeiros
Something these actors have in common is their enjoyment of PlayMakers’ university setting. Spencer says, “my favorite thing about my first time at PlayMakers is meeting and working with such an incredibly talented and warm company of professors and students.  It’s a very unique experience and one that I wish I’d had when I was in college.”  Joseph adds, “I love the atmosphere of education, the energy of people working on their craft, of being focused on their process as theater practitioners. It’s so present in the rehearsal studio and has given my own work on the show a wonderful boost.”  Danny says “My favorite thing about working at PlayMakers is Julie Fishell. She cracks me up and is an actor’s actor. In fact, I’d say this is true of the whole company. It’s such a joy to work with a group of actors who know and trust each other.“

As for their roles, all three have found interesting challenges and quirks associated with portraying their individual assassins. Danny shares “something interesting I’ve found about playing Booth is how charming he is, and how he felt (and he wasn’t alone) that his actions were going to heal the country.” Joseph says “I love this role (Giuseppe Zangara). I like playing characters who are dispossessed in some way, and finding an avenue of empathy and understanding in order to be able to give life to that person on stage. As a character, I may achieve some of my goals, which makes my character happy, but what makes him happy and the audience happy are not the same. The tension this creates is the point. We leave the audience to sort through their own feelings, in their own time. At that point, the piece belongs to each individual spectator. This is a wonderful thing.” Spencer says “the most interesting thing about my role (the Balladeer) is that my scene partner is mostly the audience.  So it’s a really good challenge to take my focus to them and try to involve them in the story.”

See these talented newcomers to PlayMakers in Assassins, running through April 20.